Backup Drive: Internal or External?

[dream3]

Hey guys, how are you all doing?

I have a macbook pro and I'm thinking whether I should upgrade my 500GB SSD to a 1TB SSD in order to have space for a SECOND backup solution, internally. I already have a 1TB drive with a carbon copy cloner image and a winclone image.

My setup right now 500GB split into OSX and bootcamp currently. If I added another 500GB with the 1TB drive, I could leave time machine (for OSX) and a macrium image (for windows bootcamp) stored there.

However, upgrading the SSD will set me back double what I'd need to spend on a regular external 2TB portable HDD...

What do you think? Is it worth having a second backup solution? And more importantly, is it worth keeping that in an internal drive?
Thanks!

 

[harryb2448]

Guess it depends on how much money you want to thro bout. Prsonally I think your current set up with CCC on the external drive, together with Winclone, is ideal. You do mean the clones are on the external drive now I take it?

 

[chas_m]

Two reasons why I think an internal backup drive is a bad idea:

1. MacBook Pro gets stolen.
2. MacBook Pro gets incredibly badly damaged.

In short, you're risking ALL your data by having them in the same place. Yes, I know, your home could burn down taking both your external backup and your MBP with it, but I think the odds of that are quite a bit higher -- and of course if you do an offsite or cloud backup as well as a local one, even that option shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Rod]

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. In my mind that's almost as bad as not having a backup at all and we all know what I think about that.:Blushing:

 

[dream3]

So since I've already have an external backup, is it worth upgrading the SSD to have a second back up, in case the first backup in the external drive fails) and the option to have different file versions etc
OR
upgrade the external HDD in order to have 2 external backup solutions, like CCC+Time Machine and Winclone+Macrium (on the same drive)?

 

[harryb2448]

Agree 1 for Mac, 1 for PC.

 

[nickyr]

I think most users on here employ a back up strategy involving Time Machine back ups and a bootable clone such as Superduper or CCC at the very least.

Personally I have an external hard drive permanently attached to my iMac for TM back ups, a further external drive for a Superduper clone which I make at least weekly, and a third drive to further back up all my RAW photo files which I make whenever I import any photos.

These latter drives are kept away from my iMac in a fire proof safe. Overkill? Maybe, but if I lost all my files I'd be devastated.

Drives are so cheap these days there's no excuse really for not backing up your stuff.

 

[verdi1901]

I have a few external HDD TM backups, and store one or two off-site at friends’ place from time to time.