File back-up small?

[RA40]

If you needed to back-up about 40G of data, what would you suggest as the storage media? USB-flash drive or 2.5" external hard drive or? Cost is a factor because this will likely be a one use scenario.

I can probably find uses for the media following but it won't be critical like the above.

 

[Illum]

most economical way would be a hard drive, 2.5" or 3.5"
flash drives generally have fair performance on writing speed above 20GB, harddrives don't have that issue

after your done with it, a spare hard drive is always useful when you need to clone your existing drive in an attempt to save files from a virus attack

 

[StarHalo]

An inexpensive regular hard drive; just a bare internal one would be cheapest, but another $30-ish would buy an external USB case for it.

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

If you want a super-durable backup, I'd go with a Corsair survivor. Otherwise, I've had good luck with Seagate external 2.5" drives.

 

[LukeA]

Speedwise I would go with a 3.5 in. hard disk, but you won't really be missing too much with a 2.5 in. disk.

In general, (any HDD > any flash drive) in transfer speed for 40GB. At least up through the year 2009, that is.

 

[RA40]

Thanks guys!
I was thinking the 2.5" since it will be faster in transferring the data. Although the flash drive travels easier, the 2.5 USB types aren't too bad. I was looking at the WD Passport Essential models...is this a decent one?

 

[1138]

If you actually do care about the backup, it would be best to back it up on multiple media and include parity files in case some bits get corrupted. I recommend at least a hard drive, a flash drive, optical media and an offsite backup.

My usual backup consists of backup to three external hard drives, two solid state disks (flash memory based hard drives), offsite backup to the file server at work, offsite backups of the offsite backup at a local and overseas data center, backup to a laptop and small files additionally get backed up on various DVD discs and USB drives. The backups are also rolling backups so I keep at least 6 months worth of old file versions (all with separately backed up integrity verification just in case data gets corrupted). It's the only way to be sure I don't lose anything. This is in addition to running a 4 disc RAID array on my main workstation (which isn't backup so much as an insurance for reliability). All the discs I use are different makes and purchased separately to minimize the risk of batch manufacturing defects. Unless there's a war that destroys all the data centers as well as my house and my office, I shouldn't lose any important data.

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

If you actually do care about the backup, it would be best to back it up on multiple media and include parity files in case some bits get corrupted. I recommend at least a hard drive, a flash drive, optical media and an offsite backup.

My usual backup consists of backup to three external hard drives, two solid state disks (flash memory based hard drives), offsite backup to the file server at work, offsite backups of the offsite backup at a local and overseas data center, backup to a laptop and small files additionally get backed up on various DVD discs and USB drives. The backups are also rolling backups so I keep at least 6 months worth of old file versions (all with separately backed up integrity verification just in case data gets corrupted). It's the only way to be sure I don't lose anything. This is in addition to running a 4 disc RAID array on my main workstation (which isn't backup so much as an insurance for reliability). All the discs I use are different makes and purchased separately to minimize the risk of batch manufacturing defects. Unless there's a war that destroys all the data centers as well as my house and my office, I shouldn't lose any important data.

AKA: Overkill

 

[RA40]

Those WD's seem 50-50 for some, I ordered a LaCie 320G drive. We'll see, hopefully not the hard way.

 

[Eugene]

If you decide to do USB drive backup,then buy the enclosure and put your own drive inside it. Makes it easier to put in different drives, borrow the enclosure to copy a drive for someone else, or even put the drive inside your man system should your main system drive die. I put a bigger drive in my laptop every so often and then the old goes in an enclosure as a backup and if needed I could still swap it back into the laptop should the laptops drive die.

 

[LukeA]

If you actually do care about the backup, it would be best to back it up on multiple media and include parity files in case some bits get corrupted. I recommend at least a hard drive, a flash drive, optical media and an offsite backup.

My usual backup consists of backup to three external hard drives, two solid state disks (flash memory based hard drives), offsite backup to the file server at work, offsite backups of the offsite backup at a local and overseas data center, backup to a laptop and small files additionally get backed up on various DVD discs and USB drives. The backups are also rolling backups so I keep at least 6 months worth of old file versions (all with separately backed up integrity verification just in case data gets corrupted). It's the only way to be sure I don't lose anything. This is in addition to running a 4 disc RAID array on my main workstation (which isn't backup so much as an insurance for reliability). All the discs I use are different makes and purchased separately to minimize the risk of batch manufacturing defects. Unless there's a war that destroys all the data centers as well as my house and my office, I shouldn't lose any important data.

damn that's paranoid.

