Hello,
my total dataset is now 2TB and it grows about 1TB/year.
Is this a sound backup strategy:
- buy 3 hdds today, rotate backups between them, so I have at least 2 previous versions of a file
- replace them every X years, say every 3 years, so the chances of catastrophically losing all data are very very low
I have been looking at tapes also but the drives are quite expensive, and my dataset size probably does not justify them - or does it?
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Hard drives are fine. But replacing them every few years for fear of failure is a waste of money. Drives can last over 10 years, or 1 day. Just have more than one copy and you’ll be fine when one does fail.
There’s no need to toss the drives at three years. Run drive diagnostics on them using a tool (GSmartControl, WinDLG, Hard Disk Sentinel, etc). Ideally every six months full scan, at least once per year.
Drives easily can last ten years without issue, and the odds of all drives failing simultaneously is near-zero.
Really you should keep at least one, ideally two, drives at different locations. And add an encrypted cloud backup to the mix.
Since your data is just 2tb. Just get M-Disc. Those suckers last for 1000 years according to the manufacturer. No organic material, its like carving onto stone.