Archiving... what's your technique?

ScottMcLeod

Lately I keep getting more and more worried the more I shoot more professional things... need I say more? (sorry, couldn't resist... :rofl)

But seriously. How do you archive. Has it ever failed you? How many of your shots from a shoot will you keep? (do you get *really* picky and start erasing everything you haven't used?)

I've so far been burning my work to DVD-R, 2 copies, in a CD binder kept away from heat/light as much as possible.

ScottMcLeod

No Dice eh?

Givin' me the quiet treatment eh?

Bumperoo!!!

Andy

nightly automated incremental backup via apple backup software to an external drive.

monthly archival to dvd

JDub

First of all, smugmug gets original JPEG's, but the customer nevers gets to see the original sizes obviously.

Second, I have 5 other online backup sites (you can never have too many, you never know when one will go belly up).

Third I backup to DVD's/CD's whatever one is handy. I DO NOT use external hard drives (its still a hard drive, and can crash just like an in-computer one). I have had too many fail me, and I dont trust them anymore.

Thats about it. I try to keep it simple. I also refresh those DVD's/CD's every two years.

JESTER

FIRST: I make a copy (cd or dvd) of all originals as shot. I can always go back to this as needed. I file these away in a safe spot.

SECOND: I work on the photos and adjust in Photoshop. I make another copy (cd or dvd). I place these in a binder on my desk.

THIRD: I place the photos on an external Hard Drive where they are readliy available. I carry it around with my laptop and show friends my photos.

FOURTH: I send them to SMUGMUG!!! I can always get a copy from them (Which I have already done and it works great)

Hope this helps.

claudermilk

I use multiple removable hard drives. I recently learned the hard way, when transferring between them, back up the new location before erasing the old--one day's delay in backup hurt (fortunately most of the best stuff was on my SM site).

I've also learned that DVD's are not a viable archival method. I did all the same procedures as you are: 2 copies, stored in proper conditions (each got it's own jewel case out of heat & light. 18 months later there was a 100% (yes, as in every single copy AND its backup) failure rate. I was able to use recovery software to pull all the data back off. After that, plus taking into account the limited storage space and extensive physical space associated with DVD archives, I no longer use them at all.

maddernc

I am with Chris on this one, multiple removable hard drives is the way to go. I tried the DVD methods but found them unreliable. Sure hard drives fail but compared to the failure rate of DVDs its negligible. I will admit though I only backup once a week or so, i should do it more often
Also remember to back up your sytem drive regularly or get some imaging software it will save you much grief when windows dies on you!! As I found out last week, saving your data is fine but trying to replicate all your hard won settings in your RAW converters, Photoshop & DAM software is no fun.

Cain

Lyle C

My backup process:

External USB HD 1 copy (daily backup routine)
High Quality DVD 1 copy
Smugmug 1 copy (jpeg)

:ivar

evoryware

I have a hard drive in my PC. I have an external on my desk. I have an external in my camera bag in case I have to use someone elses pc for whatever reason or in case of some disaster at home, and then Smugmug I believe has 3 copies of all my uploads. Jpegs not raw though...
(knock on glass desk) I've never had a hard drive fail in my past 10 years of Windows computing. I've been told I should open a safety deposit box and store a hard drive in there monthly that I use for monthly backups.

urbanaries

evoryware wrote:

I have a hard drive in my PC. I have an external on my desk. I have an external in my camera bag in case I have to use someone elses pc for whatever reason or in case of some disaster at home, and then Smugmug I believe has 3 copies of all my uploads. Jpegs not raw though...
(knock on glass desk) I've never had a hard drive fail in my past 10 years of Windows computing. I've been told I should open a safety deposit box and store a hard drive in there monthly that I use for monthly backups.

evoryware, what brand/model of ext. HD are you using? I need to get serious about my backup methods and am in the market. Thanks for any advice! I'm using a PC laptop (sony vaio).

Halliday

The final result has large jpegs on SM, and 2 burned dvds stored in seperate places. One of the dvds will EVENTUALLY be a firesafe in the gargage.

Art Scott

urbanaries wrote:

evoryware, what brand/model of ext. HD are you using? I need to get serious about my backup methods and am in the market. Thanks for any advice! I'm using a PC laptop (sony vaio).

I am a fan of Seagate as they have been the most reliable for me and also the quietest. Look aroud the internet for deals on drives 300+gb....I currently am using a 120 & 320gb....and will be looking for nothing smaller than 500gb from now on....also for disk back ups I am going to be orderiing Mitsui Gold DVD's...Mitsui gold CD & DVD's are the best I have found so far....the gold is actually a 14 or 24k gold foil not a dye like so many other brands use.....

ivar

Art Scott wrote:

I am a fan of Seagate as they have been the most reliable for me and also the quietest. Look aroud the internet for deals on drives 300+gb....I currently am using a 120 & 320gb....and will be looking for nothing smaller than 500gb from now on....also for disk back ups I am going to be orderiing Mitsui Gold DVD's...Mitsui gold CD & DVD's are the best I have found so far....the gold is actually a 14 or 24k gold foil not a dye like so many other brands use.....

http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

yokimbo

I back up everything to an external HDD using SuperDuper (OS X only). As far as I've read, and I read a bunch about this at one point, SuperDuper was the only archival software for the Mac that backed up all meta data, preserved all file permissions, etc... Sorry Andy, even the Apple backup software didn't catch everything. Maybe it's better now, but I'm sticking with SuperDuper. Additionally, when most of the Mac gurus are using something, I pay closer attention to it.

I've thought of archiving things off to DVD as well. If I do go that route in the future I will store the DVDs in a different location (work/friend's or relative's house/etc). I recommend using more than one brand to help avoid the problem "claudermilk" had. Alternately, using two backup HDDs would work, as claudermilk suggested. Either way, storing a backup at a different location protects you from theft, fire damage, etc.

If you do use an external HDD, I highly recommend not keeping it plugged in to either the power outlet or your computer all the time. Plug it in only when you need it. This protects you from lightning strikes and malicious software. Actually, there was an OS update that messed up your external HDD if it was plugged in and mounted during the update procedure.

PS - (@urbanaries) I know you didn't ask me, but Western Digital and Seagate seem to have the best reputations. Although I have a couple LaCie HDDs too.

gus

I dont archive. I really dont like my own shots & after i send the jpeg to smugmug i delete pretty well everything.

FatNakedGuy

I'm with Gus on this... and besides, if your backup blows up so what.. Go out and take more/better photos!

urbanaries

FatNakedGuy wrote:

I'm with Gus on this... and besides, if your backup blows up so what.. Go out and take more/better photos!

for my personal photos this is fine..........not really kosher for hired gun work.

urbanaries

ivar wrote:

http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

That link was very helpful. I personally would prefer CD/DVD Backup if I had more faith in the media, so this certainly helps.

I had a spindle of Office Depot CDS, dont' know who actually manufactured them, but they had about an 80% fail rate over the course of six months, where computers/cd players failed to read the data, and I had never read stats on this before, so thanks.