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Author Topic: Image storage options  (Read 12431 times)

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« Reply #25 on: September 22, 2009, 01:46 »
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I have 3 backups on external drives :

A drive with backup of the raw files;
A drive with backup of the tiff files;
A drive with backup of the finished Jpg file.

1 working drive, also external that is being used while working on files, it also contains all unfinished shooting sessions.

Complementary an extra external drive with all finished files uploaded and waiting to be uploaded with a folder system for the stock sites.... from this drive an update is being made on a monthly basis and is stored in a bank safe.

Patrick H.


« Reply #26 on: September 22, 2009, 07:11 »
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You can never have too much back-up! Images are on my laptop HD plus 4 external HD.
One HD is storaged in my safe deposit at the bank. I also back-up programs files on the HD, I can go to any PC that has an usb port and plug-in and operate.

I also use Smugmugs for my website and they back-up to three different locations across the country every night. If also else fail I can request dvd from them for about $25.

Think about the time and money it took to create your images, it will make back-up storage look cheap.

« Reply #27 on: September 22, 2009, 07:27 »
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I am mainly worried about my wedding photos. After a wedding they are either stored on the CF-Cards and one computer OR when I need the CF-Cards on two computers. When I am done with editing they get uploaded to Smugmug. Having them on one harddrive and Smugmug is save enough for me. I never had a failure with my harddrive and both smugmug and harddrive failing at once is pretty unlikely.
Smugmug is reasonable cheap and has unlimited storage. At the same time my smugmug account is also a backup for my clients. They can access their high res photos on smugmug as long as my account exists.

« Reply #28 on: September 22, 2009, 08:22 »
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I realize that for terabytes of images, online storage is costly. The situation with stock photographers is a bit atypical.  A big corporation with terabytes of data wouldn't blink at paying a couple hundred a month for offsite backup, because the value of the data is huge.  A microstock photographer puts a value on those images based on what they can earn, and balances that against what he can afford.

Nevertheless, I don't want to be doing this for myself - messing with removable drives, fireproof safes, redundant backup, shuttling a copy back and forth to another location.  It's an expense and a hassle, and it's also boring and easily put off. Seems like a no-brainer for an online service. They just have to get the prices down, and I'm sure that will happen in time. 

alias

« Reply #29 on: September 22, 2009, 09:20 »
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@ alias - why should multiple hard drives not be connected simultaneously?  I have been doing it this way for five years with no problems.

Because what kills one drive may affect or ITWCS kill all of them if they are all connected simultaneously. Eg a power surge, spike or strike.

Even if you have surge protection. Because surge protection may not always protect you against a surge and probably won't protect you against a strike.

And because all the bits of equipment on the safe(r) side of the surge protection are vulnerable to each other causing the problem.

eg if you use USB backup drives then they should be completely disconnected when not in use. All the cables discounted Not just powered off.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2009, 09:28 by alias »

« Reply #30 on: September 22, 2009, 09:24 »
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My problem is a bit different - being on the road means that my external hard drives have a much shorter life expectancy to ones sitting on a shelf, so I basically back everything up onto DVDs which are eventually sent back to Australia, as well as having copies of everything on portable hard drives.

Processed files are all uploaded to Photoshelter, which also allows for distribution via FTP to various stock sites. I'm also trying out Isyndicata at the moment and will do a review of the 2 options in a month or so for anyone who's interested.

alias

« Reply #31 on: September 22, 2009, 09:29 »
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Some dvds and cds I burned a few years ago and never used were unreadable when I went back to them.

« Reply #32 on: September 22, 2009, 10:56 »
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I am mainly worried about my wedding photos.

Do you shoot penguin weddings?  ;D

Some dvds and cds I burned a few years ago and never used were unreadable when I went back to them.

I've always read about problems with CDs and DVDs, I personally never had a problem with good brands (Maxell, Sony, TDK), but I knowm many people do.  My problems have always been failures at burning only.

« Reply #33 on: September 22, 2009, 11:21 »
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The unreliablity of the media is another reason I don't want to do my own backup.

As a software developer I've done a lot of work with systems that record CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray discs.  The drives sold to consumers are as cheap and flimsy as the manufacturers can make them.   The situation with Blue-Ray drives is particularly bad. I have them on hand, for projects I've worked on, but have found them so flaky and unreliable I'd never use them for anything important.   Because of the low market uptake of Blu-Ray in general, and the fact that few consumers will record on them, I question whether the quality problems will ever really be solved.

With CDs/DVDs/Blu-Ray, blank media (discs) are a totally price-driven commodity and buying a "brand name" guarantees nothing except a nice logo printed on top. You can never be sure of success when recording, or confident that you'll be able to read the discs later on another drive. These products are aimed at kids burning MP3s and recording movies; they're not industrial strength and never will be.

So you guys managing your backups on DVDs may find yourselves hitting a wall eventually. When you have more data than you can manage by burning DVDs,  you may not be able to just move up to Blu-Ray.    I think the future is on-line storage but I agree the price has to come way down.

« Reply #34 on: September 22, 2009, 11:23 »
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zymmetricaldotcom

« Reply #35 on: September 22, 2009, 13:36 »
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Just got an email announcing the Mac version of a product we use in the intranet: http://www.southrivertech.com/products/webdrive/mac/index.html

The PC version has Amazon S3 integration and works quite well.. hopefully the Mac version will followup with that feature soon.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2009, 13:38 by zymmetrical »


 

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