Where are hard drive sizes going?

[JDArt]

I know the answer is UP, of course, but how large are hard drives likely to get over the next 12 months?

Already the 1 terabyte drives are coming down in price.

I'm thinking at this point that it doesn't make much sense to buy drives smaller than 1 terabyte, even though they come at a price premium (still).

[Mr. Pickles]

Why?

If we didn't all feel some need to have a 12mp or more cameras, using RAW+JPG files, and saving multi-layer PSD files for every image, and never deleting the totally garbage images, we wouldn't need 1 terabyte....

[brian.austin]

What Mr. Pickles said.

As far as predicting, it's difficult to say. The technical requirements to store increasing amounts of storage on a device that is not growing in size gets more and more difficult. As storage density increases, the likelihood of data loss through physical or electrical malfunction increases as well.

Think about it: you're able to store 1,000 gigabytes in a package that used to top out at 60-80Gb a few years ago. That's a big change. Big enough to cause me to stop at my 500Gb units for a while. Seek times increase or drive speeds need to increase. Transfer times need to increase. Personally, I'm waiting for new technology to start taking storage to a different level.

[nyschulte]

It is definitely nice to have 1 TB disks, but they are a nightmare for backups.

Think about the amount of data you will looes if one drive goes down.

Think about the time it takes to copy one drive to another.

They are convenient, yes, but they take a different approach for data management.

I don't have an idea yet on how to handle that large capacity safely without loosing too much time.

Nicolas

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by nyschulte

It is definitely nice to have 1 TB disks, but they are a nightmare for backups.

Think about the amount of data you will looes if one drive goes down.

Think about the time it takes to copy one drive to another.

I can think about all that, yes, and it is a concern, but I wouldn't be thinking about 1 terabyte at all if it weren't for need. The fact is that in a given computer case, there's only so much room, and if your storage needs go beyond 4 terabytes, stringing together enough 500 gig drives is just impractical if not impossible. Also, having a bunch of drives adds another layer of complexity.

Also, to Brian, saying you'll stop at 500 gigs is an artificial limit that will change soon enough anyway. Heck, in another year or two, you may not even be able to find a 500 gig drive on the market if you wanted to. 750 gig drives are now approaching the 100 dollar point. When that happens, capacities below that tend to disappear in short order.

The fact is I need 4 terabytes in a box now. A bunch of 500 gig drives will get me, well, a bunch of separate drives that will depreciate quickly, not be as useful for as long, and cause me that much more worry about individual drive failure.

I'm thinking of the 1 terabyte drives as backup storage anyway, so if one were to fail, I'd just replace it back up the data.

You guys heard of Windows Home Server?

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by JDArt

Also, to Brian, saying you'll stop at 500 gigs is an artificial limit that will change soon enough anyway. Heck, in another year or two, you may not even be able to find a 500 gig drive on the market if you wanted to. 750 gig drives are now approaching the 100 dollar point. When that happens, capacities below that tend to disappear in short order.

I said I'd stop at 500Gb DRIVES, not capacity. I've got about 1.5Tb capacity right now, using maybe 1/3 of it. Part of that is even backup. I've got room to wait.

The fact is I need 4 terabytes in a box now. A bunch of 500 gig drives will get me, well, a bunch of separate drives that will depreciate quickly, not be as useful for as long, and cause me that much more worry about individual drive failure.

I'm thinking of the 1 terabyte drives as backup storage anyway, so if one were to fail, I'd just replace it back up the data.

You guys heard of Windows Home Server?

Briefly and never saw anything other than the press releases.

If I needed 4Tb of storage, I'd be looking at a full blown NAS. With that many drives and that much data, the redundancy options on a NAS are almost a requirement (they ARE a requirement in a production environment, imo).

[Mr. Pickles]

You people are nuts. Remember 360K floppies that really were floppy? use to have like 2 of them and that was HUGE storage.

Now look at ya....

I get nervous at the thought of a TB drive crash.
I use two external drives and plan on setting up more in a raid array.
This way I can keep macro in one,landscapes in another etc.
I would assume keeping them switched separately will prevent an entire system crash.
Maybe there will be more then a TB soon but would think a reliable safety net will follow also.

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

You people are nuts. Remember 360K floppies that really were floppy? use to have like 2 of them and that was HUGE storage.

Now look at ya....

I had the 8" models...which was an upgrade to my tape drive.

[Goofup]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

You people are nuts. Remember 360K floppies that really were floppy? use to have like 2 of them and that was HUGE storage.

Now look at ya....

And before I got one of them fancy floppy drives for my Sinclair computer I used cassette tapes!

