File Management

[fresh]

How do you store your working files? We've always stored them on a local computer and backed up on a detached drive. We also have a cloud back up.

I'm thinking of re-doing how and where we save our working files. I bought a new computer last week and I cannot connect to the folder where everything is saved, so right now its a big, fast, pretty paper weight. From my research, I think I need to reset the entire network. If I'm going to do that, I might as well think about changing it all up.

Does anyone use google drive?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I use 3 NASs.

1 on the main working LAN that periodically backs up to 2 others over the WAN at different physical locations.

The local NAS only has outside visibility during the uploading processes to the other NASs (same with the other 2).

 

[Solventinkjet]

If I was running a shop right now I would probably have a similar setup to WildWest. I am the crazy uncle type who doesn't like giving major corporations my files to snoop around in.

To add to what WildWest said, I would also archive older files to free up space and reduce confusion. Basically what you do is move all of your older files that you probably will never need again to an external drive. That way you still have them if in the off chance you do need them but they aren't cluttering up your file system and making it hard to find files you need fast.

 

[fresh]

I should mention I'd like the flexibility of accessing files from off site. I don't often work from home, but that's only because I have to send files home and then back.

 

[Solventinkjet]

I should mention I'd like the flexibility of accessing files from off site. I don't often work from home, but that's only because I have to send files home and then back.

Unless you want to pay a monthly fee for a static IP address from your ISP and setup a NAS server, any cloud service is going to be more convenient and probably cheaper. I see a lot of sign guys using Drop Box and Google Drive.

 

[2B]

We also run a NAS system with a TIER 1 with a RAID 6 configuration and do an offsite backup monthly.

for remote accessing files, we use and like QNAP NAS Using Qfile

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I should mention I'd like the flexibility of accessing files from off site. I don't often work from home, but that's only because I have to send files home and then back.

Same setup, you can access from offsite. I can access the 2 NASs as well anytime.

There are some more secure ways of doing it then others. Sometimes that means more complicated as well.

Drop Box and Google Drive have their place, don't get me wrong.

Basically what you do is move all of your older files that you probably will never need again to an external drive.

I used to as well when storage was a premium, compared to how it is today, but it does depend on what storage capacity you go with and how much ability to upgrade later on.

Could always setup a script to rotate old(er) files and compress them as well.

If going to archive those on an external drive, may want to think of doing 2 of those as well. External drives may not be the most reliable.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Same setup, you can access from offsite. I can access the 2 NASs as well anytime.

There are some more secure ways of doing it then others. Sometimes that means more complicated as well.

Drop Box and Google Drive have their place, don't get me wrong.



I used to as well when storage was a premium, compared to how it is today, but it does depend on what storage capacity you go with and how much ability to upgrade later on.

Could always setup a script to rotate old(er) files and compress them as well.

If going to archive those on an external drive, may want to think of doing 2 of those as well. External drives may not be the most reliable.

For me it's more about reducing the clutter. I get ADD looking at all the files and tend to get lost. The less complicated it is the better for me. I have been getting more into automating things with Python so that is definitely an option!

 

[WildWestDesigns]

For me it's more about reducing the clutter. I get ADD looking at all the files and tend to get lost. The less complicated it is the better for me. I have been getting more into automating things with Python so that is definitely an option!

I can totally understand that.

Gotta love Python. A lot of my software has Python APIs to add more abilities to it. Great language.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

We have everything on a drive on my PC but that's also connected to a DattoDrive. Which works well because when my boss works from home, he accesses the files on his laptop, changes are saved to the cloud storage and every morning my PC downloads any changed files and replaces it in the correct folder.

Edit: First year of DattoDrive is free for a TB, and after that $10 per month. Unlimited users and you can grant access to specific folders for each user you add in.

 

[fuzzy_cam]

We have a Synology NAS with 4TB in two drives set up on RAID 1 (Data mirrored on both drives, 2TB available). Perfect for creating shares and allowing only certain users with permissions to certain shares (accounting, public working folders, administrative, etc.) and can access remotely through many avenues, including mobile. The Synology syncs up to google drive instantly where we have a $10/month subscription, which is a steal as far as I am concerned - instant backup.

We used to do manual weekly backups and I would sometimes forget to do it. Realizing that even losing a weeks worth of worth could seriously set us behind.

 

[Superior_Adam]

We have an in house server set up. All files are stored on the server and we can access them from any computer connected to said server. We also have a backup that runs nightly in case the server were to crash. We can access the server remotely when needed.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

We used to do manual weekly backups and I would sometimes forget to do it. Realizing that even losing a weeks worth of worth could seriously set us behind.

I've only used to FreeNAS and QNAP, I would be surprised that Synology doesn't allow this (or it may be model dependent not just on that brand but on others as well), but in my experience you can either script it or schedule it through a GUI to do auto backups. If that option wasn't available, I would very much be like you and forget (probably more then just sometimes).

 

[BUCKY]

Has anyone else had any trouble with files getting corrupted from working remotely? We have had it happen a few times.

 

[HecklnDecalr]

Backblaze is an offsite backup service. It costs $45 a year for unlimited storage from 1 computer (server). You can download individual files if you need to access something and it keeps a copy of any file you make changes to for 30 days. Has an app for your phone as well so you can access anything from there as well. No brainer in my opinion. You can even order a drive sent to your door with everything on it if you felt like it. We just have our server and the offsite back up.

 

[fresh]

Thanks for the input. I need to clear my head and process everyone's suggestions. Hopefully we'll have it all cleared up by the weekend.

 

[unclebun]

Your easiest solution is to deal with "cannot connect to the computer with the files". People think networks are voodoo, but they are not. When you cannot connect, it is because somewhere the permissions, passwords, domains (if any), etc. are not set correctly.

 

[CanuckSigns]

We have a PC in the front office set up as a file server, the PC has 3 HDD's in it set up in a RAID, the PC is also connected to Carbonite and backs up in real time to the cloud. If I need to access the files from home ( I try not to bring work home with me if I can avoid it) I can access the server through Team Viewer and get what I need.

The server is visable to all 9 PCs in the shop so all working files get saved to the server and the workstations only have programs on them, if we loose a workstation it only takes a few hours to get a new PC up and running.