workflow with laptop while on the road

[Hollis]

Hey all, here is my issue...

I am traveling on the road for the next year or so and am producing a large, large amount of images, both digital and film. I have the opportunity to scan my film at intervals while on the road so lets just assume that I have a bunch of digital files. I need to figure out an efficient and quick way to archive all of my images and have access to them while on the road.

I am running a 17" macbook pro with 4gb of RAM so it is quick enough for whatever I can throw at it. Presently, I have a couple of 500 GB Hard drives that I double everything up on. I have already sent 2 HD's off across to the country where I have a safe deposit so they are safe there but I need to be able to have copies of all my files (at least active ones) here with me but do not have enough room on my internal laptop HD.

I guess my real question is...

1. Has anyone used the new time machine function on mac 10.5 and what are your thoughts of it

and

2. I want to Run a RAID system for all of its benefits (cost, ease, peace of mind). Has anyone used this with Lightroom and Time Machine?

[Greg Lockrey]

I use the Time Machine once per month and I usually keep two months in that file for backup. Very easy to use. To date I haven't had to use the back up. (Knock on wood). I don't see the need for anymore. I don't usually keep picture files directly on the laptop since I use 500 gig hard drives like yourself. Never used the RAID so can't comment there.

[Hollis]

Good to hear about the ol Time Machine. I saw that the default schedule for it is every hour, pretty excessive. I think I would do a once a week or bi-weekly for me since I am shooting a bunch.

I would really like to be able to have the option to work on my images while on the road and away from power (camping, for example) so the obvious idea would be just to have them on the internal HD. Well, too small for that so what is the answer? I guess just find external power.

I think I just answered my own question. Just needed to type it out.

H.

[Greg Lockrey]

I also have 350 gig portables that get their power from the computer. They work like a charm. Since I place the picture files on the portables anyway, the only thing I really need to back up to Time Machine is the programs on the computer. As I add programs then I back those up. I do a monthly schedule due to the fact that when the computer is online it is always getting updated from Apple and I might as well keep the backup somewhat up to date too.

[Kent10D]

Hi,

A quick comment about RAID.
I'm running a 1.6 Terabyte Buffalo Terastation Pro that has been reliable for the past year or so. It's a 4-disk RAID-5 array, and I purchased a spare drive just in case. File transfer is Gigabit Ethernet, so it's fast, but not as fast as internal drives. So far, so good. It works quite nicely with Lightroom 2.0.
I guess the theory is that even if one of the drives fails, the data can be fully reconstructed. I hope I never have to find out if that's actually true.

But still ... I feel a lot more secure with my nice rescan-at-any-time film negatives. :D

[Richard Wall]

I don't use Time Machine as I don't like the way it is set-up, However, I do use a program called SmartBackup (http://freeridecoding.com) to backup my system.

With backups you need to think about what you can afford to loose. If you can't afford to loose something then you need to create a backup of it. I have a couple of external FW800 drives, one that I store all of my files on and one that acts as a backup drive. I make a weekly backup of my system and my external drive. I have found that this works well for me. If I feel that the day's work is of particular value, then I will run a backup that night.

I used to work for an Arch company that would make two backups every night. One would stay at the firm in a firesafe and one would go home with the NetAdmin guy. Those backups saved our bacon several times when our servers went down.

r.

[Hollis]

yeah, I have had a few times where backups have saved me too, namely, when i made a backup on the night of July 3 this summer and my laptop was stolen the next day. I think that I want to run a 3 bay RAID drive. That way, it will be small enough to be portable and when the drives are full, one will go to a safe deposit box and the other will stay with me in a pelican case (with the actual RAID enclosure). That way, if I need to access a file that is on a past drive, I can just plug it into the RAID drive's open slot. If things go real bad and it is a total loss (car is stolen, explodes, or goes into a river - all possible) then I will at least have copies across the country. Which RAID protocol would be the best for what I want to do???

[Ken Lee]

I always place my photo files on a separate drive. As external drives have increased in capacity, they have gotten smaller and cheaper, and it gets easier to travel with one or more of them.

Independent of my photo files, I use the built-in TimeMachine feature of OS X to back up my entire machine on a very regular basis. Because it is designed by Apple and built-in to the OS, it works very well and integrates nicely. It is not a mediocre after-thought that some marketing person dreamt up in order to place another check-box on the feature list. Instead, it's a "killer app", like Spotlight and Spaces.

The tight integration of TimeMachine with the operating system has saved me quite recently. Without reading any instructions, I was able to reboot off the OS X disk and restore my entire machine, to any save point I wanted to, with very little effort at all. I would say that it "paid for itself"... but it comes free with the operating system. It was a no-brainer.

Macs appear to cost more when compared to other solutions, but they often pay for themselves with savings of time and exasperation. This is a perfect example. Because of the end-to-end business model, you get equipment that just works, right out of the box. What a concept.

