As a videographer/photographer, your work is precious. One of the most critical aspects of your job is ensuring that you have reliable and secure backup storage for all of your video files. Losing footage due to a hard drive failure or other technical issue can be devastating, that's why a solid backup workflow is crucial to safeguard your projects and your clients' trust.
In this blog post, we'll explore the ultimate backup solutions that will protect your files from data loss.
Organize and Sort Your Files
Before you start backing up your files, it's crucial to organize and sort them properly. This means creating a logical file structure that makes it easy to find and retrieve specific files when needed. You can sort your files by project, date, or any other relevant criteria that make sense for your workflow.
Use External Hard Drives (HDDs) for Local Backup
External hard drives are an essential tool for backing up your video files. They offer a high-capacity storage solution at an affordable price point, and they're portable, making it easy to take your files with you on the go.
When selecting an external HDD for backup, look for one that offers high-capacity storage (at least 4TB or more) and fast transfer speeds (preferably USB 3.0 or higher). It's also a good idea to purchase two identical external drives and use one as the primary backup and the other as a backup to the backup.
One advantage of external hard drives is that they can be easily swapped between devices, making them a great option for sharing data between computers or backing up important files. Additionally, external hard drives can be used for long-term data storage, as they can be safely stored when not in use.
Here are some of the best external HDD options:
This is a portable external HDD that offers up to 4TB of storage space and fast data transfer speeds through USB 3.0 connectivity and delivers data transfer speeds of up to 130 MB/s.
Pros:
- Drop & Crush Resistant
- Unauthorized access encryption available
Cons:
- Moving parts
Price - $349.00
This is a portable external HDD that offers up to 5TB of storage space and fast data transfer speeds through USB 3.0 connectivity.
Pros:
- 5TB Storage Capacity
- Brushed metal finish
Cons:
- Not drop/crush resistant
Price - $269.00
This is a portable external HDD that offers up to 4TB of storage space and fast data transfer speeds through USB 3.2 connectivity.
Pros:
- Shock Sensors
- Wallet friendly
Cons:
- Moving Parts
Price - $199.00
Use External Solid-State Drives (SSDs) for Fast Transfer Speeds
One of the primary advantages of an external SSD over an HDD is its speed. An external SSD can transfer data much faster than an HDD, which makes it a great option for tasks that require fast data access, such as editing high-resolution video or running resource-intensive applications. Additionally, external SSDs are more durable than HDDs, as they have no moving parts and are less likely to be damaged by physical shocks or drops.
Here are some of the best external SSD options for videographers:
The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is a rugged, portable SSD that offers lightning-fast transfer speeds of up to 950MB/s. It features a Thunderbolt 3 interface for fast data transfer and is drop-resistant up to 3 meters. It's an excellent choice for videographers who work on the go and need a durable, fast, and reliable backup solution.
Pros:
- Up to 950 MB/s Data Transfer Speed.
- Crush, Drop Resistant
- Encryption available
Cons:
- Expensive
- 1TB Storage Capacity
Price - $609.00
This is a portable external SSD that offers up to 2TB of storage space and fast data transfer speeds through USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity. It is also shock-resistant, making it a durable option for videographers on the go.
Pros:
- Up to 1050 MB/s Data Transfer Speed
- Wallet Friendly
Cons:
- 2TB Max Storage Capacity
Price - $179.00
This is another portable external SSD that offers up to 4TB of storage space and fast data transfer speeds through USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity. It is also dust and water-resistant, making it a great option for outdoor shoots.
Pros:
- Up to 2000 MB/s Data Transfer Speed
- Drop/Water Resistant
Cons:
- Expensive
Price - $869.00
This is a portable external SSD that offers up to 2TB of storage space and fast data transfer speeds through USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity. It is also shock and vibration-resistant, making it a durable option for videographers.
