Photographer Backup Ideas

[HKSSS]

Hi guys, I am having headache after searching different ways of backing up my medias.

I currently have a WD 2TB HDD that connects to Airport Extreme. I partitioned it to 1.5 GB for TM and 500GB for media files (Music and Pictures). I am doing this because some of the old pictures in the HDD is NOT in my MBP.

I felt that this is not a good idea because if the HDD fails then the files are gone.

How do you back up your medias?

I am thinking of buying WD My Book Studio II 2TB and set it the same way as now. Is there a way so i don't have to manually update the files in the 500GB partition?

 

[watchthisspace]

That My Book Studio 2 apparently comes with back up software that's automated.

As for HDD failure, you'd want to have a RAID 1 array (for the Studio 2) or RAID 5.

Otherwise you could look into cloud storage for your photos. Some examples;

https://apps.live.com/skydrive/app/f644a8ef-9f98-4d1b-a3d2-eab969b0fd44

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/drive?pli=1

https://www.dropbox.com/

 

[AlvinNguyen]

I separate my medias into 3 LaCie 1TB USB3 drives and they back up to a WD 3TB drive. The first 2 LaCies are clones of each other and contains current projects. The third is files that are completed and I keep those for 6 months. I also have 2 more 3TB WD that I use to archive old shoots (older than 6 months). I clear things off completely after 24 months.

 

[HKSSS]

I separate my medias into 3 LaCie 1TB USB3 drives and they back up to a WD 3TB drive. The first 2 LaCies are clones of each other and contains current projects. The third is files that are completed and I keep those for 6 months. I also have 2 more 3TB WD that I use to archive old shoots (older than 6 months). I clear things off completely after 24 months.

Do you mind to elaborate a little more? What software are you using to back up those 2 LaCies to WD 3TB? I am looking for something that can automatically backup any changes or files to Airport Extreme without TM.

 

[Comet5o4]

I keep current work on my Macbook Pro, otherwise, I have a 1TB external where I backup files and my photo projects. I also have a 2TB external I use as my main backup; it stores everything I've ever done. Shouldn't have just one backup, I've had HDDs fail on me in the past so this way I should be safe.

 

[MattyDlotus]

Im using a Synology DS212j Network drive with two 2tb drives in RAID 1. The drive is faultless as a network drive but useless as a Time Machine target drive

 

[Macman45]

No one is sharing their backup ideas?

If you have an extensive media collection that is work based, then you may want to consider going the whole hog, and buying a Promise unit.

I have the Pegasus R4, configured in two RAID0 Arrays. It utilises Thundrbolt, is fast enough for me to work on files in real time, and is rock solid.

The downside? The price I guess, but It's a one off purchase, and keeps all my vital files safe:

http://www.promise.com/storage/raid_series.aspx?m=192&region=en-global&rsn1=40&rsn3=47

 

[HKSSS]

Im using a Synology DS212j Network drive with two 2tb drives in RAID 1. The drive is faultless as a network drive but useless as a Time Machine target drive

I am also considering RAID 1 as RAID is to prevent hardware failure and use my current WD 2TB for TM (user error).

Is it possible to set up the Synhology Network drive to do all the backup automatically?

I keep current work on my Macbook Pro, otherwise, I have a 1TB external where I backup files and my photo projects. I also have a 2TB external I use as my main backup; it stores everything I've ever done. Shouldn't have just one backup, I've had HDDs fail on me in the past so this way I should be safe.

HDDs failing is what i am trying to avoid! This is also one of the options i was considering. Can you tell me how you are achieving this? Do you have to manually backup files and photo projects to the 1TB? How are you backing up the 1TB drive to the 2TB drive?

 

[ender78]

Super Duper is a great program for automatic backups.

 

[MattyDlotus]

I am also considering RAID 1 as RAID is to prevent hardware failure and use my current WD 2TB for TM (user error).

Is it possible to set up the Synhology Network drive to do all the backup automatically?

Not sure about that. I just use an import preset in Lightroom to send a second copy to the Synology drive. The Lightroom catalogue is kept in a smart folder that automatically duplicates to the synology drive as well.