[Kuzano]

I use the Time Machine once per month and I usually keep two months in that file for backup. Very easy to use. To date I haven't had to use the back up.

Are the backups encrypted by the program you are talking about (Time Machine) AND have you ever done a test restore to see if the backup/restore function meets your expectations.

Frankly, I work mostly with PC backups and do not encourage the use of backups that encrypt the data (compression and encrypted format) for the sake of image files. Secondly. I would much rather use a system or build a batch file that copies uncompressed non-encrypted files to a storage drive.

And in the 15 years I have worked on networks and single computers, I can't tell you the number of times I've seen systems where it appeared that all the right steps were taken, and restores were not properly functional.

Also, any program that encrypts data into one single large file, to be unfolded at restoration, implies that the same program that created the encrypted file will still be in use or available to re-install to get at the encrypted data. Then there is the issue of progressive backups which simpy create a file from the last backup. So, where is the file you may need for a partial restore.

Many people take all the "right" or suggested steps to protect their files, but stop short of a full understanding of the actual process chosen.

That's one of the strong points of raid... two drives writing concurrently inside the machine, both with all the files individually accessible. Then for off site (house fire?, theft of computer?) a separate high quality external drive with the files copied to it manually or a scheduled batch file, but not an encrypted process.

In fact, the bottom line on encryption as most backup programs do, is whether there is any impact on quality by the compression process used.

OK.. I checked on the internet, and it appears that Time Machine does use an encryption routine (suspected...most format backup programs do) and it offers the opportunity to do incremental backups, which I absolutely reject (My personal concern)

[Greg Lockrey]

Are the backups encrypted by the program you are talking about (Time Machine) AND have you ever done a test restore to see if the backup/restore function meets your expectations.

Frankly, I work mostly with PC backups and do not encourage the use of backups that encrypt the data (compression and encrypted format) for the sake of image files. Secondly. I would much rather use a system or build a batch file that copies uncompressed non-encrypted files to a storage drive.

And in the 15 years I have worked on networks and single computers, I can't tell you the number of times I've seen systems where it appeared that all the right steps were taken, and restores were not properly functional.

Also, any program that encrypts data into one single large file, to be unfolded at restoration, implies that the same program that created the encrypted file will still be in use or available to re-install to get at the encrypted data. Then there is the issue of progressive backups which simpy create a file from the last backup. So, where is the file you may need for a partial restore.

Many people take all the "right" or suggested steps to protect their files, but stop short of a full understanding of the actual process chosen.

That's one of the strong points of raid... two drives writing concurrently inside the machine, both with all the files individually accessible. Then for off site (house fire?, theft of computer?) a separate high quality external drive with the files copied to it manually or a scheduled batch file, but not an encrypted process.
In fact, the bottom line on encryption as most backup programs do, is whether there is any impact on quality by the compression process used.

Kuzano, You are talking computer geek greek to me, I'm just a simple country boy from Michigan. My understanding or the lack there of is that Time Machine backs up the entire computer hard drive and whatever is on it onto a portable hard drive for if and when your computer crashes you just need to reload it from the back up in it's entirety. If it's encrypted and all those other techgeek words is way over my head. Since I have all the discs for the programs I have and triple and quadruple back ups with discs of all the work I have ever done I really don't care if the Time Machine doesn't work like I expect it too but hope that it does since it should save me a lot of time if it does. If not I'll hire the tech geek from the Mac shop to come over and restore my stuff since his time is way cheaper than mine. :) :)

When you think about the big picture here, the files i.e. picture and billing receipts and those things that go into running the business are more important to me than the hardware since you can replace it with off the shelve items and reload from the old back ups. Hardware these days is like have a toaster and really who needs a toaster repairman anymore. ;)

[Kuzano]

Kuzano, You are talking computer geek greek to me, I'm just a simple country boy from Michigan.
I understand your comment and will try to boil it down.
Since you are from Michigan... as I was in the forties (Upper peninsula-Manistique), I think I can speak your language. It's just easier for me to "speak geek".

Here goes:

the word "backup" implies the use of a program the automates making a set of files to "recover" in the event of disaster. A formal BACKUP Program usually encrypts the data. Encryption means to take the tens of thousands of files on your computer and cram them into ONE file and make that ONE file smaller than the sum of the total of all the files. The files have to be compressed into an unrecognizable single format that only the backup program can unlock.

That should be the first cause for concern.

1) Is it possible that compressing all your image files affects the quality, if that is your only source of the images in event of a disaster? I am not alluding to your document or business files here, but remember they are all jammed together in that one "backup" file.

2) What if a few years go by and you still have those encrypted files, but no longer have a computer with Time Machine on it. How will you un-encrypt the image files from the larger archive of files.

3) I won't go farther on this as it enters into Super Geek territory.

4) I will go so far as to say this. I would never trust my image files to a formal backup program.

