IT’S CHALLENGING TO BACK UP YOUR OLD FILES

Last week, I had to use a hard drive and discovered my old one in a drawer. It contained files from 2012 that I never use or look at. If you have items you don’t need and use in your home, you might be labeled a hoarder. We often overlook the significance of what we do with our digital lives. This “digital clutter” is omnipresent, both offline and online. It includes unused code, leftover files in servers, forgotten websites, and countless other things I’m unaware of. Imagine the amount of digital clutter filling up the data servers that consume the world’s electricity because people fear that deleting a file might cause the system to fail. Let’s not jinx anything.

I want to focus on personal digital clutter. I have numerous files backed up on various hard drives. The problem is that they don’t last forever. So, I began searching for the images and importing them. Unfortunately, macOS failed to import anything at all, and the read speed was extremely slow. After a day of dealing with macOS, I decided to switch to Windows. Things improved there, but it still took a long time. However, I finally managed to import everything and clean them up a bit. I attempted to import them into iCloud, but the online uploader didn’t work. Chrome kept crashing. So, I moved the imported folder to the iCloud folder, but it didn’t sync them. When I tried to move them outside so it wouldn’t let me, I decided to remove iCloud, but it accidentally deleted the pictures. I genuinely detest software that restricts users. I understand why people dislike Apple and Microsoft software.

I don’t know how it is around the world but in Türkiye, cloud storage is expensive. I looked at some in house solutions but it doesn’t make sense for me to have a NAS at home. I live in an earthquake prone area and if my house crashes on me I lose everything.(Assuming I survive of course, otherwise who cares) Mostly I am on Apple devices and it is the cheapest option for 200GB right now. (Can you imagine!?) Turns out, the reason of all the failure was because my photo library was too big. I ended up diving them into multiple folders based on date and prominent person. That way I was able to import all the images. You need lots of storage if you are planning to import to your photos app. I first moved everything to my Mac and then I imported them but when you import you basically copy the images. If you have a 256GB MacBook it can be a bit of a problem. In this day and age SSD it a better option. I hated my hard drive at the end of this ordeal.

Backing up your stuff is important. While doing this importing business I realized how bad the condition of my hard drives were. They are close to stop working. 10 years is a lot for a hard drive. I am moving forward with cloud storage because that is the best option for me but please check and see if there is a better option for you.

Backing up your old files are important and cloud storage offers several advantages. It provides easy access to your photos from anywhere with an internet connection, on any device, including phones, tablets, and computers. Additionally, it offers off-site backup, protecting your photos from local disasters like fires, floods, or theft. Many cloud storage services also offer automatic sync, ensuring that your photos are always backed up. Sharing features make it simple to share photos and albums with others. Finally, cloud storage is scalable, allowing you to easily increase your storage as your photo collection grows.

However, there are some drawbacks to consider. Cloud storage requires an internet connection, so you can’t access your photos without it (unless you enable offline access for specific files). Subscription costs can add up over time, especially for large amounts of storage. Privacy concerns also arise, as your data is stored on someone else’s servers. Additionally, upload and download speeds can be slow for large files or many photos, depending on your internet speed.

Amazon Photos: Offers unlimited full-resolution photo storage for Amazon Prime members, making it an excellent value.

Google Photos: Integrates well with Android devices and offers powerful AI-driven search and organization features. Be aware of storage limits if you’re not paying for a Google One plan.

iCloud Photos: Ideal for Apple users, seamlessly syncing photos across all your Apple devices.

Dropbox: A reliable general cloud storage service that supports a wide range of file formats.

Microsoft OneDrive: This cloud storage service is ideal for Windows and Microsoft 365 users, seamlessly integrating into the Microsoft ecosystem.

Backblaze: Backblaze provides unlimited computer backup (including external drives connected to your computer) at an incredibly affordable price. It’s a hassle-free solution that requires minimal effort.

IDrive: Renowned for its speed and ability to back up multiple devices and external drives, IDrive is a reliable choice for data protection.

pCloud: pCloud offers a user-friendly interface and robust security features, with options for lifetime plans.

External Hard Drives / SSDs:

Pros:

- One-time cost: You purchase the drive, and that’s usually it (unless you require additional capacity later).

- Fast local access: Transferring large files is significantly faster compared to uploading/downloading from the cloud.

- Full control: Your data is physically with you, providing complete control over your information.

- No internet required: Access your photos anytime, anywhere, without an internet connection.

Cons:

- Vulnerability: External drives are susceptible to physical damage, theft, or loss.

- No off-site backup: If your home or office is affected by a disaster, your external drive could be lost as well.

- Manual process: Often requires manual initiation of backups, unless you use backup software.

- Lifespan: Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) have a limited lifespan (typically 3-5 years), although Solid State Drives (SSDs) are more durable and have a longer lifespan.

External Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) offer large capacities at lower prices, making them ideal for archiving extensive photo collections. On the other hand, External Solid State Drives (SSDs) provide faster and more durable performance compared to HDDs, although they tend to be more expensive per gigabyte. They are particularly suitable for working files and frequently accessed photos.

Network Attached Storage (NAS) has some advantages. Firstly, it provides a private cloud solution for storing photos, accessible from anywhere with an internet connection (if configured). Secondly, NAS devices can accommodate multiple hard drives, allowing for substantial storage capacity and easy expansion. Additionally, many NAS devices support RAID configurations, which distribute data across multiple drives to protect against data loss in case of a drive failure. This centralized storage solution consolidates all your photos and other media into a single location. Furthermore, many NAS systems offer advanced features such as AI-powered photo organization (e.g., facial recognition), media streaming, and integration with cloud backup services for off-site redundancy.

However, there are some drawbacks to consider. NAS devices require a higher upfront investment, including the NAS device itself and the hard drives. Additionally, setting up and managing a NAS can be more complex than simply plugging in an external drive or using a cloud service. Finally, NAS devices consume electricity continuously, which can lead to higher energy costs.

Popular NAS brands include Synology and QNAP, which are well-known for their consumer and prosumer NAS devices.

For the most robust photo backup, many experts recommend the “3-2-1” backup strategy. This strategy involves creating three copies of your photos: one on the NAS device, one on an external hard drive, and one on a cloud storage service. This approach ensures that you have multiple copies of your data, reducing the risk of data loss in case of device failure or data theft.

To safeguard your precious memories, consider implementing the 3-2-1 backup strategy. This approach involves creating three copies of your data, ensuring that you have multiple layers of protection.

1. Primary Copy: Store your primary copy of your data on your computer’s internal drive. This is the most accessible and immediate copy of your data.

2. Local Backup: Create a local backup by copying your primary copy to an external hard drive or your Network Attached Storage (NAS). This backup is stored locally and can be easily accessed in case of an emergency.

3. Off-site Backup: Store a copy of your data off-site in a cloud storage service like Amazon Photos or Backblaze. This backup is stored remotely and is less susceptible to physical damage or theft.

By combining these three backup methods, you create multiple layers of protection for your precious memories. This ensures that your data is safe and secure, even if your primary location is compromised.