File Back Up System for long term storage

jerem0621 wrote:

joebedford wrote:

I'm thinking of getting a bluray writer for backing up tens of thousands of photos and store the blurays in my safety deposit box.

I have been having the same thoughts...up to 50gb on a single Blue Ray...I have read some on using archival quality BRD's...something to look into for sure.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Try to store BDR/DVD-R/CD-R vertically if you can, such as in a case, for max life.

vermilye wrote:

sherlock62 wrote:
With Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon's "Your Cloud Drive", etc. why would one even bother with a large External Hard drive. For sure your pics, documents, etc. are far safer and more in the cloud then on an external backup device sitting in your wooden house or your RV.

If you are a traveling photographer that stores RAW files from a full frame digital camera (around 45MB per image), you will quickly run into data limits or need very expensive access to the internet on the road. Even storing images on a hard drive, I generally use 15 - 20 GB of on line access per month. If I stored all my images on the cloud, I'd need far more access. Traveling with a hard drive is a reasonable solution.

That's a fair answer to the question "Why would one even bother...?"

But many of us RV owners are "traveling photographers" that have no need for 45MB per image photos or even anything remotely close. :)

sherlock62 wrote:
With Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon's "Your Cloud Drive", etc. why would one even bother with a large External Hard drive. For sure your pics, documents, etc. are far safer and more in the cloud then on an external backup device sitting in your wooden house or your RV.

If you are a traveling photographer that stores RAW files from a full frame digital camera (around 45MB per image), you will quickly run into data limits or need very expensive access to the internet on the road. Even storing images on a hard drive, I generally use 15 - 20 GB of on line access per month. If I stored all my images on the cloud, I'd need far more access. Traveling with a hard drive is a reasonable solution.

Gdetrailer wrote:


The problem lies in the DYES, PRESSED optical media does not rely on DYES and therefore is much more "stable" than any BURNED optical media.

Optical media dyes can and will change/fade over time, the normal response when burnable media came out was 50yrs.. In reality, in 50yrs the dyes will most likely have broken down and no longer readable..

Optical burning drives also play a hand in the situation, a older worn out drive will result in a weaker laser burn, result is the same as leaving the disc out in light..

You hit the issue of dye stability (and manufacturing processes) on the mark. That's why "archive" quality optical discs should be used for long term storage. Plus, light exposure is only one factor as discs need to be stored vertically, in temperature/humidity controlled conditions to maximize useful life.

Even "museums", Government/businesses KNOW better than to completely depend on optical media.. They ALSO use OTHER types of media, back a few years it was digital tape backups which were sent to UNDER GROUND STORAGE SITES.. Now days many have been shifting to HARD DRIVE BACKUP SYSTEMS which feature hot swap hard drives as a main backup system..

Never said that was the only type of archive storage museums use. Digital tape backups are more volatile to long term degradation, and an outdated technology as you know. And I don't know of anyone seriously considering hard drive storage a viable archive medium, as now you're dealing with mechanical longevity of non-use and magnetic stability subject to humidity/temperature issues? If you can provide research data as to their superiority, I'm sure museums would like to know. Including the one I work for currently. The largest museum in the world?

1492 wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:


Burnable optical media tends to fail over time, I have had countless amount of burned CDs that were good when burned but in a few years of being stored out of light started to become unreadable.

That's why they make archive grade DVD-R/BDR which are commonly used by museums these days. Like any medium, they need to be stored properly following manufactures recommendations.

Anyone who leaves recordable optical discs out in direct sun light, present company excluded, deserves losing their content for not using some basic common sense? It is an optical format, sensitive to light and heat.

Umm, MY CDs WERE STORED OUT OF "SUNLIGHT" and actually ALL LIGHT.

Fully put into DARK containers which were stored in a DARK closet..

Some worked after 5 yrs and SOME DIDN'T..

The problem lies in the DYES, PRESSED optical media does not rely on DYES and therefore is much more "stable" than any BURNED optical media.

Optical media dyes can and will change/fade over time, the normal response when burnable media came out was 50yrs.. In reality, in 50yrs the dyes will most likely have broken down and no longer readable..

Optical burning drives also play a hand in the situation, a older worn out drive will result in a weaker laser burn, result is the same as leaving the disc out in light..

If you really ant your data to live on, you can have your data PRESSED if you are willing to pay the price for a "one off"..

Even "museums", Government/businesses KNOW better than to completely depend on optical media.. They ALSO use OTHER types of media, back a few years it was digital tape backups which were sent to UNDER GROUND STORAGE SITES.. Now days many have been shifting to HARD DRIVE BACKUP SYSTEMS which feature hot swap hard drives as a main backup system..

I HAPPEN to live near a HUGE underground storage site which was carved out of a old limestone mine.. Massive amounts of government AND business data stored in that big hole in the ground..

sherlock62 wrote:
With Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon's "Your Cloud Drive", etc. why would one even bother with a large External Hard drive..

some feel safer when they are in 100% control of their data. Nothing is 100% reliable, but I'm betting cloud storage is almost there. And it's so convenient, and cheap.

snipe:

1492 wrote:

Best practices would be a combo of both local storage and cloud. However, I would not solely rely on one over the other.

I agree 100%. To do both is wise... Although, if I had to chose one over the other, and only use one, I would go with cloud storage.

sherlock62 wrote:
With Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon's "Your Cloud Drive", etc. why would one even bother with a large External Hard drive. For sure your pics, documents, etc. are far safer and more in the cloud then on an external backup device sitting in your wooden house or your RV.

Best practices would be a combo of both local storage and cloud. However, I would not solely rely on one over the other.

Yes, every cloud storage service does routine backups of customer data. However, I wouldn't make assumptions that they can restore lost content, even if they are Microsoft or Apple? Even Google has on occasion could not completely restore user data due to hardware failures. And I would think they have among the most sophisticated, if not the most extensive data infrastructure in place?

Gdetrailer wrote:


Burnable optical media tends to fail over time, I have had countless amount of burned CDs that were good when burned but in a few years of being stored out of light started to become unreadable.

That's why they make archive grade DVD-R/BDR which are commonly used by museums these days. Like any medium, they need to be stored properly following manufactures recommendations.

Anyone who leaves recordable optical discs out in direct sun light, present company excluded, deserves losing their content for not using some basic common sense? It is an optical format, sensitive to light and heat.

With Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon's "Your Cloud Drive", etc. why would one even bother with a large External Hard drive. For sure your pics, documents, etc. are far safer and more in the cloud then on an external backup device sitting in your wooden house or your RV.