NOW, for the essence of my previous post, let me say that understanding the geek aspect of formal backups is difficult, while not understanding the implications is very risky.

The bottom line is that I would sacrifice risky automation in exchange for a manual process that archives my image files as single files in the uncompressed formats in which I edit them. They would be stored as exact copies on a durable drive or media that can be read far into the future, by simply accessing the device with whatever operating system filed the files away there.

I hope this helps, but will not belabor it further. I can appreciate how confusing these discussions can be via these forums. The essence of my argument is that I am proposing Copies of your files archived (saved away safely), as opposed to formal backups which put individual files at risk for loss and recovery, not to mention quality issues.

[Greg Lockrey]

I understand your comment and will try to boil it down.
Since you are from Michigan... as I was in the forties (Upper peninsula-Manistique), I think I can speak your language. It's just easier for me to "speak geek".

Here goes:

the word "backup" implies the use of a program the automates making a set of files to "recover" in the event of disaster. A formal BACKUP Program usually encrypts the data. Encryption means to take the tens of thousands of files on your computer and cram them into ONE file and make that ONE file smaller than the sum of the total of all the files. The files have to be compressed into an unrecognizable single format that only the backup program can unlock.

That should be the first cause for concern.

1) Is it possible that compressing all your image files affects the quality, if that is your only source of the images in event of a disaster? I am not alluding to your document or business files here, but remember they are all jammed together in that one "backup" file.

2) What if a few years go by and you still have those encrypted files, but no longer have a computer with Time Machine on it. How will you un-encrypt the image files from the larger archive of files.

3) I won't go farther on this as it enters into Super Geek territory.

4) I will go so far as to say this. I would never trust my image files to a formal backup program.

NOW, for the essence of my previous post, let me say that understanding the geek aspect of formal backups is difficult, while not understanding the implications is very risky.

The bottom line is that I would sacrifice risky automation in exchange for a manual process that archives my image files as single files in the uncompressed formats in which I edit them. They would be stored as exact copies on a durable drive or media that can be read far into the future, by simply accessing the device with whatever operating system filed the files away there.

I hope this helps, but will not belabor it further. I can appreciate how confusing these discussions can be via these forums. The essence of my argument is that I am proposing Copies of your files archived (saved away safely), as opposed to formal backups which put individual files at risk for loss and recovery, not to mention quality issues.

Argh!!! :eek: :eek: :D :D

[Kuzano]

This is the last time I will share my fifty some years of PC experience and wealth of knowledge outside of a Geek forum for the computer afflicted.

I agree for the most part with many of the posts I have seen on this and other photography forums. There is no workable storage for photographic images that comes close to properly storing negatives and transparencies.

[Ken Lee]

Kuzano has done a fine job of explanation, and has made good points. This is the 21st century after all, and what he is describing is far from geeky. It's basic stuff.

Real geek stuff is on an entirely different level (http://www.fluid.cs.cmu.edu:8080/Fluid/fluid-publications/connecting2-abstract).

[jasonjoo]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet or not, but you can remove the optical drive in the 17" model and replace it with another hard drive. If you've already paid of AppleCare, this MIGHT void your warranty, unless a certified Apple Service Center could do it for you and guarantee that it would not void your warranty.

[Ken Lee]

I agree with Kuzano that there is really no good system that comes close to properly storing negatives and transparencies. That's one of the reasons why I still shoot film.

You can lose film too, but it's much less effort (http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/kenhh.htm) to hold onto it.

My parents had no problems keeping their slide collection in fine shape, since the 1960's. They just kept them cool and dry, in a box, in the garage.

[Kuzano]

I've got to remember to start using those little emoticons, so one can tell when I am operating tongue in cheek. My last post was not because I was offended.

I truly sympathize with the non-geeks in the group, and I teach computer classes, so am always aware of the complexities of boiling this stuff down to street talk.

The digital world is complex and the industry does little to empathize with the language barriers. Geek vs NonGeek.

These forums are surely harder to disseminate information than a classroom environment with handouts and powerpoint presentations.

Data storage is one of the most frustrating areas to deal with. Since much of our memories, much of our art, and some of our livelihood is now being committed to bits and bytes within the computer, the frustration levels with how to protect data files can be worrisome.

[Frank Petronio]

Mentioned elsewhere but you might consider a Photoshelter or Digital Railroad account and backing your stuff up online (or just use a hosting service). You can set your laptop up to upload while you sleep, about a gig per hour over fast wifi. They take TIF and PSD files just like a hard drive. When you want to download an image it doesn't take that long....

Always available, totally redundant, multiple server locations = safe backup. Beats loosing hard drives (car crash, power surge, theft, etc.) The price works out to about the same as buying hard drives every year.

You might even sell a few stock images and make some coin.

Of course you can buy more hardware but what happens when disaster hits? It could wipe out your negatives too!