Comments on: To store online or not http://www.fuzzylizard.com/archives/2008/04/11/930/ My thoughts on Agile, Java and Ruby on Rails (mostly) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:23:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Phil http://www.fuzzylizard.com/archives/2008/04/11/930/#comment-25317 Phil Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:58:41 +0000 http://www.fuzzylizard.com/?p=930#comment-25317 Google calendar has an API which effecively allows you to backup and sync to other sources. They also recently released an API for contacts, which as a result became my default storage for contact data. I can use contact data from anywhere with web access but also write management apps locally, sync with my mobile and do backups in case Google goes bust and takes my data with it. For online backups I have been using (and found very good) rsync.net - especially good if your large volume data is largely static since you can use rsync (the program) to ensure a minimal transfer after the first one, provided you only need a current record not a "from two backups ago" guarantee. Do you really need the same level of guarantee for all your data? I just backup online that which I can't afford to lose.I have two computers which back-up to one another so I hope it will take a catastrophe before I ever have to do a full restore in anger, and then I will have bigger worries (all my stuff stolen or house burned down, presumably). A USB disk would work as well. Even if all your data cannot afford be lost it's still probably less hassle to maybe download 50GB or more once or twice in a lifetime (assuming you have local backup to deal with common failures) than to do a manual off-site regularly. Google calendar has an API which effecively allows you to backup and sync to other sources.

They also recently released an API for contacts, which as a result became my default storage for contact data. I can use contact data from anywhere with web access but also write management apps locally, sync with my mobile and do backups in case Google goes bust and takes my data with it.

For online backups I have been using (and found very good) rsync.net - especially good if your large volume data is largely static since you can use rsync (the program) to ensure a minimal transfer after the first one, provided you only need a current record not a “from two backups ago” guarantee.

Do you really need the same level of guarantee for all your data? I just backup online that which I can’t afford to lose.I have two computers which back-up to one another so I hope it will take a catastrophe before I ever have to do a full restore in anger, and then I will have bigger worries (all my stuff stolen or house burned down, presumably). A USB disk would work as well.

Even if all your data cannot afford be lost it’s still probably less hassle to maybe download 50GB or more once or twice in a lifetime (assuming you have local backup to deal with common failures) than to do a manual off-site regularly.

]]> By: Munjal http://www.fuzzylizard.com/archives/2008/04/11/930/#comment-25315 Munjal Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:56:08 +0000 http://www.fuzzylizard.com/?p=930#comment-25315 Hi Chris, As I did a lot of international travel I needed an online backup so couple of years back I started using online backup from xDrive.com. Everything worked fine, until xDrive was purchased by AOL. Not only the site became terribly slow, but they lost my data as well. Fortunately, I had my data in a terradrive - I was safe. Do you really want someone else to protect your data? I think another alternative is: Have a terra drive with RAID and get an remote access account which allows you to access your drive. Cheers, Munjal Hi Chris,

As I did a lot of international travel I needed an online backup so couple of years back I started using online backup from xDrive.com.

Everything worked fine, until xDrive was purchased by AOL. Not only the site became terribly slow, but they lost my data as well. Fortunately, I had my data in a terradrive - I was safe.

Do you really want someone else to protect your data?

I think another alternative is:
Have a terra drive with RAID and get an remote access account which allows you to access your drive.

Cheers,
Munjal

]]> By: Chris M http://www.fuzzylizard.com/archives/2008/04/11/930/#comment-25313 Chris M Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:49:36 +0000 http://www.fuzzylizard.com/?p=930#comment-25313 I've been thinking the same thing. I came to the following conclusions:- - My broadband is too slow even at 8Meg - The bandwidth costs could get out of hand all to quickly - Do I really trust the backup provider? In terms of security and longevity? - Incremental backup costs more money than a simple backup with these sites In the end I've bought a large 500GB hard disk connected to an NSLU2 and I use it as network storage. I then backup to DVD the most important files and store them at my parents house. So, no incremental backup really, just simple backups of my most important files. Until bandwidth speeds increase massively and costs come down for online backup (I mean proper backup) then I'll stick with my manual method. I’ve been thinking the same thing. I came to the following conclusions:-
- My broadband is too slow even at 8Meg
- The bandwidth costs could get out of hand all to quickly
- Do I really trust the backup provider? In terms of security and longevity?
- Incremental backup costs more money than a simple backup with these sites

In the end I’ve bought a large 500GB hard disk connected to an NSLU2 and I use it as network storage. I then backup to DVD the most important files and store them at my parents house. So, no incremental backup really, just simple backups of my most important files.

Until bandwidth speeds increase massively and costs come down for online backup (I mean proper backup) then I’ll stick with my manual method.

]]> By: marc mcneill http://www.fuzzylizard.com/archives/2008/04/11/930/#comment-25312 marc mcneill Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:40:11 +0000 http://www.fuzzylizard.com/?p=930#comment-25312 Great if you are connected all the time, but what if you want to work on a document remotely, on the train, on a plane? Great if you are connected all the time, but what if you want to work on a document remotely, on the train, on a plane?

]]>