Storage and Backup*

3-2-1 Rule

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F_r56dkq2I

There is a saying about storage that goes “lots of copies keeps stuff safe”. The idea behind the principle is that even if your main storage system fails, you still have access to your data.

If you have very important data, you may want to keep many copies, but most scientists should follow the 3-2-1 Rule and keep three copies of their files. This rule states that you should have 3 copies of your data in 2 locations on more than 1 type of storage media.

The offsite copy is particularly critical. Many people keep their data and a backup copy on-site, but this doesn’t factor in scenarios where the building floods or burns down (as can happen in a chemistry building) or a natural disaster occurs. Storing a copy of your data off-site can make the recovery process easier if everything local is lost.

While the 3-2-1 Rule mainly concerns redundancy, it’s also a recommendation for variety in that data should not all be stored on one type of hardware. Computer hard drives fail, cloud storage can be disrupted, and CDs will go bad over time; each storage type has its own strengths and weakness so using several types of storage spreads your risk around.  So if the first copy your data is on your computer, look for other options for your backups like external hard drives, cloud storage, local server, CDs/DVDs, tape backup, etc. Finally, always keep a local copy of your data if its main storage is in the cloud. Accidents happen, even with well-run cloud storage, so it’s always best to have a copy of your data in your direct control, just in case.

Here’s an example of following the 3-2-1 Rule using resources a research has locally available:

• a copy on my computer (onsite)
• a copy backed up weekly to the office shared drive (onsite)
• a copy backed up automatically to the cloud

The 3-2-1 Rule is simply an interpretation of the old expression, ‘don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.’ This applies not only to the number of copies of your data but also the technology upon which they are stored. With a little bit of planning, it is very easy to ensure that your data are backed up in way that dramatically reduces the risk of total loss.

Adapted from “Rule of 3” by Kristin Briney (http://dataabinitio.com/?p=320), CC-BY.

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