Backup / Storage

[KimBM]

Hi Brian,

Could you please suggest storage for a hobbyist?  I have my images stored across multiple seagate hard drives and I’d like a better more secure solution. 

Thanks 

[Brian]

What kind of budget are we talking? How much space do you need? How large are your files typically? Or what camera body are you using? 

[KimBM]

I have a Canon R6.  I currently have less than 1TB, but want something that will last.  Budget approx $2K.  

[Brian]

2K? That's way more than you will need. Even for the fancy stuff. "I'm just a hobbyist" is such a Misnomer. In reality, the only difference between a "Professional" and a "Amateur" is one charges for services, and their images are consistent from shot to shot, regardless of situation. Sure, "Professionals" still blow it from time-to-time, but this is the minority. Honestly, I've seen some really good images, that are at a "Professional" Grade Level, from "Hobbyists." The truth is, you are looking for a few things:

1. Consolidation
2. A File Organization Structure.
3. Possibly some sort of redundancy.

Me recommending a larger HD is only part of the equation. Before you buy anything, you need to think about File Management of your images, which are important to you, Hobbyist or not. The trick is getting you a larger HD that has decent build quality. Do you have a Mac or a PC?

[KimBM]

I have an old Mac.

My personal photos are important to me.  I had no idea how much I would need to spend so I put my budget as the amount I’ve been saving to upgrade my computer, but figure no point in taking photos if they are lost!

I have a baby so barely have time to edit (previously used Lightroom, but started Damien’s Raw Class).  I shoot almost daily and just transfer to the hard drive when the card is full.  When the family load lessens a bit I will return to the photos.

[Brian]

Well it seems my beloved G-Drives are being re-branded and they haven't hit the shelves yet. However there are still a few of the original HDs out there and are quite affordable. What I would do in your case, is buy this hard drive: G-Technology 6TB G-DRIVE. For $199, it won't break the bank and you can use it on your current Mac along with your future Mac. The cool part is, it's already Mac-Formatted and includes all necessary cables to hook it up to your Mac.

[KimBM]

Thank you.  I’m assuming I should have at least 2 of these?

[Brian]

If you are looking to keep one off-site, yes. Then you are busy dumping the HD from one to the other. Or are you looking for a RAID-1 setup? How fancy do you want to get? Or...to put it another way, how geeky are you willing to go? Meaning, how technical-savvy are you?

You said you wanted to consolidate your HDs, but you never mentioned how many HDs you have, and how much data is on each. I can go way bigger, more complicated and much more expensive if you want a hot-rod HD setup.

[KimBM]

I’m not overly tech savvy.  I remember reading in another thread that 3 copies of data is what is recommended and just thought maybe I should buy 2 of these drives?  Im really just looking for a simple (but reliable) back-up.

[Brian]

Yes, the "3-2-1 Backup Strategy" is an industry standard.

3 Copies of your files at all times

On 2 Separate Devices

1 located off-site.

The only way this works if if you are hyper-anal and have the time to stay on top of things. As you can see, 3 copies of EVERY image and on 2 different drives can get out of hand, really quick. If you have crap all over the place, it will become a road paved with "Good Intentions" and nothing will get done. Trust me. I speak from experience. Having a rock-solid directory structure makes this happen. 

What I want you to do now, even if you have to take out a piece of paper and write this down manually, is to map out how your folders are going to be. Separate things by year? Image Type? Event Type? Stuff like that. Create a roadmap of how  you want your data to be stored. Otherwise, you will just have a mess on your hands and be right back to where you are at now, albeit on a single drive instead of multiple drives. It does you no good to have three copies of things and not have a clue where they reside. Follow me?

Also, I was trying to keep the costs low and pick a HD that is in stock. In reality, I wanted to recommend a 14TB HD, but I don't think you wanted to spend $600+ on one. Especially if you are looking to purchase two. Really right now, before you get fancy is to get all the images centrally located and culled. Let's start there. Trust me, you do not need 75 photos of your lunch from 5 years ago or that completely out of focus and underexposed photos that will never see the light of day? KILL THEM. So if you think 6TB is big enough, and this is a complete guess on my part...as you will know how much stuff is on all of your multiple external drives, go ahead and purchase one. If you have say 10 EHDs all completely filled, than a single 6TB Drive isn't going to do much for you, you need something much larger. Truth is, you can't have "enough" hard drive space, you will always need more. So if you can find a 10TB G-Drive that is in stock, feel free to pick up one if you can afford it. If you are planning on having a duplicate of this drive, purchase two. That said, Sandisk (who is now owned by Western Digital who also now owns G-Drive) are releasing new versions of the drives that I like, but since we are in a chip shortage, no telling when things will be in stock.

Here is the drive that I'm talking about: SanDisk Professional 18TB G-DRIVE Enterprise-Class External Hard Drive