Backing Up Huge Libraries (30 Gb Or More)

[1kyle]

Don't Backup to DVD's directly -- You'll have to keep loading DVD's --especially once your library grows to 50 GB or more

This method works fine --For those of you that have Tape streamers.

1) backup ist using SS backup to some hard disk space somewhere --You'll have to do this as backing up without first using SS backup will render your library unuseable on restore.

2) NOW use the computers backup program (SONIC Backup My PC, --nothing to do with SONY or SS BTW), Dantz retrospect or whatever) to backup to your tape streamer. Select the SS Backup data folder you've created when you used SS.

3) delete the HD backup to recover your HD space.

Now you can just let it run unattended.

For RESTORE, Move to a New Hard Disk, New computer etc.

1) Load your Tape steamer tape and restore using DANTZ / Backup my Pc or whatever to Hard disk.

2) NOW RESTORE THAT data using SS to your Library.

3) Delete tha Hard disk backup so you've recovered your HD space. --You've still got the tape cartridge backup if you need to restore again.

While I know a lot of you don't have libraries that huge yet -- I'll bet it won't be too long before you do --especially if you save your music at PCM or 256 kbs so this topic WILL rear it's head and with DVD's currently only 4.7 GB you don't want to be hanging around the computer feeding it with an endless stream of DVD's while doing your backup.

Hope this also is of use to some of you out there.

My Music library currently is around 64 GB. I already had a tape streamer as I'm a Professiona Photographer and have to back up vast quantities of photographic files regularly --and DVD's didn't cut it for me a while ago. Far too small capacity for Archive although I do backup to DVD in chunks --unfortunately you can't back up "Part of a Music Library" with SS --It's all or nothing.

Cheers

-K

Edited June 22, 2005 by 1kyle

[jadeclaw]

Mine is currently at 45GBytes and I use an external USB-Harddisk to back it up.

Until affordable BlueRay-writers and rewritable discs are available,

harddiscs are the only viable alternative for backup.

Tape streamers, that can handle that amount with ease are still quite expensive...

Oh, and an advice for others thinking of buying a tape streamer:

The manufacturers are all lying!

The capacity claimed is always compressed, the physical capacity is only half of that, in case of the Iomega Rev, it is only one third.

So, check always the true physical capacity, as compressed audio can not be compressed further by the drive or the backup software.

[1kyle]

Mine is currently at 45GBytes and I use an external USB-Harddisk to back it up.

Until affordable BlueRay-writers and rewritable discs are available,

harddiscs are the only viable alternative for backup.

Tape streamers, that can handle that amount with ease are still quite expensive...

Oh, and an advice for others thinking of buying a tape streamer:

The manufacturers are all lying!

The capacity claimed is always compressed, the physical capacity is only half of that, in case of the Iomega Rev, it is only one third.

So, check always the true physical capacity, as compressed audio can not be compressed further by the drive or the backup software.

←

Hi there --yes Tape streamers ARE expensive --but if you DO have one this method is fine.

Whilst HD is cheap --this also gets a problem if you find yourself regularly backing up 200 GB or more of data --OK this won't hit home users for a while --but if you start doing some professional work you'll be surprised how quickly disks fill up especially photos expanded to TIFFS for press and large video / audio streams.

At the present time --expensive though they are (around 600 GBP for an entry level reliable DDS system and over 1000 GBP for "Juke box like " storage) it's the only reasonable alternative for the volumes of data we have to handle until the new 28 - 50 GB blu-ray dvd's come out -and by the time they do they probably won't be of high enough capacity either.

I can get around 120 GB of MY data on to 1 tape cartridge (200 GB compressed cartridge) which is fine by me --. The Audio compresses slightly again to about 1.32 on the tape. (You don't lose anything as this is Lossless DATA compression).

But DON'T GET A CHEAP ONE (Travan etc) --cheap tape streamers are WORSE than useless. Sony / HP etc are all good makes.

This solution I know is not for everybody.

Cheers

-K

Edited June 22, 2005 by 1kyle