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[robpaul]

I've come to learn that RAID 1 is not the same as having a backup of the data.  How about using a third disk as backup?  You could periodically (weekly?) swap one of the disks and have the data rebuilt.  How does this rank as a backup strategy?

[fordem]

IF you try it, pretty soon you'll also learn that RAID1 is not intended to permit of swapping of disks either - as a backup strategy I think it sucks.

[gunrunnerjohn]

You'd be MUCH better off simply putting one disk in the box and the other on your computer and using a synchronizing applications periodically to synchronize them.  That would be REAL backup, and much less risky!

[arf1410]

I there a way to have the Dlink do this on some type of automatic schedule?

[JavaLawyer]

You'd be MUCH better off simply putting one disk in the box and the other on your computer and using a synchronizing applications periodically to synchronize them.  That would be REAL backup, and much less risky!

I agree 1000%.  Personally, I have two D-Link NAS, one serving as primary storage and the second for nightly scheduled incremental backups.  Additionally, I have on particular directory containing critical data which is saved to a third physical NAS providing yet another level of redundancy.

If data security is your primary concern, the best course of action is to purchase a second physical NAS (or leverage an existing PC on your network for backup.

[mdntblu]

I agree 1000%.  Personally, I have two D-Link NAS, one serving as primary storage and the second for nightly scheduled incremental backups.  Additionally, I have on particular directory containing critical data which is saved to a third physical NAS providing yet another level of redundancy.

If data security is your primary concern, the best course of action is to purchase a second physical NAS (or leverage an existing PC on your network for backup.

How are the two backing up? Like do you have the NAS backup the files to the other NAS or does it go through a computer via Shares?  Cause this seems like it would be slower as far as transferring everything from one NAS through a computer then back to the other NAS.

Just curious.

Thanks

[JavaLawyer]

How are the two backing up? Like do you have the NAS backup the files to the other NAS or does it go through a computer via Shares?  Cause this seems like it would be slower as far as transferring everything from one NAS through a computer then back to the other NAS.

I have several incremental backups scheduled in the source NAS firmware pushing data to the destination NASs. My only real problem with the DNS firmware backup solution (I'm referring to the DNS343 and assume the DNS323 behaves similarly) is that the incremental backup does not delete files that are in the destination but not the source. To synchronize the three NASs, I run Syncback from a PC once a week (via schedules) to delete files that are located in the destination but missing from the source.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I sync through one of my computers as well.  I have a DNS-323 that contains mostly backups from a bunch of systems.  I also have a DNS-321 that is strictly for backup of the DNS-323, once a week an automated script wakes up my machine in the middle of the night and synchronizes the two NAS units.

Any data on either of these units is in at least one other location, most of the data is in at least two different locations on the network.

[JavaLawyer]

Another thing to consider when using the firmware-based backup --  There seems to be an issue with the on-board backup software (at least on the 343) failing due to files with non-conventional characters in file names (i.e. special characters) - this was validated by one of the DLink forum admins.  It took me some time to root out the rogue file names in my source directories, after which time the backup software worked flawlessly.

This issue aside, you should take gunrunnerjohn's advice and backup your data to another physical device.

[woutersa]

I doubt if a 2nd NAS is really a very good back-up solution. In case of fire, waterdamage, etc. also the data on your 2nd NAS will be gone. I think the best way of doing back-ups is
1) Make a backup on a portable drive and keep this back-up in another place or safe
2) Use Online storage providers

Anton

[fordem]

I doubt if a 2nd NAS is really a very good back-up solution. In case of fire, waterdamage, etc. also the data on your 2nd NAS will be gone. I think the best way of doing back-ups is
1) Make a backup on a portable drive and keep this back-up in another place or safe
2) Use Online storage providers

Anton

You're assuming that the 2nd NAS is in the same place as the first.

[JavaLawyer]

You're assuming that the 2nd NAS is in the same place as the first.

Both of my NAS are in the same location with critical data backed up with additional redundancy (on site and) using an online service.  Nonetheless, if there were a fire or some other disaster that destroyed both on-site NAS, data loss would be the least of my problems. 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I have one NAS in my basement in a cinder block enclosure, that one should survive a fire.  My other one is on the second floor, which should take care of floods.