File Backup - Hard drive or Off site?

[neato]

I've been thinking lately that I need some way to backup my files. Currently, I have 2 hard drives on my computer. But I'm not sure I trust that system.

Does anyone backup their files to an offsite server? I noticed that there are services online that offer this.

Or what about using my web host to back up files? My storage limit is 1500 GB on my domain server. Is that a safe option?

I just got to thinking that if I am victim to theft or fire, I will have NOTHING saved. I'll lose it all. Yikes!

 

[mondo]

You can also back them up to a cd or dvd and probably put them somewhere safe like a volt or safety deposit box. just my .2 cents.

 

[WoppTorr]

well thumb drives are over 16 gig now so, maybe you can store some of you stuff there, or the dvd/cd thing would work too, maybe a usb ext drive, then leave that at the shop or friends house, you can never have toooo many spots to store your stuff, as far as online storage, man, just take 1 virus or hacker to hit a site, and everybodies stuff is gone, never to get it back, i just like to KNOW where my stuff is, and make backups all the time, and have them scattered everywhere, mom and dads, brothers, ect. may take a few mins to drive there, but then I know it there
:Big Laugh

 

[jdb]

For under 100.00 you can get a 500 gb external hard drive. Back up with other above mentioned also.

 

[pacmn]

Just use a external HD and get some software that auto backs up your primary HD

just my 0.2

Dave

 

[Ken]

Yeah, you just never know when you have a break-in, a fire, an upset employee, an electrical glitch- can burn you big time. I just burn necessary files to CD - DVD now and then. But setting a schedule is a big part of this. Depending how busy you are..(and I expect that YOU are busy)..I wouldn't let a week go by without some kind of back-up.
Cheers!
Ken

 

[Capital Signs]

I have a Maxtor 1.5 Terabyte Drive brand new in the box for sale. 250 dollars shipped.

 

[TR1018]

Back up every night for $300.00 per year.

 

[TR1018]

Meant to say backup off site every night.

 

[choucove]

We actually have a mixture of both for our shop. All our data is saved onto a central file server for our shops, so once a week we can have an automatic backup of all the data from the server to an external hard drive that is then rotated with another, and that most recently backed up drive is taken off site to a safe for the week. While this also backs up our account files, we also do an off-site online backup of the Quickbooks files in addition, as it's a service through Quickbooks and got the first year for very very cheap.

I set up this new rotation and automation of backups when we put the file server in a couple months ago and it really has been nice. At first, depending upon the complexities you do for what files to backup, etc. it can take a while to get it all set up and running, and even debugging some issues that may arise. But once it's up and going, you don't really have to worry about it except one person switching out an external hard drive on their desk one morning.