| Based Workflow | | | | backups according to your chosen times. |
| Your file based workflow has many advantages | | | | Long-term Workflow Considerations for |
| compared to traditional film and slides. All your images | | | | Photographers |
| usually stay on the media of your choice, like hard | | | | Backup ...everything! |
| disk, CD, DVD or data tapes. Most of the time, they | | | | Saved image files probably represent your most |
| reside on a hard disk for fast access. This, however, | | | | valuable assets. But everyone who has seen a |
| brings the risk of accidentally deleting files. Drives can | | | | machine go down knows that your pictures are only |
| also be affected by file system corruption, malware, | | | | part of your assets. They also include: The operating |
| viruses and hardware failure. As a result, managing | | | | system, the applications and most importantly their |
| your data is necessary to safeguard it. | | | | settings, as well as preference files. Over time you |
| | | | configure your favorite programs, add plug-ins and |
| Backing up data means duplicating them. This reduces | | | | scripts, actions, filters, brushes etc. It takes a long |
| the risk of hardware failure tremendously. Most of | | | | time to rebuild all of that if you forget to save it. |
| the above mentioned risks are still present if you use | | | | This is where a professional backup solution like |
| a hard disk that is continuously on and connected to | | | | PresSTORE saves the day because it takes care of |
| your computer. If one disk gets affected, then the | | | | your images AND your other data. It keeps track of |
| backup disk will most likely be affected as well. The | | | | changes in any area, collects the files and stores |
| easiest solution is to have a backup disk that gets | | | | them for you. Of course all the other business related |
| turned on and connected only at certain intervals in | | | | content is there, too: Spreadsheets for taxes, office |
| order to receive new data. | | | | documents or addresses. Your business consists of |
| Automating the backup helps to reduce the risk even | | | | files, many files. Keeping them safe should be your |
| further. You could connect a backup drive in the | | | | concern in any case. |
| evening and have it automatically filled with changed | | | | Access to your Archive |
| data that accumulated over the day. This is called an | | | | Most photographers use multiple tools to catalog and |
| incremental backup. It reduces the amount of data | | | | edit their images. ALL the created files should be |
| necessary to be copied. When working on very large | | | | accessible by different applications. A file oriented |
| images, high resolutions or RAW files, time for | | | | solution is therefore the most flexible way to ensure |
| copying can also be an issue. Depending on the value | | | | access. PresSTORE is available through the browser. |
| that you attribute to your files, writing to two | | | | You use it to configure all processes, run backup and |
| devices or to two media establishes a professional | | | | archive jobs, monitor them, browse and search for |
| level of security. | | | | files and restore them. You can do all of that from |
| PresSTORE Backup lets you automatically backup | | | | any workstation in the network or even through the |
| your changed files to two hard disks at once. If you | | | | internet. The flexible filter features allow you to |
| lose a file, the software lets you easily browse or | | | | create a drop folder for archiving. Including or |
| search for it and restore it from your web browser. | | | | excluding files by name, date, extension, or other |
| 2nd Step: Going off-site | | | | criteria offers additional possibilities for adaptation to |
| Professional security needs to address the risks that | | | | your workflow. |
| arise from external threats like water, fire, theft, | | | | An archive is meant to grow with your body of |
| lightning and other disasters. If you keep all your | | | | work. It contains all final versions and all material that |
| eggs in one basket i.e. original data and backup in the | | | | you choose to store for the long term. But archiving |
| same room, chances are they will both be affected in | | | | also means not knowing what size your archive will |
| case of disaster. Taking one data set off-site is | | | | grow to in a few years. Multiple drives might be |
| therefore a necessity. | | | | needed to hold all your files. Still access needs to be |
| Whether you choose to take the backup from the | | | | as flexible and easy as possible. PresSTORE Archive |
| studio to your home or someplace else is up to you. | | | | maintains (by default) one archive index that keeps |
| Just develop a routine in doing so. | | | | track of all files in the archive. Here you can search |
| 3rd Step: Archive | | | | and browse all media, even if the storage device |
| Every photographer that started with traditional film | | | | they are on might not be available right now. |
| and slides has his individual archiving experiences. It | | | | How to pick the right Storage Media |
