Protect Your Data

[TodorYordanov]

Hi all, I just set up a Network Storage Solution at home and thought I should share my experience with you.Background:All of your family and other digital pictures, documents and other data is sitting on a single Hard Drive in your computer. This Hard Drive may crash and stop working at any moment – no warning. Data recovery is very costly, it may cost as much as 5,000 dollars.How do you protect your data without spending too much time, effort and money?What You Need:

• Network Attached Storage (NAS)
• Wireless Router ( most of you already have one)Time and money ( as usual)

What Is A Network Attached Storage ( NAS ) ?Think of it as two Hard Drives that are installed in a box other than your computer. This box has it’s own brains and is pre-configured to do specific tasks related to your data. The most basic function is to mirror the contents (your data) in real time between the two Hard Drives. If any one of them fails the data is safe on the other drive. Your data (pictures and files) can be accessed from any computer wireless or wired in your house or office. There are many more options and features that are available, i.e. streaming media to your TV or computer, performing automated back-ups etc., but I like to keep this simple.Things you need to buy:Network Attached Storage (NAS)

There are two models that I recommend:

1. Linksys NAS200 Network Attached Storage : http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=016557&cid=516.690



2. D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure – NAS http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011783&cid=516.690



They both come empty – no Hard Drives. You need to buy 2 identical Hard drives. I recommend Seagate. Depending on the size of your current data and how much it will grow in the next 3-5 years you may decide to go with 500GB, 750GB or 1TB

1. Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 SATA NCQ 3.0Gb/s 500GB 32MB Cache $71.99 each http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=014525&cid=HD.443.877

2. Seagate Barracuda (ST3750330AS) 7200.11 SATA NCQ 3.0Gb/s 750GB 32MB Cache $122.99 each

http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=014526&cid=HD.443.877

3. Seagate Barracuda (ST31000340AS) 7200.11 SATA NCQ 3.0Gb/s 1000GB (1TB) 32MB Cache $148.99 each

http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=014527&cid=HD.443.877


/>Follow installation instructions that come with the NAS product on installing and configuring it to work.



Move all of your files to the NAS storage and make a habit of storing and managing your files there.



This adds an additional level of complexity on your network, but it will protect your data in a much more safe and secure way.



As a second option that is less expensive, easier, but less dependable and with fewer options:



Install a second Hard Drive in your compute or Enclosure. Use a software that synchronizes data from both Hard Drives in real time.



Hope this helps,

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Todor

 

[SamEfford]

That is a great piece of advice! A simpler solution, but not as secure, is to use a USB hard drive. I have a 250 GB that I use now.

However being a tech-junkie, I like your idea better!

 

[seanverret]

It is definitely a great idea to backup your data and there are lots of ways to do it. For the nerds out there, backuppc works great and can back up data from multiple computers onto a single source and it`ll only backup the incremental changes, thus not copying everything over every day/night/time that you back up your data.

http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/info.html

Redundant drives are great, but like Todor said, you have to ensure your data is on the drives for them to be of any use... Instead of a NAS you can also hook up redundant drives directly on your own computer with a little bit of tinkering...

Regardless there are several options available out there, the most important thing is to back up your data!