"incremental backup"

Bruce <bruce999.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> writes:
 >
 > In terms of backup media, DVD or tape or disk should not affect the
 > results. I do not know if I would recommend DVD. I do not have
 > experience with DVD based backup system.

I've used DVD-RW for backups in the past. They work OK, but they only
hold 4.7GB each. For my purposes (full system backups), this isn't
nearly enough. I ended up buying a tape drive system that uses 33G
tapes (an $800 FireWire Exabyte VXA-1 drive), which is much better
(two tapes for my iTunes collection, one for everything else.)

In terms of reliability, I would trust DVD-R and DVD-RW for
short-term storage. If you make weekly backups, they should be just
fine.

I wouldn't trust them (or any writable optical media) for long-term
storage. For that, I much prefer magnetic media (like tape, Zip, or
even floppies). While I've had CD-R's go bad after only a year,
almost all of my floppies, and all of my tapes and Zips still work
fine after many years (nearly 20 years in the case of my Apple II
5.25" floppies.)

As long as you keep them away from magnets and high humidity,
magnetic media is great for archives.

-- David<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: "incremental backup" 

In article <m2wu25vh7j.fsf.DeleteThis@qqqq.invalid>,
shamino.DeleteThis@techie.com (David C.) wrote:

 > almost all of my floppies, and all of my tapes and Zips still work
 > fine after many years (nearly 20 years in the case of my Apple II
 > 5.25" floppies.)

I'd chalk that up to luck. I've never had CD-R's become unreadable,
but I've had floppies and tapes (DC20's, 1/4", 9-Track, 4mm, 8mm and
those funky square tapes that DEC's used to use) die. The only time
I've heard of optical media dieing was due to mechanical damage
(scratches and cracks).

I transferred alll of my floppy back-ups to tape when I got the tape
drive (the floppies were dieing) and then I transferred my tapes to
CD-R (I had a tape die and lost three months of back-ups). So, with
the exception of that one three month period, I can pretty mush
retreive any version of any file that's been on my computers since
the late 80's.

 > As long as you keep them away from magnets and high humidity,
 > magnetic media is great for archives.

I would not say that at all. Tapes get gummy after a while and
that's even faster if the humidity isn't controlled. Optical media
(not sure about re-writable) is far more stable and it's far eaiser
to keep things dark than dry, but not too dry.

Tapes are good for fast, high capacity, near total restoration in the
even of a failure back-ups. Optical is much better for long term
archiving, access to individual files back-ups.

--
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 >> Stay informed about: "incremental backup" 

Keep it to Usenet please <idontreadthis56 RemoveThis @hotmail.com> writes:
 >
 > I would not say that at all. Tapes get gummy after a while and
 > that's even faster if the humidity isn't controlled. Optical media
 > (not sure about re-writable) is far more stable and it's far eaiser
 > to keep things dark than dry, but not too dry.

Define "gummy".

The only kind of tape media I've heard of that possibly qualifies as
"gummy" are old 8-track audio cartridges - where the pinch rollers
have been known to degrade rather severely for many popular brands.

I've never heard of this for any of the data tapes I've used over the
years (open-reel 9-track, DC-600, Travan, DAT and 8mm).

 > Tapes are good for fast, high capacity, near total restoration in
 > the even of a failure back-ups. Optical is much better for long
 > term archiving, access to individual files back-ups.

We're going to have to agree to disagree here. I've had way too many
CD-R discs go bad for no apparent reason. And this is stored in jewel
cases on a bookshelf in my home (where the temperature and humidity
never reach extreme levels.)

-- David<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: "incremental backup"