This week my main workstation died. As in, it acted as if it didn't have power getting to it. My technical hubby tried installing a new power supply with no love. After three years it had had enough. Chances are it needs a new motherboard at the least..but we might as well rebuild the whole thing because so much as changed in three years!
So the bad news...I have three years of pictures, templates, actions, and the like, stored in a way that I understand, on that machine.
The good news...my husband was able to pop out the hard drive and get my data off of it for me.
Now, when I get back to my office after a shoot, I copy the CF card to my machine with all the originals and make a copy straight to DVD of the originals. I have a giant case of these DVDs.
Most of my finished sessions are also archived to DVD or backed up to an external hard drive.
And my 2009 sessions have a DVD backup that has the originals and retouched files stored with their client contract.
So I was feeling pretty good about myself.
Then my computer wouldn't boot and I got a little panicked. Did I really have EVERYTHING backed up from the last three years? Would I be able to find it?
Since my husband could copy the stuff off the hard drive I'm not in any trouble (and if you are a client, your files are safe) but it did make me wonder...
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR BACKUPS?
And there are different levels of backing up. For example, if my computer melted down and I truly couldn't get anything from it, it would REALLY suck but I could recover from it.
But if my loft burned to the ground, I'd be in much bigger trouble since my backup disks are stored here too.
We looked into doing online backups a while ago and it seemed cost prohibitive. Maybe the market has changed enough to reconsider?
Outside of your data files, what steps do you take to make sure your business is "backed up". Do you have off-site copies of your incorporation papers, your federal EIN assignment, important bank paperwork?
What about all those templates you bought, the actions you bought, fonts that you have bought? It is easy to forget to back those items up.
How long do you keep client files archived or backed up? I've heard of people getting rid of them after a year.
So, friends, tell me what you are doing for your business continuity and backups because I'm currently terrified of any stray sparks...
So sorry about your main workstation. If you're like me, you get awfully attached to those stupid machines - and when they die, I inevitably shed a tear (or more) over them. I'm glad your data is safe as well - that would be even worse!
I've just started with BackBlaze (backblaze.com) as my online backup. The product is really easy to use and they charge just $5/mo for unlimited storage (or $50/yr) per computer. I looked at Amazon S3, but that was cost prohibitive, esp. when considering gigabytes and gigabytes of data. (Also, what's nice is that they store the files in the same directory structure as you do on your computer... nice!)
I am also backed up locally to a secondary hard drive (and then also backed up to a portable). Should any one of those drives go, I should be okay. Should all of them go, I can get my data from Backblaze (either by download OR by buying a portable hard drive from them with the data on it).
The only problem with online backup is a matter of bandwidth. I started out with 180gb of pictures to back up. In 3 weeks, I've added about 30gb, and transferred about 80gb, so I'm not really safe yet if my apartment burns to the ground (knock on wood). But in a few more weeks, I should be okay... Until then, I'm like you - terrified of any stray spark. (But, then, I'm that way anyway, backed up or not!)
As far as important documents (not pictures), I also use a product called DropBox. It is intended as a synchronization method between several computers and not really as a backup, but it is at least one more thing that is offsite in case my local system fries. Plus I can get to the docs from any other computer I've authorized to see the documents. As long as the files are small, they sync almost immediately. For a small amount of storage, DropBox is free.
Hope some of that helps!
Posted by: Kerri | June 12, 2009 at 04:24 PM
I keep all files on my DROBO (www.drobo.com). Worth every penny and an easy external HD solution. We also have a Mac so we have Time Machine which has a 1TB external all its own. Not so stupid to do an offsite backup as well (once a month or so, back up and put it somewhere besides your office) in case of any natural or unnatural disaster. It's amazing how many people aren't doing sufficient backups. Good post and very very important!
In the spirit of sharing - if Drobo interests you, there's a $100 instant rebate until 6/30.
