Backblaze driving me nuts

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Palmor said:
BackBlaze supports way faster than that.. when I looked earlier the "last transfer" was 40Mbps on it. I remember when I did the initial upload of 5+ TBs it was even faster than that (but I don't remember specific numbers)
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Lots of variables.

My comment is based on sh109's post with the BackBlaze results image that shows "Last file transfer speed 4.74 mbs." which mirrors my FTP upload speeds. If on a fiber network 40 mbs FTP upload transfer may be possible. Many fiber systems are symmetrical - download/upload speeds the same.

I've used both FileZilla and WinSCP FTP clients for video uploads. They both transfer files using FTP at 4.5 mbs on my 1gbs/35mbs coax cable internet ISP's network. Also possible that FTP servers are throttled to mange the bandwith and processing requirements on their systems due to the volume of users.
 
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I’ve had Backblaze for about 5 years now. I remember my first backup took about a month as it was several TB of data. However, since then, I never think about it. It just works flawlessly and non-intrusively. I think it is probably one of the most cost effective way for secure backups.
 
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When I first backed up my images, it took months to get it done. But after that initial backup it goes quickly (except when I come back from a 3 week trip after getting 30 fps resulting in far too many images). I just let it backup all night and during the day when I was at work. I'm about to jump back in and back up my tens of thousands of images from my Brazil trip last November. I've been putting it off because it takes so long to do, but I also don't want to lose them.
 
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mdirvin said:
Backblaze will backup up your external drives, however it will not back up NAS. To get around that I use ChronoSync to copy the data from my NAS to a external HD then backup the external HD up to Backblaze
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And this kills BB for me right there. I don't HAVE an external drive that large (40TB), I'm certainly not going to go out and buy one ($1,500) just to satisfy an offsite backup service that I am paying for specifically to backup my image store, which is the NAS.

Of course, getting a RESTORE of a 40TB backup from BB (should I ever need to actually use the reason for the service) sounds like it would be a nightmare as well (they wouldn't send it all at once, with their limits). So that was already killing the idea of BB (everyone should consider the scenario of RECOVERING your images should catastrophic disaster ever occur).

My solution was to buy an older used NAS (not worth much with it's older/slower processor and too old to be ineligible to use the more recent versions of Synology DSM). Put some lower quality drives in there (since they would only be spinning when I did the actual occasional backup) and store it offsite.

Note: this offsite NAS is my 3rd copy. So, full disclosure, because this would probably be too much for a lot of folk, my storage solution is thus:
  1. Main NAS: on all the time, enterprise drives
  2. Local RAS in a box: on all the time, backs up the main NAS every night (I assume BB wouldn't back this up either)
  3. Offsite NAS (older used NAS, lesser drives, stored offsite)
All three are RAID configured, of course, which increases number-of-drive requirements..

Chris

PS EDIT: the older NAS used for #3 above is easy for those of you that have had a NAS for a while and are considering an upgrade. Just keep the older one for this purpose. It doesn't have to have the exact same config (drive types/sizes, RAID type) as the new one—capacity is the only concern.
 
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Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
And this kills BB for me right there. I don't HAVE an external drive that large (40TB), I'm certainly not going to go out and buy one ($1,500) just to satisfy an offsite backup service that I am paying for specifically to backup my image store, which is the NAS.
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You can back up your NAS unit to BB, it requires the Business Backup, or B2 Cloud storage plan not the personal backup plan. I used that for awhile, but decided to switch back to the personal plan, and use an external drive.
 
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Even with asymmetric service, your provider may additionally throttle upload speeds to certain services. My 30mbps upload speed is significantly slower when uploading to Dropbox and backblaze, however if I upload to these services thru a vpn, my speed is much closer to the advertised speed. Just one more consideration.
 
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sh1209 said:
I’ve had this software for a couple years and just keep the items on my Mac including my Lightroom catalog backed up. I’ve made several attempts to back up my external drive with my original files to no avail. I thinned out my images a couple years back as well as offloading some of them to external drives. I now have about 30k images in my current catalog. I’ve been trying to back these up for a month and still have over 10k left. I’ve set throttling as well as threads to the max setting. We have 1Gig internet service so that’s not the problem. I’m at a loss and honestly tired of messing with it. I’m at the point of canceling it and just adding a copy to my fireproof safe and calling it a day. If anyone has any suggestions I’m certainly open for any.
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Is your line synchronous or asynchronous. When I had Comcast it was asynchronous and upload speeds where much slower than download speeds. With AT&T fiber I get 300 mbs both up and down (synchronous line speed)
 
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RichF said:
Is your line synchronous or asynchronous. When I had Comcast it was asynchronous and upload speeds where much slower than download speeds. With AT&T fiber I get 300 mbs both up and down (synchronous line speed)
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Mine is 30 upload and a gig download
 
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These may seem like a strange questions...but why do you use Backblaze? Is this intended to be a permanent storage solution? Is this the only place you have your data/images stored? Or do you have another entire storage solution somewhere else, like at home or stored at a bank, relative's, etc? Do you ever foresee the need to download the data you have stored on BB?
 
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Butlerkid said:
These may seem like a strange questions...but why do you use Backblaze? Is this intended to be a permanent storage solution? Is this the only place you have your data/images stored? Or do you have another entire storage solution somewhere else, like at home or stored at a bank, relative's, etc? Do you ever foresee the need to download the data you have stored on BB?
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I have three copies of my images in my home, one of which is backed up through Time Machine and stored in a fireproof safe, and the other two are on my desk that I clone daily through carbon copy cloner. I am beginning to wonder like you state, if it’s worth the hassle and not sure it is.
 
