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Forum Discussion
Definition: "A Backup Plan"
Disclaimer: I have had a ReadyNAS (of one sort or another) for 7 years now. The main reason I purchased mine? I wanted to ensure my data could survive a DRIVE FAILURE. **** I am very tired o...
I take the statement "Remember a NAS is not a backup" to be a reminder to the less technically knowledgeble that a NAS is part of the answer but not THE awnswer.
A virus, operator error, equipment malfunction, electrical spikes or theft could easily cause loss of data on a NAS without a catastrophic event at the building where it is housed.
In recent time we have seen catastrophic events at buildings that would cause data loss (tornadoes, flooding in Australia, and Katrina (search for Katrina in this forum for examples)).
I also suggest that the definition of a "backup plan" changes with the available technology. In the good old days, few people made duplicates of their photographs (especially slides). It was difficult, expensive and produced an inferior product. As times have changed, unsophisticated users have changed the backup media they use from floppy, to tape, to CD/DVD to USB hard drives or similar. The method of transferring the data has changed from physical copy to a more automated process such as a backup program thus increasing the probability that a current backup exists at the time of the event.
As we become more reliant on technology, through more and more data existing only in one place and in only one form, we have more to loose. We live in the age of electronic albums, digital video and professionally I am moving closer to the paperless office, where I will no longer have a paper file to rely on. In such a world, I need a "backup plan" that covers more and more of the possible events.
In my opinion, while the hardware and software for Readynas Replicate is not cheap, it has reached a point where the costs are reasonable and provides the safety of
offsite storage and versioning history and so the definition of a "backup plan" should now include automated offsite storage. As bandwidth becomes cheaper and importantly as Replicate does not require any configuration of the router at the remote end, it is easier to convince family or friends to house your backup device and for me to do the same for others.
In the future Readynas Replicate may be replaced with Readynas Vault, but at the moment Replicate is for me the way to go and the basis for a proper "backup plan".
A virus, operator error, equipment malfunction, electrical spikes or theft could easily cause loss of data on a NAS without a catastrophic event at the building where it is housed.
In recent time we have seen catastrophic events at buildings that would cause data loss (tornadoes, flooding in Australia, and Katrina (search for Katrina in this forum for examples)).
I also suggest that the definition of a "backup plan" changes with the available technology. In the good old days, few people made duplicates of their photographs (especially slides). It was difficult, expensive and produced an inferior product. As times have changed, unsophisticated users have changed the backup media they use from floppy, to tape, to CD/DVD to USB hard drives or similar. The method of transferring the data has changed from physical copy to a more automated process such as a backup program thus increasing the probability that a current backup exists at the time of the event.
As we become more reliant on technology, through more and more data existing only in one place and in only one form, we have more to loose. We live in the age of electronic albums, digital video and professionally I am moving closer to the paperless office, where I will no longer have a paper file to rely on. In such a world, I need a "backup plan" that covers more and more of the possible events.
In my opinion, while the hardware and software for Readynas Replicate is not cheap, it has reached a point where the costs are reasonable and provides the safety of
offsite storage and versioning history and so the definition of a "backup plan" should now include automated offsite storage. As bandwidth becomes cheaper and importantly as Replicate does not require any configuration of the router at the remote end, it is easier to convince family or friends to house your backup device and for me to do the same for others.
In the future Readynas Replicate may be replaced with Readynas Vault, but at the moment Replicate is for me the way to go and the basis for a proper "backup plan".
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