Definition: "A Backup Plan"

A very good discussion. And covers all the details, but lets look at data protection from a strategic point of view. Unfortunately the vast majority of computer users have no concept of what we are talking about, and are unconcerned until they join the lost data club. I joined the club in 1984, not with a disk hardware failure, but somehow the FAT on my hard drive got scrambled and the directory was gibberish and the files inaccessible. So, I started backing up with a backup program to diskettes (5 1/4").

Later rather than use a proprietary backup program, I would simply copy the files over to a CD then DVD then to a second HD. None of it was really a good solution, because it was done manually and as it took longer and longer, I was less and less reliable in doing it.

To me there are three lines of defense in data protection (hacking is not part of this as that is another problem). The first line of defense for me is the redundancy factor in my NAS. All of my permanent data resides on my NAS. I will download some files that may be on the PC but almost immediately the data is either moved or copied to the NAS. (Copied if I still want a doc on my desktop for ready access for example).

Now this only protects me against a single drive failure (4 bay, single redundancy only). If during or before I replace the drive, a second drive fails, then as the Marines say, "Tango Sierra".

The second line of defense is the second, separate copy of all the data. In my case, NAS2 which is rsynced to NAS1 on a nightly basis so all the shares are exactly duplicated. I have actually had to use that copy on occasion when I have messed up a file on NAS1, so I can go back to the original on NAS2 and copy it back to NAS1. BTW - it is not good practice to perform operations on files on the second copy, simply copy the file to the first device, then perform the operations.

You can learn from the mistakes of others, and a classic that occurred years ago in the company from which I retired, was that they messed up the Accounts Receivable files for a plant, so they removed the original disk pack and inserted the backup (years ago, ancient technology) and performed the same operation which again messed up the backup AR files. (Application error) Tango Sierra big time.

But as zamboni said, when the meteor hits the house everything (including NAS1 and NAS2 are gone). While we may smirk a bit at the concept of a meteor hitting hitting (I think there is a cloud backup commercial like that), the folks in Mississippi, Alabama, NW Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, last week fully understand the work catastrophe for hundreds of thousands are living it right now. Even putting the off site in another building on the property or next door or even a block away might not be satisfactory. A year ago the pipeline rupture created a similar catastrophe on a limited scale. Those who survived only had seconds to react and no time the grab the NAS and run.

The third line of defense, the most difficult, is the off site backup. My critical financial info and photos are on a small USB disk in my SD box at the bank. I update it on a routine basis by alternating drives. (Bank is 30 minutes away). But this leaves out the Terrabyte of video files I have. I need to work on this solution myself.

As this link explains, even professionals can screw up on occasion. There's that old Tango Sierra again. I need to really get my third line fully up, I even have the hardware (semi-idle NV+) to do it with. I just haven't done it.

Zamboni - we beat the drum about backups because too many members still don't have one, or confuse redundancy with backup. Then when they suffer the dreaded two drive failure, or a "corrupt root" it is Tango Sierra. Sometimes the data can be recovered and sometimes it cannot. Having all your data on one device is a terrible idea, having all your data in one physical geographical area is a bad idea. I personally can only remember a hand full of instances when a member posts with a problem and has a current and complete backup. Since you have a backup, just nod when you see us beat the drum for backups, for unfortunately, you are in the minority of the NAS users.

As mdgm has pointed out a factory default cures a lot of ills, but it does of course wipe the data. Not a problem with a current and complete backup.