Photo Storage / Backup. Where to go now?

[ding76uk]

Right, time to look at my storage/backup system again. I currently have a 2TB ext HDD as my main photo drive, a 1.5TB as backup and a 3TB drive running time machine. I also back up my selects from each job to the net.

I am in need of a new backup drive and thought it might be time to look at how I do things. Both my main and photo backup drive are firewire and my time machine is USB.

Would it make sense to invest in a USB 3TB as my photo backup and then use the 1.5TB as my next main drive, or do I look at something like a Drobo or? or? I need to get bigger storage, but I am unsure of where to go without having drives all over my desk?

I need the speed of FW for the main photo drives I feel as I edit from them, but have little experience of what other alternatives there are available to me.

 

[Chappers]

Carl

You have a similar set up to me. I have a couple of lacie 2TB drives which hold my current images. These I have via FW800. I have several backup drives but only the current one is on line. ( desk would become too cluttered ) this is connected by USB. Time machine sits on a third drive. Older image files are hard drives which are stored away. ( I use Lightroom for cataloging so I don't need to have these older images on line to find them.)

I find it easiest to simply get a new main storage drive when the current one fills up. Transferring data, especially the quantity you have would take many hours via USB 2.0.

To me the simplest answer it to get another FW800 drive when the current one fills up. OK it would nice to keep all your images on one drive, but as time passes you'll probably find that you use the older images less and less. Although I'm sure there are some classics you go back to time and again, I know I do.


Personally I can't see the point of a Drobo, although lots of people swear by them. I prefer a simple main storage and backup drive using some backup software. ( I use laCie's Integeo).

John C