Database backups

[frlindla]

How many database backups do you recommend to keep? (Impag-files). Should these backups be located under C-users-Pictures? Or could it be an other location?

[Mario]

1. Never use disks you use to store data also for backups.

2. There are so many "best" suggestions for backups...

3. What I do is (I consider my data very important and I need to stay operative all the time):

I keep daily backups for all my disks. I keep these for four weeks.
I make monthly backups for all my data. I keep the data for 6 months.

I use RAID 1 (mirror) so I can just swap a broken disk and continue to work.
I use multiple external USB 3.0 3.5" disks for daily and monthly backups.
Disks used for backup are write-protected, except for one application (my backup software). This avoids problems caused by encrypting Trojans and stuffs.

I do backups of important and often changed "source code" files several times a day to folder on my disk. Which is then mirrored into a cloud immediately.
This way if hell breaks loose, I loose maybe 4 hours of work, worst case.
These backups are kept for several weeks, which allows me for quick rollbacks. All backup data is always encrypted on my PC (!) and goes only in encrypted form into the cloud. I trust neither Microsoft nor Google nor Dropbox to store unencrypted data from me.


But that's me.
I'm lazy. I depend on my data.

I use Marium TrueImage software to do all the backup stuff automatically. If it runs automatically, you cannot forget it :-)
Once setup, it just works. All the backup to external disk, backup to cloud-mirrored folder etc. is automatic. I don't need to think about it.
All I need to do is to swap the external disks used for backup regularly.
I keep on backup disk nearby (not too nearby) and another one in another location.
Just in case we have a fire and everything burns down.

But I test restores frequently. A backup is only good when you can actually restore it. I have been burned by this several times in several workplaces...

4. tl;dr;

Keep multiple daily backups of your IMatch database and other important files (there are many) on multiple external disks. Disks you only use for backup data, not for other things.

A fast 4 TB USB 3.0 disk costs you maybe 80$. And it can hold many daily backups.
Use 2 two disks in case one fails!

256 GB USB 3.0 sticks are cheap and easy to use as well. And easily to transport and kept off-site.

You can also use your cloud space if you have quick upload. Never upload unencrypted data into the cloud, because it will be scanned and analyzed and used otherwise.

5. In my experience, hard disks die over night. Like car batteries.
Your PC is working fine. You shut it down for the night.
The next morning it won't boot anymore because the SSD / hard disk is dead.

Now, think about how hard it will be to a) get the PC running again and b) get all your data back. Can be a nightmare or easy-peasy. YOUR choice.

6. I get at least 2 "I have lost all my data due to disk death. Can you send me my license key again" emails per week...
I feel sorry for these users. Consider what else the might have lost.

[jch2103]

I use Marium TrueImage software to do all the backup stuff automatically. If it runs automatically, you cannot forget it :-)
Once setup, it just works. All the backup to external disk, backup to cloud-mirrored folder etc. is automatic. I don't need to think about it.

Macrium TrueImage https://www.macrium.com/

[frlindla]

Thank you! But I guess the oldest backup files can be deleted to free up some space? I don`t store my photos in my C-disk. My Imatch database backups are in the C-disk. My photos are stored in an other internal disk. And with backups to external drives and a synology NAS. I use macrium software, but something is not working as planned. Get error messages, so I have to solve that:)

[Mario]

If you keep a couple of versions of your database, you should be fine. IMatch databases are not that big.

[frlindla]

Thank you Mario.

[aki-bs]

For backups (not only for my iMatch database) I use a local Synology NAS with RAID 1 (mirror) and a second Synology NAS for georedundant backup.
I think that georedundant backup is very important!

Backups will be made automatically with the tool "Personal Backup".

[Carlo Didier]

For backups (not only for my iMatch database) I use a local Synology NAS with RAID 1 (mirror) and a second Synology NAS for georedundant backup.
I think that georedundant backup is very important!

Backups will be made automatically with the tool "Personal Backup".

Very similar here. Primary NAS at my home and a secondary at a friends' home. Snapshot replication between the two.
Plus locally encrypted online backups (directly from the NAS), copies to archive USB disks, etc ...