Backup Solution - What do you think?

MacOG728893 · Dec 6, 2013

Believe me, I have read through 20+ threads on this forum about backup solutions, pros and cons of each media and method. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do. However, before I make the purchase for CrashPlan and a replacement LaCie device, I wanted to hear opinions from people who know backup best.

Here is a quick diagram of what I put together. If you need anything explained, please ask. Thanks!

Update: New diagram in post #15.

Chippy99 · Dec 6, 2013

I think you have thought about this too much.

Weaselboy · Dec 7, 2013

MacOG728893 said:
Believe me, I have read through 20+ threads on this forum about backup solutions, pros and cons of each media and method. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do. However, before I make the purchase for CrashPlan and a replacement LaCie device, I wanted to hear opinions from people who know backup best.

Here is a quick diagram of what I put together. If you need anything explained, please ask. Thanks!

The only flaw I see is it looks to me like you have movies and music stored on the Caldigit external drive and those files are not backed up anywhere?

MacOG728893 · Dec 7, 2013

Chippy99 said:
I think you have thought about this too much.

Losing one's data isn't a problem until it becomes a problem. I did think it about quite a bit. This is a long term solution, which I am also spending money on. If backing up your data is as simple as dragging your files over to an external or using time machine, good for you! It is not for me.

Weaselboy said:
The only flaw I see is it looks to me like you have movies and music stored on the Caldigit external drive and those files are not backed up anywhere?

Thank you for a constructive response Weasel. You are absolutely correct. After thinking about this, I have changed my plan a little. My LaCie will hold my media (iTunes for Music & Movies / Photos in the iPhoto Library) as well as my archive files. I will use my current CalDigit solely for Time Machine. What do you think now?

richard13 · Dec 8, 2013

MacOG728893 said:
Losing one's data isn't a problem until it becomes a problem. I did think it about quite a bit. This is a long term solution, which I am also spending money on. If backing up your data is as simple as dragging your files over to an external or using time machine, good for you! It is not for me.

Maybe you haven't read many of Chippy's previous posts. He's seems pretty hardcore about his data and where it lives. I think his comment was that your original concept was a bit over engineered.

MacOG728893 said:
Thank you for a constructive response Weasel. You are absolutely correct. After thinking about this, I have changed my plan a little. My LaCie will hold my media (iTunes for Music & Movies / Photos in the iPhoto Library) as well as my archive files. I will use my current CalDigit solely for Time Machine. What do you think now?

What? No diagram?

I think this updated plan simplifies things and would work better than your original plan.

djc6 · Dec 8, 2013

I recommend Backblaze - I use them specifically so I don't have to put this much thought into it. Their philosophy is just to backup everything - I get unlimited data. They also don't throttle the network connections - I can fully saturate my 5Mbps uplink if I want to but I usually cap Backblaze to 2Mbps.

I have a time capsule that our computers back up locally - its fast, I can use it with migration assistant when I upgrade an HD, get a new mac, etc.. Its great for bare-metal restores. I like that I don't have to remember to hook it up. Any backup plan has to be 'automatic'.

Then I use backblaze for what-if scenarios like the house burning down or someone stealing my computers and time capsule. Its nice having a 2nd backup if there is some failure with my time capsule. Again I like that it automatically backs up everything so I don't have to remember to manage my exclusions/inclusions. The worst case scenario is that is backups up items that don't require backing up

tbolt11 · Dec 8, 2013

Just want to say I love that you have a backup diagram.

Weaselboy · Dec 8, 2013

MacOG728893 said:
Thank you for a constructive response Weasel. You are absolutely correct. After thinking about this, I have changed my plan a little. My LaCie will hold my media (iTunes for Music & Movies / Photos in the iPhoto Library) as well as my archive files. I will use my current CalDigit solely for Time Machine. What do you think now?

I know you have the Lacie as RAID1, but that still leaves the media on one hardware device with no backup. You could store the media on the Lacie then back it up with Time Machine to the Caldigit device. Time Machine by default excludes external drives from backup, so just remove the Lacie from the exclusions list and it would back it up to the Caldigit device (assuming there is enough space).

thejadedmonkey · Dec 8, 2013

Why not a 2 bay Synology NAS? That will give you the 3TB of storage you need, you can backup Windows too, it's all 1 box, provides a secure VPN for while you're at Starbucks, and it's crashplan compatible too.

MacOG728893 · Dec 8, 2013

richard13 said:
Maybe you haven't read many of Chippy's previous posts. He's seems pretty hardcore about his data and where it lives. I think his comment was that your original concept was a bit over engineered.

I guess I didn't look back at his previous post. I apologize for the assumption then. The diagram was simply for me to visualize what I was doing in terms of a backup plan. I thought it was actually quite simple. If this is over over engineered, then what's basic?

richard13 said:
What? No diagram? I think this updated plan simplifies things and would work better than your original plan.

