Which online backup/archive service?

PopeBuckfastXVI

So I'd like to be able to backup my files (RAW + JPG) online without breaking the bank.

However, I'd also like to be able to delete my files from the local hard disk to free up space (would have them on external drive also). So I'm sort of looking for somewhere to archive files, and occasionally restore them, if I want to find something old and work on it again, but to not have it immediately to hand on my desktop.

Does anyone do anything like that already, if so what services are you using?

My problem is that I have >250GB of photos on the hard disk and I'm fast running out of space, so it's not just for security, but so that I can continue to use my PC!

Balfey1972

I see you have a Zenfolio website and not sure if this is any use as you may have considered it already?

I use Zenfolio and store my files here using the customize export settings and upload specific files directly from your Lightroom catalogue to my Zenfolio account.

For me it's an additional backup to the raid setup at home backup. More so fire or if that was stolen and a cheap alternative as no limit on the number of files uploaded.

There are, of course, some pros and cons.

I’m currently paying 80 euro per year to store the bulk of my files in TIFF format. Unfortunately you cannot upload RAW or .PSD files to the site, but they might change this in the future.

ScumLord

Google drive would be up there surely? It was one of the cheapest options last time I looked. Just set up a local folder, upload your stuff and get rid of the local account.

250gb is a lot though, it's going to cost.

magicbastarder

250GB of photos should not be an issue for local storage - you could probably pick up a drive big enough to store them, with plenty of headroom, for 50 or 75 quid.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Thanks for the responses guys!

Yeah actually zenfolio for the jpgs would be a good idea, which really just leaves the RAWs.

I have a 1TB drive, but I don't like the idea of that being the only copy of the photos, in case it died or got broken.

mayo.mick

I have been looking at this system myself, seems to be new on the market?

http://www.drobo.com/products/drobo-dashboard/

AnCatDubh

Here's an option to consider - For pure backup, I recently saw someone using https://aws.amazon.com/s3/ for photo and video - Actually, this was independent of a business presentation which I was at which did twig my interest. I'm beginning to think there's something in there to be getting in on. Their lowest price option (Glacier) would cost you about $2.75 per month for 250GB and is designed to withstand a dual failure scenario. Now, their lowest priced option is really archival grade stuff as opposed to online - you are talking about a couple of hours for retrieve time so not a storage option for current work, but when you've processed, and printed, and moved on to take more photos you could stick your current work into the archive. Or, you could possibly hold onto a local copy of your JPG's (or a small batch resized version of them if you are really space conscious), and stick the RAW+full size JPG up onto the Amazon service. Other options are there for more 'online' access if you like - which are more expensive - not bad either to be honest, but you'd be as well having a think about how often you access your current photo archive - i'm guessing not regularly. Properly managed, the glacier option looks to be a really cheap way of archiving your stock of photos. Key to it is proper file management. Hmnnnn..... must have a look at some of those hard drives full myself.

EDIT: Oh, they also have a free option (5GB) to get you interested, so no reason not to give them a go.

magicbastarder

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

I have a 1TB drive, but I don't like the idea of that being the only copy of the photos, in case it died or got broken.

you mentioned you have a desktop - if it has room for a second hard drive, you could create a second copy within the machine which would allow for drive failure.
this obviously would not protect against fire or theft.

stcstc

i use livedrive

about $4 a month for unlimited storage from one computer

extra hard drives ARE NOT a backup solution, Particularly internal drives

ScumLord

I think everyone with important data should have a local raid setup. I got my moneys worth out of mine within months of building my new rig when one of the hard drives failed. It was a practically new drive and I had been assuming my raid wouldn't get tested so quickly.

But it's only a convenience backup, it's not that secure.

Cameraman

I use Crashplan for online backup.

Main advantage over most similar services is that it keeps deleted files + files on external drives (when disk is removed). Many other services delete these files after 30 days.

I wouldn't recommend Drobo or other RAID for general use - they were intended for resilience rather than backup.

frozenfrozen

Burn backups to DVDs for long-term storage. Hard-drives will fail eventually and without a raid array dvds are good.. Cheap enough too

Cameraman

This is good advice for backup :

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/TheComputerBackupRuleOfThree.aspx

magicbastarder

ScumLord wrote: »

I think everyone with important data should have a local raid setup.

for anyone not that technical, it's probably easier just to slap a second drive in and use something like ice mirror to sync the files - it's basically a raid 1 setup without the raid.

PixelTrawler

I've a NAS box in the house.
A two drive Synology box - its RAID 1 so there is redundancy in that.
And its OS has an app for archiving out to Google Glacier for offsite disaster recovery.

Not talking huge money either. The box was about 160 quid on amazon and the two 2tb drives were about 70 each (sterling prices)

I've my photos on the NAS and my pc (which I sync every so often with Allway Sync - great little program)

You can try out Synology at their demo page - to give you an idea what its like.
http://www.synology.com/en-global/products/dsm_livedemo.

You just create a bunch of network shares and map out to the pc's in your house.