Technology Backing Up Your Data / Storage Suggestions

[Therapist4Chnge]

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I originally posted this in the Psychology Forum, but I thought it was an important for all students.

.....i slacked off on posting because my computer crashed a couple weeks ago 🙁

For the love of your sanity.....PLEASE invest in at least TWO back-up sources for your personal data.

1. External HD (You can get them for $60-$100+). I have a Western Digital 250GB My Book, another 250GB external HD for my photography, and an internal HD for critical doc redundancy....see below why I have this setup. ).
2. CD / DVD Backup. Media is pennies per disc, there is no reason why should shouldn't do this at least every 2-4 weeks.
3. External Thumb Drive / USB / Fireware etc. ($15-$50+)

Most labs should/will have back-up systems, but some places are better than others about full backups/mirrors. Some do it nightly, others weekly, etc. I do the majority of my work on my laptop or server, so you need personal backup options.

I lost most of a semester's worth of notes, and a month or so of research because of a fluke accident. My laptop and server died within 5 min of each other. My laptop HD died, and then I went to work on my server.....only to turn it on and have my power supply catch fire and fry my HDs, system board, RAM, etc.

A UPS is also a good idea.....one of those things you plug your computer into in the case of a power outage, spike in electric, lightening, etc. Down here in FL, it has already paid for itself bc of our funky weather and outages.

-t

 

[Bertelman]

I would add a Web server to your backup plan. As great as all the other ideas are, if something truly catastrophic happens in your home, all of them will be lost. You can buy backup space pretty cheaply online, and cycle your computer to backup automatically. You aren't even aware it happens, and never have to worry about media, etc.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I would add a Web server to your backup plan. As great as all the other ideas are, if something truly catastrophic happens in your home, all of them will be lost. You can buy backup space pretty cheaply online, and cycle your computer to backup automatically. You aren't even aware it happens, and never have to worry about media, etc.

Duh...I completely forgot about that! I have that too. (Former IT-esque person here, I need to cover my bases!) Storage is REALLY cheap now-adays. I would avoid 1and1.com (my old host, very spotty). Now I'm with www.anhosting.com, who are great. www.dreamhost.com and www.terrasite.com also have good reputations.

-t

 

[Dr Who]

Your laptop HD might have died, there are ways to retrieve information from dead HD's. If your information is THAT important to you then it might not be a bad idea to invest in a data recovery effort.