Networked Hard Drives

[Cloneon]

Bump ...

My Seagate NAS just took a dump (2nd Seagate NAS that's failed for me) so I'm looking for a new backup solution. I don't trust the security of cloud backup services -- I just want something local.

I have 2 work desktop PCs at home. One of the NAS drives I purchased a long time ago came with backup software from Retrospect which I have configured to incrementally back up work files and pictures from both PCs at 2 am every night. Once a week it "grooms" old stuff out of the backups so I don't run out of space on the 4 TB NAS. It works well most of the time, but maybe once every year or two something will go wrong and I'll have to rebuild the backup catalogs.

Anyone have advice on what my next backup solution should be? I feel like I'm kinda in the dark ages with my current solution, but it works (or used to til last week) and I don't have to spend much time on maintaining it.

I would like a solution for under $1,000, under $500 would be even better, but I was looking at some of the new 2-bay RAID NAS drives with ethernet interfaces and I'm not sure they would fit that budget. They also look really complex to set up.

I've built my last 2 NAS and continue to stick by TrueNAS. BUT, there are others which are basically store bought with the same skeletons. After reading your post here's something I never had thought of before. If you don't trust the privacy of the cloud, but trust the cloud and its cost structure, then why don't you encrypt on upload and decrypt on download. Yes, it's overhead, but it should comfort your concerns.

 

[BobTheHawkHater]

If you don't trust the privacy of the cloud, but trust the cloud and its cost structure, then why don't you encrypt on upload and decrypt on download. Yes, it's overhead, but it should comfort your concerns.

With a local backup, my business data, personal financial stuff, everything I back up, is on one one hard drive and one encrypted backup drive, both 100% in my control and protected from internet access via my router firewall. I can probably do some stuff to make that entry point to my data even more secure.

With a cloud backup, my stuff is somewhere out of my control. How many servers it on? How many disgruntled IT workers at the cloud service have access to my data? Yes, I know I can encrypt it on the cloud. I also know that hackers can download the source code for many encryption algorithms. In my mind, it's only a matter of when, not if, a hacker will figure out a way to bypass the encryption algorithms used.

I'm obviously paranoid about cloud security but oh well.

 

[Cloneon]

I get your logic, but there is justification for cloud storage too: safe distance redundancy, access from anywhere, no dependency on your local system. It all comes down to risk/reward. And even if you do control your information, I suspect you jeopardize your privacy/security in a plethora of other ways (eg your phone, online services [Facebook, Twitter, etc], etc.). In the end, I'd still evaluate 'what' you deem valuable, encrypt it, and send it up. I'm not trying to dissuade you. I'm just presenting alternative thinking. Personally, I keep ultra privileged near me and send up everything else. It works out to around 1% local and 99% up). It saves me from worrying about hardware failure because it's easier to keep low volume redundant.

 

[crash_zone]

Synology or QNAP. I’ve only used Synology - good options and can run things like a personal cloud.

I’ve got a Synology with 2 x10TB drives setup as Riaid. Backs up to an off-site NAS 3x a week.

 

[tzjung]

I've got a Synology 5 bay. Works great.

 

[bos]

Synology or QNAP. I’ve only used Synology - good options and can run things like a personal cloud.

I’ve got a Synology with 2 x10TB drives setup as Riaid. Backs up to an off-site NAS 3x a week.

I’m another Synology fan.

 

[zumbro clones]

I have a Synology DS418J and love it for backups.

 

[stateofmind]

I've got a Synology 5 bay. Works great.

Damn, how much porn are you downloading?

 

[BobTheHawkHater]

I get your logic, but there is justification for cloud storage too: safe distance redundancy, access from anywhere, no dependency on your local system. It all comes down to risk/reward. And even if you do control your information, I suspect you jeopardize your privacy/security in a plethora of other ways (eg your phone, online services [Facebook, Twitter, etc], etc.). In the end, I'd still evaluate 'what' you deem valuable, encrypt it, and send it up. I'm not trying to dissuade you. I'm just presenting alternative thinking. Personally, I keep ultra privileged near me and send up everything else. It works out to around 1% local and 99% up). It saves me from worrying about hardware failure because it's easier to keep low volume redundant.

They are all really good points. Thanks for the input.

 

[stateofmind]

I use Carbonite.