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Forum Discussion
Why isn't RAID/NAS a backup strategy
I read, here, that NAS isn't a backup strategy. Why not? That's what I'd want it for, so that my wife can't go nuts if we "lose" our photos of children...or forget to backup the "other" external...
raid arrays, nor nas are 'backup strategies' by themselves.
They can be part of a backup strategy. But if the raid/nas has the only copy of some data, then it is *not* 'backed up'.
Backup means having multiple copies, ideally in separate devices and locations.
Raid is a high availability solution, but raids can fail in many different ways. Raid 1 (mirroring), and raid 5 (stripe with parity) support a *single* disk failure without data loss. But, as has been repeated many many times here in this forum and others, often when a single disk fails, another is shortly behind it. When you replace a failed raid disk, the whole array goes through a rebuild process which highly stresses each disk. Older disks that are close to failing can easily go bad during this high stress period, and then you have a multiple disk failure involving data loss and alot of frustration.
Raid 6, which involves dual redundancy, can handle *two* disk failures, at the cost of reduced usable space. This can help provide extra protection during rebuild and/or expansion processes, but obviously bad stuff can still happen at the worst possible time.
Nas devices are simply a network shared storage (which may or may not involve raid, you can get single disk 'nas' storage boxes). This storage can be used for either primary storage, or secondary/backup storage. If you are using a nas to store all your music and video files, and you dont' have a copy of your files somewhere else, then they aren't backed up. If you are using a nas as backup storage (ie windows backup or mac time machine), then that would be considered backup because its not being utilized as primary storage and is a copy of whatever is on your desktop/laptop.
Other things that neither raid, nor NAS devices can protect against are; accidental/malicious deletions, theft, virus/malware, fire/floods/other natural disasters.
Something several experienced users here like to do, is have multiple nas devices. One used as a primary storage, that is then backed up to a separate device. Some even go as far as putting the 2nd (or third) device at a friend/relative/neighbors house to help avoid some of the above noted issues.
Another alternative is cloud backup, like dropbox or other cloud storage services.
You can also use a nas to 'backup' your external drive (if that is your primary storage), or you can connect an external drive to the nas, and backup from the nas to the external drive.
There numerous possiblities, but it all boils down to having multiple copies of your data in different devices and hopefully different places.
They can be part of a backup strategy. But if the raid/nas has the only copy of some data, then it is *not* 'backed up'.
Backup means having multiple copies, ideally in separate devices and locations.
Raid is a high availability solution, but raids can fail in many different ways. Raid 1 (mirroring), and raid 5 (stripe with parity) support a *single* disk failure without data loss. But, as has been repeated many many times here in this forum and others, often when a single disk fails, another is shortly behind it. When you replace a failed raid disk, the whole array goes through a rebuild process which highly stresses each disk. Older disks that are close to failing can easily go bad during this high stress period, and then you have a multiple disk failure involving data loss and alot of frustration.
Raid 6, which involves dual redundancy, can handle *two* disk failures, at the cost of reduced usable space. This can help provide extra protection during rebuild and/or expansion processes, but obviously bad stuff can still happen at the worst possible time.
Nas devices are simply a network shared storage (which may or may not involve raid, you can get single disk 'nas' storage boxes). This storage can be used for either primary storage, or secondary/backup storage. If you are using a nas to store all your music and video files, and you dont' have a copy of your files somewhere else, then they aren't backed up. If you are using a nas as backup storage (ie windows backup or mac time machine), then that would be considered backup because its not being utilized as primary storage and is a copy of whatever is on your desktop/laptop.
Other things that neither raid, nor NAS devices can protect against are; accidental/malicious deletions, theft, virus/malware, fire/floods/other natural disasters.
Something several experienced users here like to do, is have multiple nas devices. One used as a primary storage, that is then backed up to a separate device. Some even go as far as putting the 2nd (or third) device at a friend/relative/neighbors house to help avoid some of the above noted issues.
Another alternative is cloud backup, like dropbox or other cloud storage services.
You can also use a nas to 'backup' your external drive (if that is your primary storage), or you can connect an external drive to the nas, and backup from the nas to the external drive.
There numerous possiblities, but it all boils down to having multiple copies of your data in different devices and hopefully different places.
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