Design a backup system - HOW

Tell me if this is just stupid.

1 x USB hub at shop
1 x USB hub at home
3 x 2TB External USB drives at shop
3 x 2TB External USB drives at home
1 x 2TB External USB drive as the "live transfer disk".

Workflow.

- Take photos.
- Download to currently active "archive disk" (one of the shop based 2TB)
- Backup from currently active "archive disk" to the "live transfer disk"
- Backup from "live transfer disk" to currently active "archive disk" at home

WDYT?

Gary.
 
Gary, you're limited in site to site synchronisation by your bandwidth.

10GB would be 18Hrs via ADSL, which is your slowest connection.
Plug the numbers in here

http://www.dslzoneuk.net/calculator.php

Better to look at an alternate method where you physically move the data by hand on a portable drive.

Camera to Studio storage
Studio Storage to portable drive
Portable Drive to Offsite storage

Repeat daily.

Also...

What are your Data Retention plans?
Do you keep all shots, or just those presented to the client?
Do you intend to retain all shots indefinitely, just in case someone wants a print later, or, do you have a time after which each shoot will be deleted? Mine's 6 months, and each customer gets emailed offering a DVD of the images 1 month prior to deletion, but I don't shoot anywhere near as much as you.
 
EdinburghGary said:
Tell me if this is just stupid.

1 x USB hub at shop
1 x USB hub at home
3 x 2TB External USB drives at shop
3 x 2TB External USB drives at home
1 x 2TB External USB drive as the "live transfer disk".

Workflow.

- Take photos.
- Download to currently active "archive disk" (one of the shop based 2TB)
- Backup from currently active "archive disk" to the "live transfer disk"
- Backup from "live transfer disk" to currently active "archive disk" at home

WDYT?

Gary.
Click to expand...

That'll work.
 
that'd work but it'd be more of a headache. Slower transfer times too, 3gbps sata vs usb...hmmm...

Also, external drives die, fact of life, significantly faster than drives used inside a computer (whether it's the controller or the drive itself, usually from insufficient cooling).

But yes, it would work.

You might be best off getting in touch with a local IT provider who can sort you a full solution - as this is in essence the very core of your business, and there is nothing more mission critical, this is somewhere not to skimp on really. Other hand, you can do it yourself and get a robust and reliable solution.
 
Hi Jason,

My current plan is to keep shots indefinately, I can then market myself using the most personal material available at xmas time, birthdays, etc etc. I also hold the view that photo's are technically client data, and as such are bound by the Data Protection Act, and as such need to be kept for several years (I forget how long exactly, is it 5 years?)....

I keep all shots too, even the duffers, no time to delete otherwise I would.

G.
 
maybe every 6 months or 1 year, go through, and any raw file that's older than (say) 2 years, nuke it? Would be easy to do.

You've still got the jpeg that you shot at the same time, as well as any jpeg output from lr / ps. Would save you a lot of storage space in the long run.
 
EdinburghGary said:
I also hold the view that photo's are technically client data, and as such are bound by the Data Protection Act, and as such need to be kept for several years (I forget how long exactly, is it 5 years?)...
Click to expand...

No specific period defined, simply

"Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes."

BTW, Photographs have not yet been defined as personal data and therefore are not yet subject to the DP Act ;)
 
Gary you could always do it the old fashioned way........and use a LTO tape drive and a fire safe, do your backup 10GB approx 5mins then stick the tape in the fire safe, or do 2 backups and take one home with you - Tape is a lot more reliable than disk for moving around.
 
EdinburghGary said:
Tell me if this is just stupid.

1 x USB hub at shop
1 x USB hub at home
3 x 2TB External USB drives at shop
3 x 2TB External USB drives at home
1 x 2TB External USB drive as the "live transfer disk".

Workflow.

- Take photos.
- Download to currently active "archive disk" (one of the shop based 2TB)
- Backup from currently active "archive disk" to the "live transfer disk"
- Backup from "live transfer disk" to currently active "archive disk" at home

WDYT?

Gary.
Click to expand...

essentially what i do at the moment but with much less data.. as long as you remember to take the files off site as soon as youve got them then you should be okay. providing the place doesnt burn down in the meantime.

like you at some point soon im going to have to look at spending some cash on a proper storage/off site backup solution.. on a budget.
 
If you can build your own box up you can do what you want failry cheaply. Buy your bits from Ebuyer and use a product called FreeNas.

I have a server now on my network and it's running FreeNas. Mine is set up with raid 1 but you can configure it how you want. It runs it's own operating system - so you don't need windows or anything. It's performed superbly over the last 6 months and you don't need a mamouth system to run it on. It just sits in the corner, no monitor or anything. Whats more it can all be controlled over your web browser from another machine.

Just google FreeNas - plenty of info around about it.
 
i think a separate SATA RAID controller card is going to be the way forward, motherboards with more than 6 SATA sockets appear to be a bit thin on the ground. but cards with up to 16 SAS/SATA are available but again with an attached higher cost..
 
EdinburghGary said:
Tell me if this is just stupid.

1 x USB hub at shop
1 x USB hub at home
3 x 2TB External USB drives at shop
3 x 2TB External USB drives at home
1 x 2TB External USB drive as the "live transfer disk".

Workflow.

- Take photos.
- Download to currently active "archive disk" (one of the shop based 2TB)
- Backup from currently active "archive disk" to the "live transfer disk"
- Backup from "live transfer disk" to currently active "archive disk" at home

WDYT?

Gary.
Click to expand...

Won't that be pretty slow for the amount of data going through it, with the hub acting as a bottle neck?
 
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