Backing Up

Backups & Upgrades

Well this isn't the usual entry to my photo blog... but it's a pretty important, for my end.  This past holiday I took my much valued time off to work on my MacPro and Drobo.  I've spoke before about creating an Equipment List web page.  Working on my main computer was an essential part of living up to my promises.

If you have ever had a computer for a length of time; or backed up the user/s for a transfer to a new computer, you'd understand why I had to do what I did.  To prevent brain freeze I've summed it up.

I replaced 2 hard drives in my system, formatted and transferred the data from the old hard drives into the new hard drives; and transferred the data from my drobo  onto new hard drives as well.  After reinstalling the operating system I copied my data back and reinstalled all software.  So what did I do with the old drives?  I made sure I can still use them by grouping all the parts of the hard drive which no longer work (aka "Bad Sectors").  Now those drives serve as extra back up drives.

So why am I telling you all this?  It's simple.  They key is in the 2 new drives I purchased.  One acts as the main hard drive.  The second is backed up every night automatically using a program called Super Duper.  This is a good way to back my data up.  But it's not the only way I do so.  I frequently backup using other means, which I will not go into for security reasons.  However if YOU wanted to have more than one way to back up  read below and bookmark this blog entry!

  • Make 3 different copies of your data.
  • Use 2 different methods of backing up.  i.e. Hard Drives & Optical Drives
  • 1 of the backups should be off-site.

This is called the 3-2-1 philosophy of backing up.  For more information Google 321 backup or click here for an extremely brief explanation of the philosophy.  (Please be advised I am not responsible for the views or opinions expressed on this website.)