Pros:
- Up to 1050MB/s Data Transfer Speeds
- 256-Bit AES Encryption
Cons:
- Not drop/crush/water resistant
Price - $309.00
Consider a RAID Array for Redundancy
A RAID (redundant array of independent disks) array is a storage system that combines multiple hard drives into a single logical unit. The purpose of a RAID array is to improve performance, increase storage capacity, and provide redundancy to protect against data loss in the event of a disk failure.
There are several types of RAID arrays, each with its own unique configuration and advantages. Some of the most common types of RAID arrays include:
RAID 0: This type of RAID uses two or more hard drives to improve performance by striping data across the drives. However, RAID 0 does not provide any redundancy, which means that data loss can occur if one of the drives fails.
RAID 1: This type of RAID uses two hard drives to create a mirrored set. Data is written to both drives simultaneously, which provides redundancy in the event of a drive failure.
RAID 5: This type of RAID uses three or more hard drives and distributes data and parity information across the drives. RAID 5 provides both performance improvements and redundancy, as data can be reconstructed from the parity information in the event of a drive failure.
RAID 6: This type of RAID is similar to RAID 5, but uses two parity blocks instead of one. This provides additional redundancy in the event of a drive failure.
RAID 10: This type of RAID combines RAID 1 and RAID 0, using four or more drives to create a mirrored and striped set. RAID 10 provides both performance improvements and redundancy, as data can be reconstructed from the mirrored sets in the event of a drive failure.
RAID arrays are commonly used in servers, workstations, and other systems that require high-performance storage and redundancy. By combining multiple hard drives into a single logical unit, RAID arrays can provide improved performance, increased storage capacity, and protection against data loss.
Here are some of the best RAID options for videographers & photographers:
The LaCie 36TB 2big 2-Bay USB 3.1 Type-C RAID Array has dual 3.5" SATA drive bays, each of which is equipped with a 18TB enterprise-class hard drive, for a total storage capacity of 36TB. Compatible with both Windows and Mac.
Pros:
- 36TB Storage Capacity
- Supports RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD
Cons:
- Expensive
Price - $3448.85
Designed for creative professionals, the Pegasus32 R4 16TB 4-Bay Thunderbolt 3 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 RAID Array delivers the speed, capacity, and protection needed for large projects and backups. Featuring four drive bays equipped with hot-swappable 4TB 7200 rpm hard drives, the 16TB array has a maximum data throughput of 2,700 MB/s.
Pros:
- Up to 2700 MB/s Data Transfer Speeds
- 2 x Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
Cons:
- No Encryption
- Expensive
Price - $3,549.00
The SanDisk Professional G-RAID Shuttle 4 48TB 4-Bay Thunderbolt 3 RAID Array (4 x 12TB) is a transportable 4-bay hardware RAID solution with Thunderbolt™ 3 (40Gbps) and USB-C™ (10Gbps) interfaces offering content professionals 48TB of capacity and high-powered performance for consolidated backup, super-fast access, and real-time video editing.
Pros:
- Up to 2000MB/s Data Transfer Speeds
- 48TB Storage Capacity
Cons:
- Expensive
Price - $7,949.00
Use Cloud Storage for Off-Site Backup
Cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Amazon S3 offer a convenient and secure way to store your video files off-site. This protects your data from physical damage or theft and provides an additional layer of redundancy in case your local backups fail.
When selecting a cloud storage provider, look for one that offers high-capacity storage, fast upload and download speeds, and strong encryption to protect your data.
Automate Your Backup Process
To ensure that you're backing up your files regularly and consistently, it's essential to automate your backup process. You can use backup software like Carbon Copy Cloner or ChronoSync to schedule regular backups to your external HDDs, SSDs, RAID array, and cloud storage.
The ultimate backup workflow for videographers involves a combination of external HDDs, external SSDs, RAID arrays, and cloud storage. By organizing and sorting your files, using external drives for local backup, considering a RAID array for redundancy, using cloud storage for off-site backup, and automating your backup process, you can ensure that your video files are always safe
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