Linus Torvalds has an interesting way to backup his stuff !!!
This is the second blog post about backup. The first one was about doing your backup based on a hard drive crash experience I got.
This blog post is about a rule that I discovered last year called: Golden Backup Rule.
Before talking about this topic, I will also suggest a backup plan for your contacts.
Since everything is broken on the internet and digital world... Try to duplicate your contacts on multiple social networks or communication channels (e.g. messenger, sms/phone, email, WhatsApp, ...).
I got some friends that got blocked or can't interact with those services for a couple of days...
3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule
The 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule is a hardened version of 3-2-1 designed to survive (e.g. hardware failures, disasters, ransomware)
and I found this rule on this website.
Keep 3 copies of your data:
- 1 primary (what you use day-to-day)
- 2 backups
Store them on 2 different types of media (ex: internal SSD/HDD + external USB drive, NAS + cloud).
Have 1 copy offsite. Somewhere physically separate: cloud backup, a drive stored at a friend's place / office, a second location/site.
Have 1 copy offline or immutable:
- Offline: a backup drive that stays "disconnected" most of the time, or tape
- Immutable: storage that "cannot be altered/deleted" for a set period (WORM / object lock / immutability)
0 Zero errors (verified). Backups must be verifiable, not just "it ran" (checksums / hash verification, backup logs + alerts, regular restore tests / actually restore files).
The main goals are:
- avoid a single shared failure mode wiping everything
- protect against fire, theft, flood, power events, etc
- ransomware or oops I deleted it...
Simple and strong example setup:
- Your PC (primary)
- A NAS at home (automatic backups + versioning/snapshots)
- Cloud backup (offsite)
- A rotating USB drive kept unplugged (offline)
- Monthly: restore a few random files to prove it works (the 0)
[TL;DR version]
The 3-2-1-1-0 Golden Backup Rule
- 3: Maintain three copies of your data (1 primary + 2 backups)
- 2: Store backups on two different media types (e.g., NAS + cloud, HDD + tape)
- 1: Keep one copy offsite (cloud or a different location)
- 1: Keep one copy offline or immutable (air-gapped drive, tape, or object-lock/WORM storage)
- 0: Zero untested backups (verify with logs, checksums, and regular restore tests)
Old Pictures / Screenshots
I revisited some old screenshots and pictures from my backups and here are some findings.
Above are 2 characters from World of Warcraft.
I wanted to create a Paladin called Cecil because I'm a huge fan of Final Fantasy IV but it was already taken so I added a Z at the end.
It was the same pattern for the Lich King expansion. I looked for Kain (Dragoon from FFIV) but it was already taken so I've decremented --Z and created
a character named Kainy.
I also used this name for my game streaming application that I released in 2012 also called Kainy.
The Cataclysm expansion was the last one I tried. One day I created a character and used the button "Randomize" and the game gave me the result above.
I played the game in english and the word marde in Quebecker / French Canadian language is the version of French merde, meaning shit.
Above is a picture of my desk at Ubisoft's Studio at Nagoya where I worked on Nintendo DS games.
At the beginning, my desk was almost empty but overtime, the plush toys population grew.
After the job, I often stopped at Arcade machines between the studio and my hotel and I played Taiko no Tatsujin and some UFO Catchers.
I'm not into toy collections but I like to play UFO Catchers to grab some prizes.
Another picture when Ubisoft sent me to another studio around the world. This time it was in Milan, Italy where I spent 6 months there
to help a team on a DS game. This picture is where I lived at the hotel (The pizza was really good).
The first time I saw a kitchen closet. You open that and you have everything to cook (burners, sink, ...).
Also I have a picture before and after italy and it was the opposite of the biggest loser show.
A very old picture from the early 90's where I played Metroid at my uncle's house. At the time, I carried my Nintendo almost everywhere...
I bought a "NES" with Contra and Super C (japanese versions) the third time I went to Japan.
It was for vacation and I spent 3 weeks visiting Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
I used the money I got for when I ported my game streaming app called Kainy on OUYA for this awesome trip.
[Tip of the post] The last part was more about my personal content (e.g. screenshots/pictures) and events than technical topic but it was to show one important rule: don't forget to backup your stuff !!!
