Fastest external hard disk backup

caff · 16 Jan 2009 at 01:01

I want to do fairly regular full disk-to-disk backups (every 1 week) of around 500-750GB of data. I'd rather do a full backup for peace of mind, and because of the sheer number of files that may change over a week.

So, I need a quick external drive that is either USB or ethernet connected to my PC - I have no available eSATA capability thanks to my RAID and DVD setup.

In the past I've used a simple USB-connected caddy - it's been a bit slow, but with a large amount of data would ethernet be better? Something like this: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-112-LC

ChrisLX200 · 16 Jan 2009 at 01:42

I would not have thought it would make much difference how fast/slow the job takes if you're going to automate it - just configure it to happen overnight and leave the computer on. Schedule a defrag to happen afterwards as well.

When you say full disk-disk copy I hope you don't mean file-by-file, that will slow the process down enormously if they are average (5-10MB) size files. What you want to do is create a disk image, that way the data can be streamed at maximum speed. I use Ghost, others use Acronis or something else. Done like that it'll take an hour or two to copy and verify.

Gigabit might be faster than USB2 (say, 3x as fast all being well). You'll never get 1 gigbit/sec transfers though.

The LAcie drive is a bit small for the backup size you have, normally one would backup to a drive and any subsequent backup copy would be written before deleting the first. So you need at least 2x the space (maybe a bit less as Ghost at least offers data compression as an option). I hesitate to suggest the 1.5TB Seagate as there have been problems with the 72000.11 drives, but it's an ideal size.

rpstewart · 16 Jan 2009 at 08:52

For the sort of volumes you're talking about then eSATA is the only viable option (domestically anyway). USB will give you maybe 40Mb/s, a gigabit NAS about the same whereas you could get, depending on the source and target disks, 90Mb/s from eSATA.

If you're out of mobo SATA ports then a PCIe eSATA card is the way to go, they're not expensive.

bledd · 16 Jan 2009 at 08:57

get a pci-e esata card

are you wanting to backup userdata type files? ie, word docs, pictures, music, videos?

if so..

then just backup using robocopy

robocopy /e "c:\users\me\music" "z:\backup\music"
robocopy /e "c:\users\me\pictures" "z:\backup\pictures"

etc..

save that into a bat file and run it when you want to do a backup

errata · 16 Jan 2009 at 12:34

ethernet even gigabit is significantly slower than usb discs or any true disc interface. Only an option if your very patient or smart with the backup process.

bledd · 16 Jan 2009 at 13:08

errata said:
ethernet even gigabit is significantly slower than usb discs or any true disc interface. Only an option if your very patient or smart with the backup process.

no it's not, gigabit is up to 125mb/s transfer rate.

crap NAS enclosures have rubbish rates, yes

errata · 17 Jan 2009 at 17:30

gigabit is 1000 mbits/s and 125 mBytes/s theoretically real, real world environment ?

USB 2 is theoretecally 480 mbits/s and in real world tests about 25 naybe 30 mBytes per/s with disc transfers

errata · 17 Jan 2009 at 18:06

Hmm conceeding good gigabit Nas could do better than USB or esata but huge cost and probably need raid

ChrisLX200 · 17 Jan 2009 at 19:23

Best I've ever had over gigabit is 70 transferring DVD ISOs, usually 40-50. USB (reading from USB HD) I see 20 at best, and usually 15. Too many variables to put a definite figure on it. Theoretical speeds are unreachable outside a test bench.

miniyazz · 18 Jan 2009 at 02:56

bledd. said:
get a pci-e esata card

are you wanting to backup userdata type files? ie, word docs, pictures, music, videos?

if so..

then just backup using robocopy

robocopy /e "c:\users\me\music" "z:\backup\music"
robocopy /e "c:\users\me\pictures" "z:\backup\pictures"

etc..

save that into a bat file and run it when you want to do a backup

Or use /mir instead of /e if you want the backup to synchronise with the original files (e.g. you delete an unneeded file or totally rewrite a letter); do you use a fresh HDD every week, or clear the old one and write the new one? Cos if you did that, I could see you deleting the data off your external, starting a new backup, and your original drive dying as it gets stressed

Personally I like the /mir, it compares each file and only copies if one of them's changed, obviously. And it checks/backs up around 150GB (internally) of mostly small files in under 5 minutes.