AKICILJ: Backup solutions

[kjn]

I've been active as a freelance translator for close to a year now, and it's way overdue to think about backup and archiving.

What I have is:

1 basic PC with Windows Vista SP1 Business
1 MacBook with Mac OS X 10.5 (due for upgrade to 10.6)

Both are networked in the office, using an (for practical purposes) unsecured network. Occasionally, I work with restricted stuff for paranoid customers, and creating my own little physical subnet will probably be frowned upon. Right now I mostly use a memory stick to move files between the computers (it's easier and more secure than opening up file sharing).

Other than some basic security, I want it to be as hassle-free and simple as possible. A single solution for both computers would be a big plus. The data volume is modest - 500 GB would probably last me for a year, 1 TB for the foreseeable future. Low noise levels is very desirable.

The main questions are:

Are the built-in backup tools up to snuff? (The reports about Time Machine I've read are favourable, but I don't know about the Windows side.)

What hardware can be recommended?

Comments

[mhoye.livejournal.com]

I use Time Machine the application, though not the device; it will work with any external hard drive. Windows Vista Business edition has a "Complete PC Backup And Restore" option (see here) that I haven't used, but also haven't heard any horror stories about. So my advice is as follows:

Get two external hard drives (1.5TB seems like a good price point these days) with enclosures, and a safety deposit box at your bank.

Partition the drives down the middle, NTFS on one side and HFS+ on the other. Make a backup of your computers using the OSes' included software, on to both drives. Whichever computer is your primary work computer, leave one drive plugged into that machine and schedule the backups to happen automatically every night. Do the other one by hand every few days.

Then take one hard drive and put it in your box at the bank, including the USB cable and the power brick that goes with the enclosure. Once a month, take the hard drive at home to the bank, put it in the box and bring the one at the bank home. This is your my-house-burned-down backup, and you do need it. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you don't need this, or that RAID will be fine; mirroring RAID plus flood or fire damage equals nothing.

When (not if) either one of those drives fails, replacing it and making another backup is your number one priority, and you must not even consider using your second backup until you've replaced the first. Honestly, don't touch it, don't even think about it. When one drive fails, the correct thinking here isn't "I'm OK, I've got another", it's "now I am vulnerable."

Beyond this, in terms of defensive home computing: if you have the means, consider buying a decent UPS. Clean power will do far more for the stability and longevity of modern computers than virtually anything else you can do or buy.

[kjn]

For offsite handling, I do have the advantage of having the office outside of home, so I can do a crisscrossed offsite archives between the office and home.

Both computers are actually primary. The Dell gets most translation tasks, while the Macbook does most communication, some translation and technical writing et c. It's also carted between home and office every day.

So go with two drives, dual-partition them, and back up the Macbook at home and the PC at the office? Drives are switched between office and home once a month. Could work.

The UPS thingie is a good call. I do have a decent surge protector, but an UPS would probably up the level some more. Getting one for the home would probably also be a good idea, since the power there isn't fully grounded in most rooms.

[urtidssuppa.livejournal.com]

I'd get three drives.
One connected to each computer, and a third that sits offline. Power unplugged from wall socket, USB cable unplugget in both ends.

No thunderstorm can affect the drive that's disconnected.

Once a month you disconnect one drive, run a backup from the other computer onto it, and then connect the one that've been cold for the last month.

Remember: You must never have more than one drive i each location overnight, and a maximum of two drives in the same buildig at the same time.

(Have you got family in the vicinity?)

[kjn]

Too complex, I think. Four drives would be doable (two for each computer), but with three it'd be too much mental juggling.

[kjn]

Hrmmm…

Once again, the Microsoft too-clever mode strikes.

There are two backup utilities in Vista. "Automatic backup" and "Complete Backup". Complete does everything, but can't be automated. Automatic can be automated, but won't get the system files - it runs on predefined categories.

I'll probably do the complete one when I switch drives, and the automatic between, but why make two backup tools?!?