[time-nuts] While we're discussing backups...

[Chris Kuethe]

On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 10:10 AM, Neon John <jgd at johngsbbq.com> wrote:
> The silliness in your "advice" is that you offered up one of the most extreme
> "solutions" as generic advice and said that anything less was no backup at all
> or something to that effect even though you don't know my or any other list
> member's circumstances.  Let's see how your advice and its associate expense
> fits my situation since I'm the one you replied to.

Heh. "Let the punishment fit the crime" ... and let the backup
strategy fit the risk model.

> I'm retired so total loss of my data would have no financial impact.  A huge
> sentimental and legacy impact, in terms of both my writings, designs and
> digital photos.  Interestingly enough, all those types of data are backed up
> multiple ways including on a set of DVDs resting in a friend's safe who lives
> a few miles away.  My past design work is completely static, my photos mostly
> static and my writings a little less static so updates to that collection need
> be done only a couple of times a year.  They'd only be needed if my cabin and
> its contents suddenly and completely disappeared somehow.

Might wanna keep an eye on the DVD's. I hear the dyes aren't quite as
stable and long-lived as the manufacturers claim. I've heard rumors of
discs being stored undisturbed in safety-deposit boxes for 5yrs
starting to break down. Some people I know with a rather small set of
backup DVDs read the existing discs and burn a new set every 6-12mo.
This serves the purposes of verifying that you can restore from your
backup and that your media is fresh.

> The lockworks are US government crypto-certified.  I paid a bunch extra for
> that quality of lockwork. The combination lock is a Sergent and Green
> crypto-grade unit and the key lock is a Medico high security one.  Both locks
> must be manipulated to open the safe.  Inside the safe is another smaller
> "valuables" safe, also secured with a S&G crypto-grade combo lock.  It was
> intended for jewelry but I use it for backup media storage.

Heard about how "high security" locks may not be as secure as the
manufacturers claim? hackaday.com and toool.nl... the lesson from that
is to keep reviewing your backup strategy. The chances that someone
will have the means, motive and opportunity to come after your safe is
probably pretty low. Low enough that you sleep well at night.

So yeah, I think we're very much in agreement: think about what you
have to lose balanced against how much it'll cost to protect against.
And don't rest on your laurels. :)

CK

-- 
GDB has a 'break' feature; why doesn't it have 'fix' too?