The diagram still applies. However, my media will be living on the LaCie, which will be backed up to CrashPlan.

djc6 said:
I recommend Backblaze - I use them specifically so I don't have to put this much thought into it. Their philosophy is just to backup everything - I get unlimited data. They also don't throttle the network connections - I can fully saturate my 5Mbps uplink if I want to but I usually cap Backblaze to 2Mbps.

I have a time capsule that our computers back up locally - its fast, I can use it with migration assistant when I upgrade an HD, get a new mac, etc.. Its great for bare-metal restores. I like that I don't have to remember to hook it up. Any backup plan has to be 'automatic'.

Then I use backblaze for what-if scenarios like the house burning down or someone stealing my computers and time capsule. Its nice having a 2nd backup if there is some failure with my time capsule. Again I like that it automatically backs up everything so I don't have to remember to manage my exclusions/inclusions. The worst case scenario is that is backups up items that don't require backing up

I've seen this company suggested a few times now. I'll try crash plan from a month to month basis and see how it works. I appreciate the information on another viable offsite backup plan.

tbolt11 said:
Just want to say I love that you have a backup diagram.

Sarcasm much? It's nice for me to visualize things before I begin them. Is that odd?

Weaselboy said:
I know you have the Lacie as RAID1, but that still leaves the media on one hardware device with no backup. You could store the media on the Lacie then back it up with Time Machine to the Caldigit device. Time Machine by default excludes external drives from backup, so just remove the Lacie from the exclusions list and it would back it up to the Caldigit device (assuming there is enough space).

The media will be backed up with CrashPlan. This is the change I have made from the diagram.

thejadedmonkey said:
Why not a 2 bay Synology NAS? That will give you the 3TB of storage you need, you can backup Windows too, it's all 1 box, provides a secure VPN for while you're at Starbucks, and it's crashplan compatible too.

How fast is this? Do backups for larger sized FCX or PP projects take time?

Chippy99 · Dec 9, 2013

MacOG728893 said:
Losing one's data isn't a problem until it becomes a problem. I did think it about quite a bit. This is a long term solution, which I am also spending money on. If backing up your data is as simple as dragging your files over to an external or using time machine, good for you! It is not for me.

I do Time Machine, mixed with period full system images to alternative back up drives and also Cloud backup. Plus I keep a full image off site at my Mum's house.

Old data is archived to multiple locations and new data is backed up to Time Machine and Cloud. It's really not hard.

Boomhowler · Dec 9, 2013

in general, a very good backup solution should have three copies of all files that are critical (original, copy1 and copy2, where copy1 or 2 should be on another site preferably).

I think that the crashplan solution would be "copy2" in this case and the time-machine copy1.

Is everything you have backed up to crashplan also covered by the time machine?

// DL

MacOG728893 · Dec 9, 2013

Boomhowler said:
in general, a very good backup solution should have three copies of all files that are critical (original, copy1 and copy2, where copy1 or 2 should be on another site preferably).

I think that the crashplan solution would be "copy2" in this case and the time-machine copy1.

Is everything you have backed up to crashplan also covered by the time machine?

// DL

Yes, that is part of the new plan.

----------

Chippy99 said:
I do Time Machine, mixed with period full system images to alternative back up drives and also Cloud backup. Plus I keep a full image off site at my Mum's house.

Old data is archived to multiple locations and new data is backed up to Time Machine and Cloud. It's really not hard.

I didn't think my backup solution was all that hard either. I just wanted to see if there were any flaws in it, which there were and it helped me adjust a few things. It was really the only reason for me posting this thread.

tbolt11 · Dec 9, 2013

MacOG728893 said:
Sarcasm much? It's nice for me to visualize things before I begin them. Is that odd?

No, not sarcasm. It's really awesome. I plan to do the same thing. You should show this to @siracusa, he might be proud.

MacOG728893 · Dec 9, 2013

tbolt11 said:
No, not sarcasm. It's really awesome. I plan to do the same thing. You should show this to @siracusa, he might be proud.

Oh okay cool! I just figured with everyone giving me crap for creating a diagram, you were being sarcastic. I apologize for the assumption.

You definitely should! It really helped me figure things out. Who is that and why would he be interested in my diagram if you don't mind me asking?

Here is my final diagram. Everything has been ordered and is almost ready for setup. Let me know what you think.

Weaselboy · Dec 10, 2013

MacOG728893 said:
Here is my final diagram. Everything has been ordered and is almost ready for setup. Let me know what you think.

That looks bulletproof to me.

MacOG728893 · Dec 10, 2013

Weaselboy said:
That looks bulletproof to me.

I appreciate it Weasel, thanks for your help! The initial thought took a little time, but now that it's complete, I feel confident and secure with my data.

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