Backup
 

What do you use for backup?
By this I mean do you conduct your own backups on your own drives/media, or do you outsource backups?
________
marijuana test

I use a third hard drive on the server for backup. I have two 80GB hard drives running Raid 1 and a 250GB hard drive that I use for backup. Having a second or third hard drive on your server is the most cost effective method for backing up your server. But its not the safest, if some hacks your server they could destroy your backup. Or worse yet if mother nature or a fire destroys your data center your backups are lost forever. While these cases are extreme, it could happen. So I guess it depends on what your backing up. For most people backing up to a second or third hard drive on the server will be more than enough. But if your data is mission critical you should seek a off site back up. All though expensive Us Data Trust offers such a service. http://www.usdatatrust.com/landing/online-backup.asp

I use RAID 1 too, but I wouldn't consider that a backup or archive.

But, I create archive files that are compressed.

I back all my files up onto external HDD and an alternate server that only comes online to do backups. Always make two backups, because you never know what will happen

I back everything up like soulwatcher on a third Harddrive..may not be the safest but it is as he said cost effective and its worked for me so far.

That third hard drive is a good idea.
I should have did that, now that my server is getting more traffic and things are becoming more critical, backup is becoming more of an importance. I am using RAID 1 and have a script to compress everything into one file. Then I download that here to a home server, soon to automate that process but a third hard drive would save me on a ton of bandwidth.

I have never understood how to use RAID.. I learnt all about it in theory but never tried it.
Its basically just creating mirrors of your drive, right?

How many hard drives do you need for RAID?

Ronin,
Check out this link for more info on the different levels of RAID.
http://www.acnc.com/04_01_00.html

Thanks for the tips people!

Looks like RAID and/or external drives are the way to go with backups :D
________
herbal vaporizer

Agreed.. but depending on the nature of your website, I highly recommend off-site backups.