| has always been necessary to move pictures from | | | | Hard disks are ubiquitous, fast and cheap. But there |
| your desk into some kind of archive. You needed to | | | | are other choices. Optical media like CD-R and DVD |
| free up space on your desk and it would sometimes | | | | are used regularly. There are several problems with |
| be a long time until you used the same pictures again. | | | | them: Long-term storage, capacity and transfer |
| The same goes for data. This time it is not the | | | | speed. Compared to today’s hard disks, the |
| space on your desk but the space on the local hard | | | | capacity of a DVD or even a blue-ray disk is |
| drives that gets filled up. Space needs to be cleared | | | | ridiculously small. You need loads of them to archive |
| up to make room for new projects. | | | | even a single 1TB drive. After storing them for over |
| Archiving data is the process of moving (or migrating) | | | | one year you will discover that some of them |
| data from your workstation to another device or | | | | already lost your data. They are not readable |
| media. Deleting the archived files frees up space and | | | | anymore. Even when trying to compensate this by |
| completes the process. In order to keep the level of | | | | only using high quality media, storage limitation and |
| security that you established through backing up, you | | | | slow writing/reading will remain an issue. |
| need to duplicate the archive. Files will no longer be | | | | Hard disks on the other hand seem tremendously |
| backed up since you deleted them on the | | | | favorable and the moderate prices make a useful |
| workstation. The archived version will be the only | | | | choice. If you disconnect them and store them |
| copy. The result is that you want to "duplicate" your | | | | safely, dry and (not too) cool, chances are they will |
| archive. | | | | last you for a while. Still they might not startup the |
| In PresSTORE Archive this is done by cloning the | | | | next time you connect them. Choosing two drives |
| storage pool the archive is written to. Storing one | | | | from different manufacturers (of the hard disk itself!) |
| version of the archive off-site gives you a | | | | reduces this risk. Life expectancy of this type of |
| professional level of security. There is no archive | | | | media ranges from 2-5 years. |
| option within a solution like Aperture. | | | | There is a solution that has been around for a while |
| Using both PresSTORE Backup and Archive gives you | | | | and has matured to a considerable level of efficiency |
| maximum security with flexible access through the | | | | and accuracy at the same time - tape. We are talking |
| browser. | | | | data tape of course by the name of LTO (there are |
| Your archive needs to be a flexible tool that allows | | | | other tapes but none as reliable and professional). |
| you to visually browse and search. Using filenames, | | | | Secured by multiple mechanisms ranging from |
| archiving dates or meta data information will let you | | | | pre-recorded servo tracks to checksums preventing |
| retrieve the specific files needed. Having access | | | | data loss, to extreme long-term certification of up to |
| through the browser gives you additional flexibility | | | | 30(!) years, this is the medium of choice for a |
| and even the option of offering parts of the archive | | | | professional archive. In a very compact tape |
| to clients over the web. | | | | cartridge you can get from 400GB to 1600GB, |
| Internal vs. external Backup Solutions | | | | making off-site storage really easy. Reading and |
| Apples Aperture and Adobes Lightroom offer some | | | | writing speeds are faster than your local hard drive |
| level of backup. These solution, however, bring some | | | | (80-200MB/s). The only catch to it: Many hesitate to |
| limitations with them. Aperture’s Backup is | | | | use tape because of its initial cost. But this is only |
| very easy to handle and can save the day if | | | | part of the story. |
| Aperture is your main tool. There are some things to | | | | By installing a tape-based archive you save |
| consider though. If you delete a file in Aperture from | | | | investment in ever growing hard disk storage, |
| within the application, it gets deleted from the | | | | administration and infrastructure (how many drives |
| (internal) backup as well. Also, referenced masters | | | | can you connect to your machine?). In the long run, |
| are not saved with the backup. In contrast, | | | | tapes pay off because they give you professional |
| PresSTORE Backup just adds files during incremental | | | | scalability (it grows almost endlessly) and proven |
| backups. So all files, even deleted ones are accessible | | | | durability at an unbeatable price per GB. And: |
| for restore. Additionally, you have to manually start a | | | | PresSTORE will even help to keep your tapes |
| backup to a vault in Aperture. PresSTORE Backup | | | | organized. |
| takes this task off your mind and runs scheduled | | | | |