Ask Slashdot: Simple Way To Backup 24TB of Data Onto USB HDDs ? 405
An anonymous reader writes "Hi there ! I'm looking for a simple solution to backup a big data set consisting of files between 3MB and 20GB, for a total of 24TB, onto multiple hard drives (usb, firewire, whatever) I am aware of many backup tools which split the backup onto multiple DVDs with the infamous 'insert disc N and press continue', but I haven't come across one that can do it with external hard drives (insert next USB device...). OS not relevant, but Linux (console) or MacOS (GUI) preferred... Did I miss something or is there no such thing already done, and am I doomed to code it myself ?"
Why USB HDDs? (Score:1, Interesting)
Are you REALLY sure that you want to use USB HDDs? The cost savings of using a box of HDDs may well be offset by the hassle in finding the backup software, the manual labor of swapping them, finding the correct drive to retrieve a certain file, etc.
How about a pair of Synology DS1512+ NASes? In addition to getting all of the storage online at all times, you get RAID support, etc.
tar --multi-volume (Score:5, Interesting)
Seriously: Build your own homebrew NAS. (Score:5, Interesting)
What your attemting isn't easy, it's actually difficult.
Buy a cheap and big refurbished workstation or rackmount server, install a few extra SATA controllers and maybe a new power supply, hook up 12 2TB drives, install Debian, check out LVM and your all set.
Messing around with 12 - 24 external HDDs and their power supplys is a big hassle and asking for trouble. Don't do it. Do seriously go through the possibilty of building your own NAS. You'll be thankfull in the end and it won't take much longer, it might even go faster and be cheaper if you can get the parts fast.
My 2 cents.
Re:USB and disk Speed (Score:5, Interesting)
Agreed. Best thing I ever did was get a computer case with a SATA sled bay, like one of these [newegg.com]. It won't help with breaking up the files, but a plain SATA connection will be many times faster and many times cheaper than getting external USB drives (because you don't have to keep paying for external case + power supply). After you copy it over, you just store the bare drives in a nice safe place.
This assumes it's a one-time or rare thing. If you do want access or the backup process is a regular thing, then an NAS or RAID setup is probably more convenient so that you don't have to keep swapping drives in and out.
Re:Seriously: Build your own homebrew NAS. (Score:5, Interesting)
Way to redefine the problem instead of working within the specifications.
Perhaps:
1. The poster ALREADY has a NAS and wants to have airgapped or even offsite/offline backup.
2. External HDDs are fast, common, reasonably cheap, and do not have a single point of failure (e.g., the tape backup drive in many suggested alternatives)
I'm interested in this question. I use this general setup, but on a smaller scale. I cannot put a NAS in a safety deposit box. I cannot ensure that my "backup" NAS would not be drowned in a flood, burned in a fire, fried by a lightning strike...
Let's pretend the poster is not an idiot, and answer the actual question. If he has 24TB of data, IT'S ALREADY ON DAS/NAS. Geesh.