So i need a new external "oh shit" backup drive to add to my network. I am mostly backing up photos and occasionally videos. I like wd and i notice they have a single and dual drive version. Im wondering what advantages i might get by paying another 200 bucks and getting the double drive version.
[Question] Single drive vs dual drive external hdd.
- Thread starter Bones
- Start date
Depends on the configuration.
4TB and contains one drive means there is a single 4TB drive in there.
4TB and contains two drives could go two ways - either it contains 2x2TB or 2x4TB. The first gets you extra speed (if RAID 0) or lower price (if JBOD), the second gets you extra reliability (if RAID 1).
https://getprostorage.com/blog/understanding-raid-storage/
Then the rest is just questions about your risk tolerance. There's no real functional difference between getting a single unit with two 4TB drives in a RAID 1 in it vs. getting two separate single-drive 4TB units and then manually copying your stuff twice, once to each. Both of those methods would provide essentially identical protection against single drive failure.
--Patrick
4TB and contains one drive means there is a single 4TB drive in there.
4TB and contains two drives could go two ways - either it contains 2x2TB or 2x4TB. The first gets you extra speed (if RAID 0) or lower price (if JBOD), the second gets you extra reliability (if RAID 1).
https://getprostorage.com/blog/understanding-raid-storage/
Then the rest is just questions about your risk tolerance. There's no real functional difference between getting a single unit with two 4TB drives in a RAID 1 in it vs. getting two separate single-drive 4TB units and then manually copying your stuff twice, once to each. Both of those methods would provide essentially identical protection against single drive failure.
--Patrick
they claim the dual drive is set-up in raid 0 out of the box, but it sounds like I might be ok with the single drive version as this meant as my third place backed up.
the biggest deal is its set up with software that allows for it all to be automated, which is nice, I dont know if I care about raid zero as much as raid 1 in which everything is mirrored. but fuck I can probably back my photos up to a flash drive and store it in a fire box in case of "OOH WE FUCKED UP!" issues.
True enough.
Just remember that data redundancy and data retention are two different things. I mean, making multiple copies of stuff is good practice, but that doesn't do you any good if you stick your copies in a closet and then wonder why they don't work after leaving them untouched and unchecked for 6 years.
--Patrick