Recently I have spent some time reassessing and optimizing my storage and backup strategy.
This summer I got into trouble with my main workstation suddenly becoming unstable and unresponsive. The outcome was significant time lost diagnosing those issues, a full system re-installation and more troubleshooting efforts.
Thankfully I was already heavily relying on external storage, both direct-attached and network-attached (NAS). So I didn't lose any data and quickly regained access to all of it.
Despite the happy outcome the setback served as a good reminder that you can never do too much when it comes to protecting your precious digital assets. Things to consider:
- primary data backup solution
- secondary backup
- offsite backup
- automating the backup process
- relying on external storage technology vs using computer hard drives
- being able to sustain disk failure trough redundancy technology (RAID)
- having a bootable backup to quickly regain control of a failing system
- protecting data while on the go, whether on a client assignment or a personal trip
Beyond data protection, adequate data transfer performance that drives a productive workflow is another key consideration informing my technology choices.
Protecting our digital assets is a serious concern. So it's worth revisiting how we handle that on a regular basis.
