Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I just got done with another major backup of our client and company files. We are a graphic design studio, so you can imagine the number of files to back up and the file sizes, gigs upon gigs. I am looking for a more efficient/safe way to back up our files. Right now we are using 700MB CDs, cataloging them and storing them in a big CD binder that we can go back to when we need. It is important that we can access the files easily because we have long term clients that come back to us after we have backed up their work. The last backup took a total of 89 CDs and took a couple of weeks of backing up. This backup was approximately 60 Gig, and we would ideally like to backup every month. It wouldn`t be 60 Gig every month, more like 20-40, but still, that`s a lot, and consumes storage at a very fast pace. I am curious what others do to backup their work, especially other graphic design businesses, or other businesses that use up storage at such a fast pace. So, if you think you have a great system, I would love to hear about it, and any other ideas anyone else has out there to tackle this problem. Thank you for your thoughts and ideas!

How about those jump drives?  They can handle 6,7,8 G`s? Would be perfect for back-up. 

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Travis Tschepen
Hibachi Bros. LLC

--My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.--

Why CDs?
Why not a DVD writer if you are going that route?

You could do multiple backups ... have a couple of mirrored drives, use DVDs for offsite storage ....

Basically because we don`t have a DVD writer right now. How much do DVDs hold? What exactly do you mean by "mirrored drives". I`m assuming you mean external drives. Would you suggest hooking them all up to the computer, or storing them and plugging them in when needed. The key is we need to access the files somewhat regularly.

Thanks!

Scott

Mirrored drives basically means 2 external hard drives with the same data on them. So, basically ... to lose everything, you`d have to lose both drives and your computer.

Server farms used mirrored drive for data redundancy.

Linky loo

If you are not familiar with this, can you pay someone local, Geek Squad even, to come in and set it up?

You access the files from your computer ... you only use the drives for backup. Working on large graphics files over FireWire or USB is not the fastest thing to do ... the lag can get pretty bad. So you are better off using the files locally and then backing up.