To heck with all this HD stuff- I can't wait for flash drives!

[EOS_JD]

If you buy any hard drive, really you should have a second of an equivalent size for backup. When I buy my first 1Tb drive, it'll be 2 that I'll buy.

I currently have over 2Tb of storage over 7 drives ranging from 200Gb to 500Gb!

[silentrob]

Originally Posted by Goofup

And before I got one of them fancy floppy drives for my Sinclair computer I used cassette tapes!

To heck with all this HD stuff- I can't wait for flash drives!

Now that brings back memories... I'd forgotten that we used to use cassette tapes.

[Fusion]

Are not the 1TB drive just 2 500GB drives strung together in one case

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by Fusion

Are not the 1TB drive just 2 500GB drives strung together in one case

Nooooooooooooooooo!

In fact Samsung just came out with the first widely-available 3-platter 1 terabyte drive. Other makers have 4- and 5-platter designs.

[Fusion]

Originally Posted by JDArt

Nooooooooooooooooo!

In fact Samsung just came out with the first widely-available 3-platter 1 terabyte drive. Other makers have 4- and 5-platter designs.

I stand corrected....

[Jason Cole]

I run a Maxtor 1TB and a WD 2TB (Both in RAID 1 config)

AND im running out of space....

[DocNo]

Originally Posted by brian.austin

If I needed 4Tb of storage, I'd be looking at a full blown NAS. With that many drives and that much data, the redundancy options on a NAS are almost a requirement (they ARE a requirement in a production environment, imo).

The problem I have with traditional NAS is RAID. It's a PITA to re-arrange RAID array's after the fact - i.e. to expand them.

I have been following Windows Home Server with some interest - it basically mirror's files you tell it to, but without the hassle of doing it on a whole-drive basis. The way it works, you can add or take away drives as needed, without having to back everything up first.

I like that - you have control over which files you protect by duplicating - but I'm fundamentally appalled by the waste in the outright duplication of files.

I like the concept of the Drobo, but with only four slots I find it a little stifling. You get a little over 3 terabytes useable space with four terabyte drives - it's data redundancy is more RAID like and much more efficient then the outright duplication of data. I know 4 terabytes sounds crazy at first blush, but I think I could fill that within 6 months - darn Tivo Series 3 and the ability recently enabled to allow the downloading of HD video

That and the Drobo is USB only - that really stinks. USB is at the bottom of the totem pole for data transfer speeds. ESATA would be perfect - perhaps the next version they will have either more slots and/or ESATA support.

And anyway, this only protects you against partial hardware failure. If my house burns down, I'm still out. For that a portable hard drive in a safety deposit box should do the trick. Tape isn't near as dense, and neither is optical. I don't care about the Tivo shows, but I want my pictures and other data backed up off-site...

Speaking of, I need to update my backup drive when I get home - it's been a while and now that I think of it, I don't have all my shots in there...

[Fusion]

Originally Posted by DocNo

The problem I have with traditional NAS is RAID. It's a PITA to re-arrange RAID array's after the fact - i.e. to expand them.

I have been following Windows Home Server with some interest - it basically mirror's files you tell it to, but without the hassle of doing it on a whole-drive basis. The way it works, you can add or take away drives as needed, without having to back everything up first.

I like that - you have control over which files you protect by duplicating - but I'm fundamentally appalled by the waste in the outright duplication of files.

I like the concept of the Drobo, but with only four slots I find it a little stifling. You get a little over 3 terabytes useable space with four terabyte drives - it's data redundancy is more RAID like and much more efficient then the outright duplication of data. I know 4 terabytes sounds crazy at first blush, but I think I could fill that within 6 months - darn Tivo Series 3 and the ability recently enabled to allow the downloading of HD video

That and the Drobo is USB only - that really stinks. USB is at the bottom of the totem pole for data transfer speeds. ESATA would be perfect - perhaps the next version they will have either more slots and/or ESATA support.

And anyway, this only protects you against partial hardware failure. If my house burns down, I'm still out. For that a portable hard drive in a safety deposit box should do the trick. Tape isn't near as dense, and neither is optical. I don't care about the Tivo shows, but I want my pictures and other data backed up off-site...

Speaking of, I need to update my backup drive when I get home - it's been a while and now that I think of it, I don't have all my shots in there...

WOW !!

[TonyK]

Atari 800XL. 180K single sided floppies. Used to cut 2nd notches to use the flip side as well.

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

You people are nuts. Remember 360K floppies that really were floppy? use to have like 2 of them and that was HUGE storage.

Now look at ya....