I’m about to build a system and want to consider that backup process BEFORE I put it together.
Given I’d like my backup hard drives to last as many years as possible, and that I don’t need real-time back-ups, are there any advantages to using a software backup program to copy from one drive to the other vs. a RAID solution ?
I’m thinking that keeping the hard drives on a backup machine that is usually turned OFF (only on maybe weekly or monthly for backups) might extend the life of the hard drives.
Also – when doing backups – is there any advantage to breaking up the amount of write time when copying large amounts of data (1.5 to 2 TB) across my internal network from one machine to another – for example, maybe the hard drive on for less continuous time means less overheating (e.g. running hot) – extending the life of the drive ?
Or maybe – I should stop thinking so hard about extending the life of my hard drives : )
System: Windows
Tagged: compare hardware, compare software, hardware tips, internal drive, raid
5 Answers -
Dalsan
June 30, 2012Although there are advantages and disadvantages for constant backups using either system you mention, there are arguable ideas on how to extend hard drive life. Using hard drive cooling fans and case fans for proper ventilation definitely can help, but some will say that they have their hard drives on constantly for years and had no trouble, others would say that having the hard drives shut off when not in use will extend the life longer, which to an extent I agree. I also believe that if you have a hard drive constantly turning on and off will cause the arm mechanism amongst other mechanical parts wear out quicker, though there is not enough evidence that supports my view. Incremental backups of new data either daily or weekly should be fine without much worry, depends how important the data is on how often you should backup (for your use, I would choose daily as the loss of new data would be minimized). Just use a backup system that is simple for you to use to lessen the need for calling out the IT specialist. Also, imaging a backup of your system a few times a year if there are any new software or updates to your system would be a good idea to lessen the down time to get everything back in working order should any major failures happen.
Mike
June 30, 2012RAID is not the same as a backup solution. While a RAID does protect you against data loss because of a single hard disk failure it is not it’s main purpose.
RAID protects you against downtime duo to hard drive failure.
Backup protects you against data loss.
If you lose a single drive e.g. in a RAID 1 your system will keep running.
If you delete file in a RAID 1 it’s gone from all drives in the array.
If you use proper drives designed for RAID you won’t see any change in the projected life of the drive.
The difference between desktop and RAID drives is the error recovery handling:
A normal desktop drive will retry reading/writing to a sector for a few seconds before it gives up. A enterprise (RAID) drive will almost immediately give up.
The seconds wasted in the first case are enough to make the drive appear corrupt within the RAID array and will force you to do a rebuilt which puts additional load on all participating drives and therefor probably ‘shortening’ their life.
Back to the topic: If you want your files save do regular backups!
Temperature should never really be an issue with hard drives. They usually have a save operational limit of 50-60°C.
If your ambient temperature is let’s say 40°C it is normal for them to reach ~50°C. If your ambient temperature is 25°C and the hard drive still reaches ~50°C you should look into the airflow within the case.
A hard drive dying because of temperature is never really caused by it’s operational usage.
Bruce Epper
June 30, 2012“are there any advantages to using a software backup program to copy from one drive to the other vs. a RAID solution ?”
Most software backup programs allow you to schedule backups, so it can be just as hands-off as RAID. The advantage lies in the ability to have multiple copies of files, especially data files, so you can manage how far back in time you can go when recovering a file that has to be recovered. For example, if the plotline of the Great American Novel has taken a turn for the worse, you can go back to where you were 2 weeks ago. A RAID solution simply does not offer that capability – you have what you have – the latest version of the file and that is all – which is what RAID is designed to do.
“I’m thinking that keeping the hard drives on a backup machine that is usually turned OFF (only on maybe weekly or monthly for backups) might extend the life of the hard drives.”
This may be a good idea – after a while. Most electronic devices, including hard drives, have a critical period from initial power-on to about 60 days when they can suffer from the electronic version of SIDS. In general, if a device does not fail within the first 60 days of operation, it will probably function without issue for years. This was always one of my biggest concerns when building servers and why I have a policy of stress testing critical machines for at least 1 week before putting them into service. For my own machines, even if it is destined to be a box that is only run one or two days a month, will stay powered on for the first 2 months. After that time, it will only be on when needed.
“Also – when doing backups – is there any advantage to breaking up the amount of write time when copying large amounts of data (1.5 to 2 TB) across my internal network from one machine to another – for example, maybe the hard drive on for less continuous time means less overheating (e.g. running hot) – extending the life of the drive?”
Nope. And if there are heat issues, it is not a drive problem, but an airflow problem in the case.
At one place where I worked, an engineering group had their own server and a dozen workstations. Every night, the server would be backed up to tape followed by EVERY WORKSTATION in the group. In the 2 years I was in that position, we never had a hard drive failure either on the server or any of the workstations even though they were powered 24/7 (although I did have spare drives to slap into any machine in the event of a failure).
ha14
June 30, 2012if you want extend hard drive life then less you use better is.
you should use RAID with better cooling scheme thermal management for extended hard drive lifespan
Home RAID vs backup?
http://storagemojo.com/2007/05/30/home-raid-vs-backup/
http://www.2brightsparks.com/resources/articles/RAID-is-not-a-backup-solution.html
RAID may reduce the chance of losing data due to drive failure but it is no protection against losing your data due to other means, e.g. user error.
You may say Raid 0 with backup is safe but you still have to rebuild before you can restore
DH
September 9, 2012Key here is also looking at your own skill set. Having said that, building a RAID solution can be effective and save you money and still take a beating (RAID 6) without data loss and with immense HW IO R/W’s. That is looking at actual test numbers instead of opinions.
http://www.microdevsys.com/WordPress/2012/04/02/linux-htpc-home-backup-mdadm-raid6-lvm-xfs-cifs-and-nfs/
Cheers,
DH