Re: [Hampshire] Big home backups

> Hi all
>
> [Webmail message so hope it looks ok for you]
>
> I'm looking for a home backup option. The amount of data I have is ~100Gb
> - quite a bit for a home user I know - but I have a young daughter and
> we've gone photo and video mad since she arrived. Those of you who are
> parents will, I'm sure, sympathise!
>
> What I need the list's advice on is the method of making the backup. For
> example, I'd be happy to buy a portable HDD and keep it at work (or at
> home in a fireproof safe). Trouble is - how do I prevent someone at work
> plugging this (the HDD not the fireproof safe!) into a laptop and getting
> at my files? I have nothing to hide - but by the same token I don't want
> my accounts etc being made public knowledge.

A big question would be how fast do you generate your data? I know it
would be big hit first time round to burn to DVD (20ish), but if you only
generate data fairly slowly then backing up as you go DVD's will be an
easy option. I then give my backup DVD's to my parents so they are kept
off-site too.

I also "upgrade" my hard disks on a fairly regular basis to minimise the
risk of failure due to old age. This also helps keep up with my demand for
more storage ;)

Not ideal I know, but so far I've not lost anything... (touch wood!)

Also as other people noted, only keep things you must keep. So backup raw
data, that was used to generate DVD's but don't keep processed down video
unless you have to if it can be fairly easily recreated from the stored
raw material.

For example I don't care about my disks that store all my ripped mp3's and
dvd's, although it would be a pain all the raw material stored away and
can be re-ripped if needed. I only backup photos / emails that cannot be
replaced.