A POS Zip Backup Strategy

Ron Eggers

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
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Zip drive users have an included utility, at least with fairly recent versions of the Iomega software, that can automate backups for your most critical daily files. In my case - and in most cases - those would be the point-of-sale files.

One of the Iomega utilities is QuikSync. If your POS data directory will fit on a single Zip disk, you can set up QuikSync to copy any new or modified files to a Zip disk immediately. You keep the disk in the drive and QuikSync runs in the background. The files are copied in the uncompressed, original format and can be restored to any Zip-equipped PC using standard file management procedures. (Like drag-and-drop in Windows Explorer.) In practice, I remove the Zip disk at the end of the day, take it home with me, and copy the updated files to my home PC.

If your data folder is too large to fit on a single Zip disk, you can sync to multiple disks (though that would be a pain) or you can sync to a CD burner, preferably with a re-writable CD.

Use of QuikSync, or something like it, can save your *** in the event of a mid-day hard drive crash or other disastor. (Hard drives never crash immediately after an end-of-day backup.)

There is a QuikSync 2 version available which enables you to sync multiple directories.
 
Ron,

I'd always thought about getting a ZIP drive, but never had. When we set up our PC network and POS for our shop, we installed a Colorado Tape backup drive on the server. Each tape has a 5.0 gig capacity and this seemed like the answer. It works, but our concern was that although the tapes are still available, the drive is no longer made.

This past week, we decided to simply have a second hard drive installed on our server. Each day, Windows now does a backup of our POS database to this second hard drive, in addition to the tape backup already scheduled.

This seems to me like a pretty good "insurance policy" for real catastrophy. What's your take on this option?

John
 
John, I wouldn't want to rely on a second hard drive alone. If the computer becomes inoperable for some reason, it's going to take some time to reinstall the hard drive on another system and access the data. But with a network and with the tape drive backups, it would seem like you'd be covered. You probably have a lot more data to backup than I do in a day.

My only concern would be some provision for off-site storage of data. In the event of a fire or other major calamity, tapes in the shop would be lost like everything else. A Zip disk is a very easy thing to stick in your briefcase at the end of each day - not much bigger than a 3 1/2" floppy.
 
Originally posted by Ron_Eggers:
....I wouldn't want to rely on a second hard drive alone. If the computer becomes inoperable for some reason, it's going to take some time to reinstall the hard drive on another system and access the data......
Ron,

Obviously not as our only backup system, but with my friends at J&J Electronics, they'd be here and have me up and running within an hour or so!
Not only are these guys good.....they actually know what they're doing.....and they're three blocks away!

Originally posted by Ron_Eggers:
....My only concern would be some provision for off-site storage of data. In the event of a fire or other major calamity, tapes in the shop would be lost like everything else. A Zip disk is a very easy thing to stick in your briefcase at the end of each day - not much bigger than a 3 1/2" floppy.
We've actually been cycling these Colorado 5.0 gig tapes back and forth off-site as well, but I think I've come across a Great Alternative...........I just copied my POS database and pasted it onto a 64mb Compact Flash memory card. I use one of those SanDisk readers that plugs into a USB port. Talk about easy! It took about 25 seconds to copy over my 31mb of data. I needed to bring it home to load up on my laptop, which took about the same amount of time.

These things are 1 inch sqaure!
I can see using this as a third backup system.

[ 02-15-2003, 05:29 PM: Message edited by: John Ranes II, CPF, GCF ]
 
Your second HD method certainly is the FASTEST possible way


Of course, its very important to do a regular (off site) backup too. I've seen power supplies go many times that took ENTIRE computers with them (hard drives, motherboard, cards, etc). It's fairly common. (lightning can do the same)

We do something similar to Ron's zipdisk method, but over the internet instead. (store is backed up on home pc with a functioning backup)

Although we have a zip drive, I have yet to hook it up. We're only 11 months young and the data still fits on a floppy diskette.


Mike
 
Ron,

I also use a zip disk for back up. Usually just drag and drop the whole program in Windows explorer.

I like the sound of the QuikSync. If I have problems with it, I'll just call you.
 
Another option we've been considering for some of our larger files is storage on an external harddrive. The price of these has come way down. They are about the size of a book so can be transported of site. We know photographers that send their images to their lab that way, just trading drives with them each week and reusing them. John, the flash card idea is ineresting too, but I'd have to make sure we didn't accidently use it in the camera and wipe our data. :eek:
 
Another very simple backup solution is to install a removeable hard drive in your computer. You can then back up all your files in a couple of minutes. Most computers have enough slots to put in the required tray that the drive slips in and out. When you buy the tray it comes with a nice box that the drive fits into and a handle to lift and pull on to remove it. You just have to remember to shut the computer down before you pull out the drive.

We have tried all the other ways - tape back ups (several), zip drives and have found this to be one of the most economical and easiest solutions. We currently have three drives and always take one off site each day. At the price of a hard drive these days it does not cost that much. I think if your computer was stolen, lost in a fire, or fully crashed, that this method would be very fast to get you back in business.

Alan Sturgess
 
John, we used Colorado 5GB tape drives for about 6 years. But they are relatively slow and not completely dependable. We've had two catastrophic failures in 10 years, and both times, we had to use more than one backup tape to restore all the files. If you want to buy a couple of good used drives or some tapes, let me know.

We started using Compact Flash disks two years ago, and they seem to be the perfect solution (for now, anyway). Just drag & drop. I like the Dazzle reader best, because you don't have to "stop" the drive before removing the disk -- simply pull it out like a floppy. Also, some of the proprietary readers (Lexar Jumpshot, for one) will work only with their brand of CF disk. Dazzle likes all of them.

As another backup, we also burn a weekly CD of all critical files.

[ 02-17-2003, 11:41 AM: Message edited by: Jim Miller ]
 
And another thing...

Compact flash disks have been rather costly until recently, but they're really dropping in price. If you watch the ads for MicroCenter, CompUSA & other major computer retailers, you can find killer rebate deals on them.

Sam's Club had 64MB CF's for $29.95 a couple of weeks ago. I only bought a couple. I like to support our local camera store; they sell at prices I don't even want to think about.
 
Originally posted by Jim Miller:
........If you want to buy a couple of good used drives or some tapes, let me know.
Jim,

We've not had the problems you report with our Colorado unit. A couple of the tapes required retensioning, but that's about it. (We cycle with six), so YES, I might be interested in getting a few from you. Do you want to strip them out and bring them along to NY / Vegas?

Originally posted by Jim Miller:
........I like the Dazzle reader best, because you don't have to "stop" the drive before removing the disk -- simply pull it out like a floppy.....
My SanDisk apparantly reads them all as well, and you insert the CF like a floppy. I take it that the Dazzle reader you're making reference to, is also similar. My SanDisk reader is about the size of a mouse, and retails for about $40.

Thanks for the pricing info!


John
 
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