OT - Backup Reliability: Flash Drive vs Micro HDD ?

[Magnusfarce]

This is somewhat off topic, but I'm sure the answer lies in this group. I'm
interested in using either a 4 or 8 gig flash drive or an equivalent
micro-hard drive for off site (and travel) backups of critical files.
Assuming I stick to quality brands, which approach do you think will be more
reliable?

- Magnusfarce

 

[Al Dykes]

This is somewhat off topic, but I'm sure the answer lies in this group. I'm
interested in using either a 4 or 8 gig flash drive or an equivalent
micro-hard drive for off site (and travel) backups of critical files.
Assuming I stick to quality brands, which approach do you think will be more
reliable?

- Magnusfarce

Stick to a name brand for flash memory. I hear stories of no-name
memory being made from chips that are intended for use where there are
not a lot of read/write cycles.

As for reliability, anything can fail and you should think of the
consequences of the failure of any device you use.

Also, you should never overwrite your only backup with a new one. If
sh*t happens during your backup, you've lost both.

Flip-flopping between two backup devices covers both of the above,
more or less.

 

[Magnusfarce]

All of your advice is solid, but do you have any thoughts on the relative
reliability of the two storage modes?

- Magnusfarce (OP)

 

[Al Dykes]

All of your advice is solid, but do you have any thoughts on the relative
reliability of the two storage modes?

- Magnusfarce (OP)

Statistics are irrelevant to the single purchase any individual makes.

You have to assume the device will fail at the worst possible moment,
consider what will happen if it does, and take the proper precautions.

 

[Rod Speed]

Statistics are irrelevant to the single purchase any individual makes.

You have to assume the device will fail at the worst possible moment,
consider what will happen if it does, and take the proper precautions.

It does however still make sense to buy the most reliable product as well.

 

[Paul]

All of your advice is solid, but do you have any thoughts on the relative
reliability of the two storage modes?

- Magnusfarce (OP)

The solution is simple. Don't leave your only copy of the files, on
the 4GB/8GB flash device. Use the flash device as a "transport" device
only, not as a long term storage. That way, there are fewer surprises.
The risks to the device include handling (even though solid state, it
can still be damaged by being dropped), or ESD (a little zap into the
connector, might kill it). The Wikipedia article below, mentions file
system damage, by pulling the thing before the file system cache has
been flushed to the storage device, as another potential failure
mechanism.

Flash quality differs between SLC and MLC devices. SLC writes faster,
and has a higher write cycle rating. The manufacturer of your flash
device, may not tell you what kind of chip is used. Looking for
something with a high write speed, might tend to select the SLC
type.

(This works for me in IE, as my Flash is not up to date in Firefox.
NAND SLC has the highest write rate, in the comparison graph.)
http://www.toshiba.com/taec/adinfo/mlcnand/popup_nand_nor.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory#NAND_memories

SLC versus MLC:
http://www.chipdesignmag.com/print.php?articleId=436?issueId=16

Looking at the reviews on Newegg might also identify the weaker
products.

Since transport is a requirement for your storage needs, then
flash is more practical for that. If you carried a hard drive,
one drop might be enough to kill it. At least the flash, depending
on how it is packaged (like a rubber casing), has a better chance
of surviving. A rubber casing would go a long way to limiting the
G-forces when the product is dropped on the ground.

Paul

 

[Sjouke Burry]

All of your advice is solid, but do you have any thoughts on the relative
reliability of the two storage modes?

- Magnusfarce (OP)

I have used a micro (ibm) hd with a matchboc pc,
and it failed when written to every second.
It overheated and stopped working.
As luck would have it, it recovered after cooling.
But it is not a very reliable disk for continuous
access.

 

[DK]

This is somewhat off topic, but I'm sure the answer lies in this group. I'm
interested in using either a 4 or 8 gig flash drive or an equivalent
micro-hard drive for off site (and travel) backups of critical files.
Assuming I stick to quality brands, which approach do you think will be more
reliable?

Flash is a better option right now but, considering the prices and reliability
(I had many unpleasant surprises not being able to read a large file off
flash drive), I'd suggest a third option:

Backup to DVD-RW. At 4-6X, it's about as fast as writing to the stick,
and it's dirt cheap. A single 4.3 Gb disk won't cost more than $1 and
can be bought in bulk for $0.5. Reliability-wise, -RW media seems to
be incredibly reliable in the short-term, seemingly more so than its
single write counterparts.

DK