suggestions for backing up files

C

c3kings

Well-known member
Dear All,
As the files from P2 card shooting are in effect the only copy, no tape original, how do you usually back up another copy of these "camera original" files? Any cost-effective way?
Thanks.
King
 
We spent the bucks to get an SDLT-320 drive (which is actually 160 gigs/tape for HD video use) off of Ebay and back up our files that way. The drives can be had for between $600-800, and tapes can be had for between $10-40. Only catch is, you may need a motherboard with a 64 bit PCI-X slot (not easy to find) to fit the SCSI card needed to talk to the drive.

A 160 gig tape will store just under 3 hours of 1080/30p video, so it's a pretty inexpensive and very robust solution... DLT and SDLT along with LTO are among the most reliable tape backup formats in the industry.

I like that idea better than having a RAID array as a backup because... I just like having the content on something that isn't electronic and prone to power spikes, hardware failures, etc. We do have a large (3 tb) RAID array/video media server that keeps all of the video (DV as well as HD) that we use on a semi-regular basis, so that sort of serves as a double backup.
 
calchip said:
We spent the bucks to get an SDLT-320 drive (which is actually 160 gigs/tape for HD video use) off of Ebay and back up our files that way. The drives can be had for between $600-800, and tapes can be had for between $10-40. Only catch is, you may need a motherboard with a 64 bit PCI-X slot (not easy to find) to fit the SCSI card needed to talk to the drive.

A 160 gig tape will store just under 3 hours of 1080/30p video, so it's a pretty inexpensive and very robust solution... DLT and SDLT along with LTO are among the most reliable tape backup formats in the industry.

I like that idea better than having a RAID array as a backup because... I just like having the content on something that isn't electronic and prone to power spikes, hardware failures, etc. We do have a large (3 tb) RAID array/video media server that keeps all of the video (DV as well as HD) that we use on a semi-regular basis, so that sort of serves as a double backup.
Click to expand...

Thanks, calchip. It sounds nice!
Are DLT and SDLT a kind of tape drive? What brand you use or recommend?
Thanks.
King
 
www.quantum.com SDLT 600A = first tape backup designed specifically for HD content. MXF aware. GigE connection transfers at 3x play speed. Tapes hold 300GB. No special computer cards or SCSI etc. Files saved in original format and indexed on each tape. No compression worries. FTP client shares with anyone on the network etc.
 
I use an SDLT 600 A and it handles MXF files or any other media files I have thrown at it, mostly quicktimes in my case, transparently.

I have even off loaded entire FCP projects to the SDLT and brought them back without problem, though I am going to hedge a little here and say what I have done in this case has worked. There may be a way to break this but I have not encountered that as of yet.
In any case I seem to be cursed or blessed with projects and media that go through active and fallow periods. To be able to lay it off to a SDLT tape and put it on the shelf and Know I can reload a 150 gig project in about 4 hours works for me.
 
I've been using Hotswap SATA for backup of my post-production, aswell as now HVX footage for the last few years. I've got an 8-disk SATA RAID on my QuadG5 with a RocketRAID card in 2x 4-bay FirmTek enclosures, and 2-bay FirmTek bays for backup on both a Dual2 G5 and my MacBook Pro using FirmTek PCI-X and Cardbus cards.
Fast, cheap, futureproof storage.
I tend to start deleting client work after about a year, but also buy 8 x 320GB Seagates or Maxtors every few months with a few more FirmTek bays to keep my storage capacity ready for projects as they come in. There's nothing worse than being backed against the wall with your space running down and having to start deleting stuff with a deadline looming.
 
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I'd stick with data tape backup. It's a technology that's been around for as long as Enterprise level computers have. And they're more bullet proof by far than a hard drive. Data tapes have infinitly longer shelf lives than hard drives do.
 
Dan Montgomery said:
www.quantum.com SDLT 600A = first tape backup designed specifically for HD content. MXF aware. GigE connection transfers at 3x play speed. Tapes hold 300GB. No special computer cards or SCSI etc. Files saved in original format and indexed on each tape. No compression worries. FTP client shares with anyone on the network etc.
Click to expand...

We did look at those and they are awfully fine looking, but I couldn't find one for less than about $2500, even on Ebay, and we couldn't justify that level of investment. The SDLT 160 cost us about $600, the motherboard and processor another $400 (we upgraded to a Core 2 Duo at the same time). But I think when we get to the point where we're doing mostly HD, we will probably upgrade to the 600a.

I also agree with BenB about using tape as opposed to hard drives as an archival storage medium. We've just had too many drive failures and/or data corruptions to be willing to trust hard drives. DLT and LTO are the backup media that very large enterprise operations use, and I have to assume that choice was made based on reliability over time, which to me is the most important thing.

c3kings: Quantum developed the DLT/SDLT technology and I believe that most if not all DLT drives are made by them. We have a Compaq DLT (40 gig) which we use for sending authored DVDs to the replicator and a Quantum SDLT (160gig) which we use for media backup, but I think both of the drives are actually maunfactured by Quantum.
 
Hey Dan, just wondering if you could clarify for us - where did you get the SDLT 600a, and how much are they? I've looked on the Quantum site and they mention resellers but I've had no luck tracking down prices on any of their websites. I was hoping to find it for a bit less than the $8k Quantum quotes! And would you say the 600a is a lot better than the 600?

Thanks!!
 
can you connect the 600a to a MacBook Pro? i figured you could through the ethernet connection... but i've never used tape backup, and wanted to make sure...

thanks
cody
 
I regularly use my sdlt 600a with my mac book and mac pro. Both those machines have gigE built in and connect to the SDLT on my network,works perfectly.
 
That's really good to know - I'd need to use the SDLT 600a with my MacBook Pro. Can anyone tell me where they got their SDLT 600a and how much it was? Hopefully I'll find somewhere willing to ship it to Australia...

This is basically a 'buy or not buy' question for me on the HVX. If I can't archive my material, I can't get the camera. Hard drives are about 3x the price here that they are in the States, and I wouldn't trust them long term anyway.
 
Not sure where you would turn to purchase an SDLT 600A in Oz, but there must be a place. Quantum Folk monitor this list so some one is sure to chime in.

I just backed up 270 GB of shoot files for an ongoing project to my SDLT and I have to say that I like the feeling of that: tons of HVX HD material in one place where any one of a number of computers on my network can get to it.

It will be a really easy set up to get it working with you MB Pro, plus your computer has gigE built in and that is the sweet spot with the SDLT 600A.
 
what about US dealers? can it only be bought through Quantum? I can't imagine that'd be the case... what was the final price for those who have a 600a?
 
I did call Quantum here in Aus, but it's not available here yet. They are trying to find a distributor. In the meantime I'd love to get an idea of a ballpark figure so I can put it in my budget and work out if I can actually afford this camera or if I'm just dreaming.

Anyone care to share what they paid and/or where they got it?
 
I was very interesting in the Quantum solution for P2 archive and spoke with a US dealer Steve Gottlieb, very nice guy who can educate you completely on the SDLT work flow. I was impressed and when I am ready I still plan to invest on one for it seems to be the best archive solution I have seen yet.

I was quoted roughly 7,000 and change for there latest SDLT 600a model if I can remember correctly so it would set you back.

stevegottlieb@msn.com his is contact if your interested.

I am still standing by for the inphase holographic recording solution...perhaps NAB this month will announce something?

good luck all
 
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