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sh1209 said:
I have three copies of my images in my home, one of which is backed up through Time Machine and stored in a fireproof safe, and the other two are on my desk that I clone daily through carbon copy cloner. I am beginning to wonder like you state, if it’s worth the hassle and not sure it is.
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Just wondering how BB users find value in the service and what their expectations are.

I've just heard that it is very, very time consuming to try to download your images from BB. In fact, the business model would seem to discourage downloading and encourage just needing more and more storage space.

With all the angst about uploading, it might be that downloading is even tougher. Just wondering what BB users are expecting......and if any have needed to download their images.
I know some "experts" (I am NOT referring to our Steve.....!) that recommend BB, but they get rewarded for that recommendation.
 
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Butlerkid said:
Just wondering how BB users find value in the service and what their expectations are.

I've just heard that it is very, very time consuming to try to download your images from BB. In fact, the business model would seem to discourage downloading and encourage just needing more and more storage space.

With all the angst about uploading, it might be that downloading is even tougher. Just wondering what BB users are expecting......and if any have needed to download their images.
I know some "experts" (I am NOT referring to our Steve.....!) that recommend BB, but they get rewarded for that recommendation.
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Yeah, I’m beginning to wonder and thinking just like you that it’s really not worth the hassle I mean at the end of the day if all three copies get wiped out then it really isn’t the end of the world because I have smart previews saved of all images plus copies a Lightroom mobile so really the more I think of it it might be foolish to keep doing this and spending money to do so lol
 
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Butlerkid said:
Just wondering how BB users find value in the service and what their expectations are.

I've just heard that it is very, very time consuming to try to download your images from BB. In fact, the business model would seem to discourage downloading and encourage just needing more and more storage space.

With all the angst about uploading, it might be that downloading is even tougher. Just wondering what BB users are expecting......and if any have needed to download their images.
I know some "experts" (I am NOT referring to our Steve.....!) that recommend BB, but they get rewarded for that recommendation.
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If you have a major catastrophic failure and need to get a copy of a large number of files they’ll send you a HD of you data. I’ve downloaded a handful of files from them and never had issues.
 
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Palmor said:
If you have a major catastrophic failure and need to get a copy of a large number of files they’ll send you a HD of you data. I’ve downloaded a handful of files from them and never had issues.
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Good to know. But downloading a few files is different than recovering from a catastrophic loss of data. Do you have their wording on this. Do they commit to a time period for they to respond to a request for a HD with all your data?
 
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Butlerkid said:
Good to know. But downloading a few files is different than recovering from a catastrophic loss of data. Do you have their wording on this. Do they commit to a time period for they to respond to a request for a HD with all your data?
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sh1209 said:
Yeah, I’m beginning to wonder and thinking just like you that it’s really not worth the hassle I mean at the end of the day if all three copies get wiped out then it really isn’t the end of the world because I have smart previews saved of all images plus copies a Lightroom mobile so really the more I think of it it might be foolish to keep doing this and spending money to do so lol
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Yep - myself I've never felt the need for extensive multi-layer and cloud backups. Just keep my recent stuff on internal/external system drives and a NAS backup.

As hobbyists/enthusiasts I doubt many have a serious requirement to keep multi-layer backups of many gigabytes/terabytes of untold thousands of shot-long-ago images in long-term backup/storage.

Yes storage is relatively cheap nowadays but why keep adding backups if the data will likely never see daylight.

I go thru my internal/external drives periodically and delete select older image/video folders to make room for newer stuff. No misgivings or unforseen need for discarded older media.
 
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Sorta OT...... but not..........

We just updated our wills. That brought up discussions about my husband's website and mine? Did we want them to continue to exist? Who would take care of that? That same thought should be given to internet storage such as BB where images are stored. Might others not realize that internet storage was also somewhere else? Or not....

And when thinking about such things, also think about ACCESS......site URL, user name, passwords.......

When my mom was in ICU, I couldn't pay her bills because I didn't know her passwords on her utilities, etc! GEEZ! Here I was trying to take care of things, but hindered due to a lack of passwords! I had all her bank account and financial data....but not her passwords to pay utilities and other such things.
 
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Butlerkid said:
When my mom was in ICU, I couldn't pay her bills because I didn't know her passwords on her utilities, etc! GEEZ! Here I was trying to take care of things, but hindered due to a lack of passwords! I had all her bank account and financial data....but not her passwords to pay utilities and other such things.
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I recently changed my estate plan/Will as well.

Would think that web site disposition etc could be included in the duties of your estate's executor. Specific directions for disposition of estate items can be included. My estate plan includes a living document with specific account and other info that I can edit whenever I need.

An estate plan should have included a Power of Attorney to enable account & password access/reset once presented to the utility company, bank, etc.
 
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Butlerkid said:
Just wondering how BB users find value in the service and what their expectations are.

I've just heard that it is very, very time consuming to try to download your images from BB. In fact, the business model would seem to discourage downloading and encourage just needing more and more storage space.

With all the angst about uploading, it might be that downloading is even tougher. Just wondering what BB users are expecting......and if any have needed to download their images.
I know some "experts" (I am NOT referring to our Steve.....!) that recommend BB, but they get rewarded for that recommendation.
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One doesn't "download your images from BB". They are sent on a disk.

Saves the " trip to the bank".
 
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Butlerkid said:
I was referring to retrieving your data if you had a catastrophic loss of your data at home or wherever you might have the originals.
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Yes. If you have a catastrophic loss locally or at the bank, BB will send all your files to you on a disk.

BB is not intended to be like OneDrive or Google Drive (both of which I have) where you exchange files daily and which act in conjunction with local drives. It is inconvenient and slow to retrieve individual files in bulk.

You can still go to the bank if you want, though.
 
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