[AccessD] On the subject of backups

Wed Jan 25 15:19:49 CST 2023

For me, I'm particularly concerned about recovering files I might otherwise
lose through finger trouble, perhaps not noticed for some time.  That means
I keep backups as at various dates in the past.  These are on USB HDDs with
an NTFS folder structure starting with top folders that represent the
backup date and everything I backed up in a folder structure underneath.
Nothing special is needed for recovery, which is ideal when software keeps
going out of fashion.

Initially I tried several backup packages, but in the end I settled on my
own scripts.
Primarily I use ROBOCOPY to update a mirror image on my NAS (RAID1).
The NAS updates a mirror image on a USB HDD (I have several that are
rotated for geographic diversity).
The clever bit comes in the script that creates an additional copy of the
USB HDD image and then makes an additional copy under a folder named with
the current date.  You might expect this to fill the drive very quickly -
but this is NOT the case if the copy is made using "hard links".  This
means that files that do not change are stored only once on the file system
with multiple directory entries all pointing to the same file.  (I use the
NTFS file system - but I recall reading that all posix compatible
file systems do it.)  If any dated backup structure is deleted, the related
files are only deleted when there are no further links to that file.

To create the hard link copies I've always used LN.exe by Hermann
Schinagl.  The technique is referred to as a DeLorean copy.

The down sides to this process are:
- I find the copy process slows down once the number of hard link copies
gets to a dozen or so on the same drive.  I believe that relates to the way
the file system is structured and updated.
- The delete process also slows down as the number of hard linked copies on
the same drive increases.
- The hard linked backup copies should NOT be edited in place.  Doing so
might change every copy of that file rather than just the one copy you
intended to change.  I always copy backup files elsewhere before opening
them.

That's my 2c worth.  Perhaps it shows my distrust of anything I didn't do
myself.

On Mon, 23 Jan 2023 at 09:45, James Button via AccessD <
accessd at databaseadvisors.com> wrote:

> Nice -
> But - maybe also consider what you would do if your hardware got a change
> of
> "ownership", sorry, keeper!
>  - complete with all the paperwork re. insurance and device serial numbers
> going
> too.
> Or a lightning strike on your home!
>
> So - without the phone, or any records -
> That is no passport, no bankbook, chequebook, or credit cards, no driving
> licence, social services, or medical health id papers.
> get the cash to get replacement hardware, and set it up to get a download
> of
> your existing backups.
>
>
> Oh!
> And re email backup - does all you send get held on a 3rd party - off-site
> (4
> you) location.
>
> JimB
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AccessD
> <accessd-bounces+jamesbutton=blueyonder.co.uk at databaseadvisors.com> On
> Behalf Of
> John Colby
> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2023 7:52 PM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] On the subject of backups
>
> LOL.  I ran raid 6 on my server with 2 hot backup drives.  Over about 7
> years I never lost anything either, though I did lose a couple of drives
> of=ver that time.
>
> In this case I am discussing my laptop.
>
> On Sun, Jan 22, 2023 at 12:12 PM Jim Dettman via AccessD <
> accessd at databaseadvisors.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >  As a start, I run all my PC's with a RAID 1 configuration.   I then use
> > external backup drives, typically which come with software to back up
> > everything.
> >
> >  I've never (famous last words here) lost anything yet.  The RAID
> > software/hardware does patrol reads and with a SMART interface
> > (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology), you usually get a
> > warning when one of your drives is about to fail.
> >
> >  If you are really paranoid, buy a hardware RAID controller and run RAID
> 6,
> > which requires two drives to fail before any loss of data.
> >
> > Jim.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: AccessD On Behalf Of John Colby
> > Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2023 10:55 PM
> > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> > <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
> > Subject: [AccessD] On the subject of backups
> >
> > I'm on a mission from God...
> >
> > Having lost my boot drive recently, I have decided it is time to get
> > serious about backups.  Yea yea, after the horse is gone...
> >
> > Windows File History isn't an all encompassing backup but it seems to
> > garner good reviews for what it does.
> >
> > https://www.pcworld.com/article/833338/windows-file-history-review.html
> >
> > One thing this article mentions is that File History automatically backs
> up
> > all *libraries*.  Now libraries are a subject I had no clue about but it
> > seems that we can create our own libraries which will then be
> automatically
> > included in File History backups.
> >
> > https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-libraries-windows-10
> >
> > So I created a library for 'Development'.  I place all of my dev stuff
> out
> > on a second partition drive D: with a half dozen or so directories.  So I
> > created a Development library and added all of these directories on drive
> > d: and voila, file history will now grab it
> >
> > TBH when I clicked "create" apply changes to the library took off and man
> > is it taking awhile.
> >
> > I think this will be handy.  I am a budding (or withering, depending on
> how
> > you look at it) musician.  I play at the bass and am trying to get a midi
> > keyboard working through my computer as well.  I own and really like Band
> > In A Box as a way to create a 'busking' like thing going and it requires
> an
> > entire install and a ton of files, plus the stuff that I create.
> >
> > So a Library seems in order for that as well.  Automatic backups for that
> > stuff.
> >
> > At any rate, File History for all the functionality it provides.
> > --
> > John W. Colby
> > Colby Consulting
> > --
> > AccessD mailing list
> > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
> > https://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd
> > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com
> >
> > --
> > AccessD mailing list
> > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
> > https://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd
> > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com
> >
>
>
> --
> John W. Colby
> Colby Consulting
> --
> AccessD mailing list
> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
> https://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd
> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com
>
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>