No solution is fool proof. But by utilizing more than one, you're covered if one fails. I keep mine on a NAS hard drive and Flickr just in case.

Flickr is owned by Yahoo...I don't think they'll be 'going under' anytime soon. They also have good privacy options and creative commons licensing to allow fair use of your material if you choose.

1. RAID (MIRRORING)
2. Backup to 2 external HDs nightly. (Take 1 when you go on vacation or away for more than 1 day.)
3. Backup to DVDs. Store 1 copy in house 1 off-site.
4. Store some online. (I have 30gb+ and even with super fast upload and my own server space I am not putting them all online.)

I use an online backup service called Mozy. It backs up automatically hourly and has a good privacy policy. I haven't had to use it yet to retrieve data, but uploading has been a breeze. It costs about $5/month.

That said...I still have some photos I have to scan. This will remind me to get my a$$ in gear.

Cheers,
Logan.

restoring is another issue with the online servces. Imagine you did have to bug out without your computer/laptop and had to get a new one and download your backups, how long would it take, or would it even be possible. Sharing bandwidth or phones lines with others it can take extra time to get all the data restored. or in my case if I bug out to the farm them I'm going to have to pull down multiple gigabytes of data over a 34k dial up connection. I just can't think of any situation where online backups could be useful. has anyone using them tried a full restore, how long did it take, does all the exif data stay intact in the pictures, etc.

Eugene, while a "restore" from online may be slow I think most just store data and not all the rest of your software and operating system. For data it is just another layer of backup to protect against losing everything. With a record of your configuration most software companies will help you replace software and this can also be insured.

Part of your remote backup could be a periodic mirror, which could allow a full restore, though that is expensive in terms of money and bandwidth. It sure would be preferrable to nothing!

The primary reason for adding remote backup to a professioanally secure site far from your location is, of course, to reduce the risk of total loss from an area- or region-wide disaster.

And that's the point of making online backup data "last resort". Depending on the service you use, the meta data is preserved (for example, box.net is just a plain file storage system, while flickr is more than that).

AND that's why I use EXTERNAL DRIVES - I can build a computer out of an old microwave, some duct tape and a box of AA batteries - so computers are a commodity, not for the bugout.

That said - my eeePC 701 is DEFINITELY in my emergency kit. Connected with an external drive, it's all you really need.

I've been looking at those epc's as they are the only thing smaller than my laptop. Can you put a larger internat drive? I make sure to never use external as a primary drive, only for backup copies. I've seen too many people with external drives that become their primary storage and then they have to keep track of which drive has their data. Plus its a pain trying to balance the laptop on top of them on a lap

I'd recommend a paid service over a free one for sure. I use http://www.smugmug.com , which costs $40/year. It has outlasted a LOT of free services, including Kodaks, Adobes, and others. I would bet on Yahoo's service staying around for long, though it HAS done better than most.

The nice thing is that with Smugmug you get UNLIMITED downloads.

Flickr does allow folks to pay for unlimited downloads though, so that might be why they've lasted longer than most free sites.

No, there is no internal drive - it's all flash ram. I use the eeePC in the same way you might use a motorcycle when you own a car - not a primary, a handy and fun secondary.

But it reads and writes almost anything, and works fine as a quick and easy data management thing.

I know many people love on line storage, but I just don’t feel comfortable giving other people I don’t know, will never in my life see in person and don’t really have any interest in my data. any of my files.

Data can be hacked, stolen, viewed by others working at the backup company, deleted by a disgruntled employee, given a virus by pathetic people that are misfits and can’t adjust to life, lost when a company goes out of business or is sold to another company.



I have a garage that is 100 feet from my house. I put backup CDs in a plastic case in it for storage. It’s unlikely that it and the house is going to burn down.

Don’t have a garage; use a camper or a relatives house.