 

[matrixshaman]

If you want a super-durable backup, I'd go with a Corsair survivor. Otherwise, I've had good luck with Seagate external 2.5" drives.

Last I checked the Corsair Survivors biggest size is 32Gb. He needs 40Gb so unless you get two and stretch it across both that won't work to well as well as being a more expensive solution. Other than that I really like the Corsair Survivors - just wish they still had the really fast ones available.

1138 - I won't call that paranoid - just smart if you have really important data. :thumbsup:

 

[gorn]

Thanks guys!
I was thinking the 2.5" since it will be faster in transferring the data. Although the flash drive travels easier, the 2.5 USB types aren't too bad. I was looking at the WD Passport Essential models...is this a decent one?

I've got a couple of those. The newest being a 300 or 360g drive costco was selling for $59. They work fine. Western digital used to be a crap shoot but I think seagate bought them out years ago. The new ones are much more dependable.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I've got a couple of those. The newest being a 300 or 360g drive costco was selling for $59. They work fine. Western digital used to be a crap shoot but I think seagate bought them out years ago. The new ones are much more dependable.

seagate bought out maxtor not western digital

I would advise a drive of 120 gigs or so at least large enough for 2 or 3 complete backups because if you find an unforseen problem with your previous backup you can go back to an earlier one.

 

[RA40]

I would advise a drive of 120 gigs or so at least large enough for 2 or 3 complete backups because if you find an unforseen problem with your previous backup you can go back to an earlier one.

Good point to keep in mind. The drive is large enough so I can do it in multiples if desired. Nothing stops the drive from crashing but between three different sources, I'm pretty well covered.

Ugh...sometimes I forget how good a deal Costco can be. Although the drive is on the way...I have to check what they have.

 

[1138]

AKA: Overkill

damn that's paranoid.

We're talking on a forum where people carry 3 or 4 flashlights even when the SUN is out. Nothing's paranoid here.

1138 - I won't call that paranoid - just smart if you have really important data. :thumbsup:

Yeah, the data is important. It's research data that's irreplaceable unless I buy $100 million worth of no longer available scientific equipment.

I've got a couple of those. The newest being a 300 or 360g drive costco was selling for $59. They work fine. Western digital used to be a crap shoot but I think seagate bought them out years ago. The new ones are much more dependable.

Internet opinion has it that the WD desktop drives - the Caviar Black series - are very reliable. WD put a 5 year warranty on them while Seagate stopped offering 5 years (dropped to 3) and had a bout of problems with their 1TB models. No idea if the quality applies to the mobile drives.

 

[RA40]

We're talking on a forum where people carry 3 or 4 flashlights even when the SUN is out. Nothing's paranoid here.

On of my travel buds carries his netbook with 2-500G USB drives. He get's one and his wife carries the other. He jokes with me...they can steal anything else, the luggage, cameras but the drives are his highest priority to get back stateside. When possible, he UL's to his servers but often where he is connection speeds prevent this.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

Drives are cheaper. Go with the external drive. you can get a 1TB drive for about $100 if you look around. Hard drives do fail, so it is always good to have a backup somewhere.

and dag, I wish I could afford an SSD

 

[RA40]

The LaCie 320G (Hitachi inside) arrived today and I quickly put the necessary 36G of data on it. Compared to the 1T SATAII's in the boxes, this little drive was slow...as expected. Came to about 15 minutes to complete but I walked away.

 

[DaveN007]

Hey...something I know a bit about.

If it is truly that important, I would suggest using an online service. Mozy. Carbonite. Apple, if you are a Mac guy. Let people who spend millions of dollars protecting data do it for you.

No single disk is a good solution. Period.

For my important stuff...digital pictures...I run a mirrored drive set up at home, and I have a back up that I update every month or so that I leave at my parent's house. They leave their back up at my house.

I will be using an online service soon so I won't have the potential to lose months worth of pictures. If I lose data in the mean time I will be quite embarrassed.

Full disclosure. I am a CTO at the company that owns Mozy, but it is a tiny division that I have little to do with as I focus on enterprise data protection.