What is the best way to store data long term?

[DellAxim]

I've got some pictures and videos saved on my hard drive that I will always want. I've got them backed up on another HD, but it's in the same machine, as well as a DVD.

That's good enough for some of my pictures but I also have a few GB of pictures that mean everything to me...memories with my two best friends in the world that have since passed. :( What is the most reliable way of storing this data indefinately? I don't trust hard drives. DVDs degrade, don't they? What about a good quality compact flash or SD card?

[Joe Average]

Why not a combination of all of them:

- excellent quality CD/DVD media (Verbatim is some top notch stuff, as well as Taiyo Yuden that's usually branded as something else, etc) burned at a low speed, possibly using PAR files for parity and potential data recovery (I've done this with some stuff I have that's precious to me) across several discs and verified after each burn, multiple copies of the backup sets. With the PAR files it's theoretically possible to restore all of the files even if up to 40% of the content becomes damaged or unreadable... PAR is pretty cool stuff, but most people don't even think to apply it towards their own personal backup strategies. Luckily, I'm not one of those people. :D

- CompactFlash or SD cards are potential targets

- USB sticks

- hard drives as you're aware

And that's about it. There is no perfect backup medium, unfortunately, but you can use what's available with steps and methodology that can give you the best possible likelihood of being able to access and retrieve that data years from now if necessary.

Plus, you can always backup that data years from now if some newfangled technology comes along that offers a far longer archival lifespan. I've done that with some CD media I burned way back in 1997 - I reburned it again in 2002, then again in 2007 just to be sure with 100% backup and verification, then tossed the original backups.

There's nothing stopping you from re-doing backups at given intervals except maybe finding the time to do it. That's my recommendation...

[Ockie]

Try also some online storage services. If you got your data in a few places, it would be next to impossible to lose them all.

[Joe Average]

Try also some online storage services. If you got your data in a few places, it would be next to impossible to lose them all.

Needless to say, I've got 3 Gmail accounts and each one is most definitely using that 20MB per attachment limit, for a ton of smaller yet valuable data files, documents, etc... ;)

An excellent option I meant to mention as noted: multiple backups of said data in multiple locations.

My Wife never considered that before for some of her small files, configuration info, etc, and I recently reminded her "Hey, you've got a Gmail account or two with a few gigs in it, that would allow you access to those small files anywhere you can get online..." and she suddenly realized I was right.

She's got a ton of small stuff all over the place now herself. :D

[DonDon]

The best long term storage for your data is to chisel it in stone! ;) Egyptian hieroglyphs anyone?

If you are going to store your backups in the same building as the original data, invest in one of those fire safes they sell at the office supply stores.

If you are going to use magnetic media, the data must be refreshed periodically or it can fade. People are finding their VHS home movies from 80's to be dead when they go to view them.

Don