Posted by: aviva | June 12, 2009 at 07:26 PM
I too had a computer melt down a few years ago. Since then I always back up at least 3 ways. One to my main computer, two to my external hard drive and three to my off site backup Carbonite. Carbonites is so easy to use! Once you set up what you want backed up it just works in the background always backing up as you add new files to your computer. It has this little lock logo at the bottom you your screen that turns to green once all new files are backed up. I think their prices are really good too. You pay only $50 per year to backup as much as your main computer can hold (for me its 500 gb)I think when you sign up through a curent carbonite client you get an even better deal. I think I paid something like 68 buck for two years of backup. I can't say enough about how much I like this easy backup system!!! If you decide to go with it let me know and I will send u a link with a discount code.... www.carbonite.com
Posted by: Carolyn Fulginiti | June 12, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Same thing happened to me last week! I was a wreck when my 4 year old iMac wouldn't turn on...didn't have enough power to even start the machine. I was able to recover most all of my data, but I wish I would have invested in offsite storage. I now use Time Machine too and am going to look into the ones posted above. Thanks for the post!
Posted by: Melissa Rodriguez | June 13, 2009 at 09:51 AM
I have two desktops plus one server to worry about. For the PC's, I try to limit their local data to the current year only. For all previous years, they need to be moved to the server. The server then runs backup software which backs itself and the two PCs (when they are on) to a USB disk. I then have two USB disks...one connected to the server and the other locked in my office at work. I then rotate the two about once a week.
So, current year is on the local PC's drive, the server, and two USB drives (one always physically kept outside of the house). Previous years only on the server and the two USB drives. However, that is still three different drives and two locations.
For Mac users using Time Machine, you can configure two USB drives to look the same and swap like I do. Once the two drives are built the same, you can alternate without issue.
Posted by: Scott McDaniel | June 14, 2009 at 03:24 AM
I have external hardives but what really saved my butt last month when I dropped my laptop and the hard drive went, was my Sugarsync account. www.sugarsync.com It automatically backs up your files as you create them. You can store your whole computer on it or files that you choose. It even holds onto deleted files until you need more storage room. Right now my husband and I both use one account and we can even access each others computers. In the past we've used dropbox, but we found SS to be better for our needs.
Posted by: Heidi | June 15, 2009 at 12:22 PM
After every shoot we make a CD copy and one copy on the external HD lacie, then after edits we double up. Pics are too valuable to potentially lose, even more if it is a wedding, the CD has a 2 year lifespan and the hard drive has about 4 if your lucky. back up, backup, backup.....
http://www.studiodwlp.com
Posted by: Craig | June 27, 2009 at 09:01 AM
Sheesh...now I'm scared too! I run a Mac, which has "Time Machine". I have an external hard drive (a terabyte), which houses my time machine backups. The way it's *supposed* to work, is that there is a duplicate of everything on my computer...right down to my preferred settings...on that external hard drive.
When I travel, I unplug the external hard drive and leave it at a friend's house.
If my house goes up in flames, I'll be the one on the sidewalk holding my babies and screaming at the firefighters "SAVE THE LITTLE BLACK BOX NEXT TO THE COMPUTER!!"
My important papers are in a fire-proof safe in the garage.
PS. Just can't get enough of your blog :-)
Posted by: Daiquiri | November 01, 2009 at 01:34 AM
This is no longer my active email address. Email sent to the account is forwarded to my new address but I encourage you to update your address book. Im using a less spam friendly email address now as this provider tends to have problems with accounts getting hacked quite frequently and I get a lot of spam on this domain too.
Posted by: Jessica Grieves | August 05, 2011 at 11:01 AM
This is no longer my active email address. Email sent to the account is forwarded to my new address but I encourage you to update your address book. Im using a less spam friendly email address now as this provider tends to have problems with accounts getting hacked quite frequently and I get a lot of spam on this domain too.
Posted by: Jessica Grieves | February 10, 2012 at 11:18 PM