[SOLVED] Which HDD should I buy for backups and archiving?

[Konskoo]

I want to buy HDD and External Hard Drive Enclosure. I will connect it to computer via USB. I will write on this HDD system backups, current sound work files backups, sound work files archive. I run Windows 10 Home 64-bit.

HDD with what rotation speed and what size of cache should I buy for this?

 

[Konskoo]

@USAFRet, @Math Geek, @SkyNetRising, please tell your opinion.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Budget?

If you want best of the best, then get WD/HGST Helio seal models. Probably too good/expensive for just backup/archive purposes.

 

[Konskoo]

Budget?

If you want best of the best, then get WD/HGST Helio seal models. Probably too good/expensive for just backup/archive purposes.

@SkyNetRising, thank you. I took into attention.

Budget from task. Task - to make reliable archive. I want to make balanced decision. I think about varian minimum, variant maximum, variant optimum.

HDD with what rotation speed and what size of cache should I buy for this?

 

[SkyNetRising]

I meant - how much are you willing to spend?
How much capacity does your backups require?

 

[Konskoo]

I meant - how much are you willing to spend?
How much capacity does your backups require?

@SkyNetRising, thank you.

I will spend as much as I need to solve the task.

I want capacity 1TB. When i will fill HDD I will use next HDD 1TB.

 

[SkyNetRising]

1TB - for backups and archives? Seriously?
And you think, that will be enough?
You'll end up with a shelf full of 1TB drives.

Start with 3TB or 4TB at least.

 

[Konskoo]

1TB - for backups and archives? Seriously?
And you think, that will be enough?
You'll end up with a shelf full of 1TB drives.

Start with 3TB or 4TB at least.

@SkyNetRising, thank you.

Why I want to use many 1TB HDDs? If something will happen with 1TB HDD I will loose less data then if something will happen with 3TB HDD.

Also I will make copy of each 1TB archive HDD.

What do you think?

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HDD with what rotation speed and what size of cache should I buy for this?

 

[USAFRet]

HDD with what rotation speed and what size of cache should I buy for this?

For backup drives, RPM and cache size is irrelevant.

And I agree with the above. 1TB drives? Why?

16x 1TB @$45 ea = $720
2x 8TB @$135 ea = $270

 

[Konskoo]

For backup drives, RPM and cache size is irrelevant.

And I agree with the above. 1TB drives? Why?

16x 1TB @$45 ea = $720
2x 8TB @$135 ea = $270

@USAFRet, thank you. I took into attention.

If something will happen with 8TB HDD I will loose a lot of data. If something will happen with 1TB HDD I will loose less data. Also I will make copy of each archive HDD. What do you think?

 

[USAFRet]

@USAFRet, thank you. I took into attention.

If something will happen with 8TB HDD I will loose a lot of data. If something will happen with 1TB HDD I will loose less data. Also I will make copy of each archive HDD. What do you think?

That is the whole concept behind "backup".
2 copies, on 2 different media. 1x 8TB, and 1x 8TB as the backup.

Unlikely 2 individual physical drives would die at the same time.

If the data lives on ONE drive, it may be considered to not exist at all.

 

[chrisanders466]

@USAFRet, thank you. I took into attention.

If something will happen with 8TB HDD I will loose a lot of data. If something will happen with 1TB HDD I will loose less data. Also I will make copy of each archive HDD. What do you think?

your budget allows you to even take x3 or x4 copies my only issue if that was me plugging in devices and transferring data over usb3 even 1 TB will suck doing this just as much as 8 TB if not more than if using multiples of 1TB the time waiting to fill it and then go to the next drive

just another taught is cloud storage options 5tb starts at like around $2 per year and they are already redundant and you don't have to worry about storing it nor do you need to worry about drive failure and power

 

[chrisanders466]

i said $2 per year sorry i meant per month

 

[USAFRet]

your budget allows you to even take x3 or x4 copies my only issue if that was me plugging in devices and transferring data over usb3 even 1 TB will suck doing this just as much as 8 TB if not more than if using multiples of 1TB the time waiting to fill it and then go to the next drive

just another taught is cloud storage options 5tb starts at like around $2 per year and they are already redundant and you don't have to worry about storing it nor do you need to worry about drive failure and power

Its not copying 8TB every time.
Only NEW data.

1 stack of 1TB drives sitting on the shelf:
Much like the cat, these are Schrödinger's drives. Unknown if they still work, until you plug them back in.

Personally, I would not do it that way. And don't. My house systems and data all back up to my NAS, every night. Takes exactly 0 time on my part.
To each his own, though.

 

[chrisanders466]

so will these be powered or do you plan to unplug them once full?

 

[mdd1963]

USB spinning drives are about $60-80 for 2-4 TB models these days...; heck, buy two of them , because to trust only one only to have it fail when you need it is frustrating...

Whatever your procedure and chosen software, it's best to practice it at least once so you know it works...

Macrium Reflect, Rescuezilla, Acronis True Image (free version if you have a Crucial or WD drive anywhere connected, even if not actually used in the procedure!) many options for imaging the entire drive these days...

 

[Konskoo]

@USAFRet, @chrisanders466, @mdd1963, @SkyNetRising

USAFRet, chrisanders466, mdd1963, thank you. I took into consideration.

USAFRet, chrisanders466, mdd1963, SkyNetRising, does shingled magnetic recording (SMR) related to rotation speed and size of cache?

 

[HappyTrails]

The interesting thread to reads. Wrestle with the storage now can never decide. It kind of like just when I think I figure it out it slips away

 

[nofanneeded]

What ever you do , avoid 2.5 inch drives . use 3.5 inch drives .

2.5 inch fail faster .. and very fragile they can be bent between your fingers. not good for archiving !

 

[Konskoo]

The interesting thread to reads. Wrestle with the storage now can never decide. It kind of like just when I think I figure it out it slips away

@HappyTrails, thank you. I understand you

 

[nofanneeded]

USB spinning drives are about $60-80 for 2-4 TB models these days...; heck, buy two of them , because to trust only one only to have it fail when you need it is frustrating...

cheap non enterprise 2.5 inch drives are not reliable for backup

 

[USAFRet]

cheap non enterprise 2.5 inch drives are not reliable for backup

We'd be interested to see some published stats on that.

 

[Konskoo]

What ever you do , avoid 2.5 inch drives . use 3.5 inch drives .

2.5 inch fail faster .. and very fragile they can be bent between your fingers. not good for archiving !

@nofanneeded, thank you. I took into attention.

How much faster 2.5 inch drives fail?

 

[HappyTrails]

So maybe NAS is the overkill this situation? They look interesting but feel it beyond my needs but maybe fit yours.

 

[nofanneeded]

We'd be interested to see some published stats on that.

you wont find it because no one uses cheap 2.5 entry level HDD in servers .. but they are fragile and they fail faster .. All My notebooks drives failed after some years , USB drives as well .. unlike 3.5 inch in my desktops and NAS stations.