USB backup program

"Anna" <myname@myisp.net> wrote in message
news:uBzXK69cIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>
>> news:eGybizybIHA.3696@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>
>>>> "smlunatick" <yveslec@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>>> BTW: Flash drives are not really very reliable for backups since the
>>>> flash chips have a limited life span (1000 writes,) can easily be re-
>>>> formatted by defective USB ports and can be erased by static
>>>> electricity.
>
>
>>> "M.I.5¾" <no.one@no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote in message
>>> news:47b41720$1_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net...
>>>> Whilst what you say is theoretically true, if the backup verifies OK
>>>> then it is unlikely that the FLASH memory will fail before it is read.
>>>> In practice, the life of the memory far exceeds what you state because
>>>> the 1000 write life applies on a per cell basis. Wear levelling logic
>>>> of a practical FLASH memory means that the actual total number of
>>>> writes than can take place will exceed 1000 writes easily.
>>>>
>>>> Also on a practical note, the memory will most likely be scrapped and
>>>> replaced by a larger/faster model long before the life limits are
>>>> reached.
>>>>
>>>> As far as the memory being erased by a defective hardware, this applies
>>>> to any backup medium. A backup is not a backup unless it's backed up.
>>>>
>>>> Practiacal FLASH memory units should be protected against static
>>>> (though the actual chips themselves may not be).
>
>
>> "Anna" <myname@myisp.net> wrote in message
>>> Our experience over the past few years involving hundreds of users and
>>> scores of different makes & models of USB flash drives (a/k/a thumb
>>> drives, pen drives, etc.) had led us to recommend that where
>>> "mission-critical" data involved, the user is strongly encouraged not to
>>> *solely* rely on backups/storage purposes involving these devices. We
>>> make the same recommendation re archived material, e.g., photos, videos,
>>> irreplaceable data of any kind. Where critical data of any type is
>>> involved we strongly recommend copying such to other media as well,
>>> e.g., CDs, DVDs, HDDs, etc.
>>>
>>> Simply stated we have found these USB flash-type devices seem to have an
>>> unusually high rate of failure notwithstanding the published
>>> specifications of these devices that would seem to suggest differently.
>>> Anna
>
>
> "M.I.5¾" <no.one@no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:47bbe5cc$1_1@glkas0286.greenlnk.net...
>> You point about having a backup of anything critical is crucial
>> regardless of the medium chosen. The archival life of all the media you
>> mentioned is unbelievably short. Even writing it on paper gives you an
>> archival life of less than 20 years.
>
>
> Yes, I will freely admit in the PC world *all* recipient media is
> vulnerable in one way or another.
>
> But I wanted to make the point that the user should be *especially*
> cautious in using the ubiquitous flash-type devices as the sole device for
> the repository of critical and/or irreplaceable data of one kind or
> another. There just seems to be, in our experience, an unusually high rate
> of failure with these devices, the kind of failure we just haven't seen
> with CDs, DVDs, or even HDDs.
>

I take your point, but my (and others) experience may vary. I have
encountered CD-R media that was perfectly readable one week and just a
fortnight later was to all intents and purposes unreadable.

> So again, we strongly urge users that where critical data of any type is
> intended to be backed up to a flash-type device, we strongly recommend
> copying such to other media as well, e.g., CDs, DVDs, HDDs, etc.
> Anna

Absolutely.

"Ed Covney" <ed(dot)covney(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote in message
news:%230yqCW$cIHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> There are a bank of special cells that hold the housekeeping data for the
>> FLASH memory chip as a whole that are lifed at 100,000 cycles,
>
> I believe you are referring to "Super Talent's" new solid-state
> HDDs. 100,000 write cycles and 100 year life - altho they're
> only given a 5 yr warrantee !!
>

No I wasn't. I was refering to the ultra long life bank of cells that has
to be present in every standard FLASH memory chip.

There is something telling about a manufacturer that claims a 100 year life,
but is only prepared to put their money on a 5 year warranty.

Just grabbing a catalogue from my library, I find a supplier of single board
computing solutions that offers several boards that have a disk-on-a-chip
solid state drive, claiming a 100 year life (a suspiciously round number
methinks), and is even prepared to back up that claim with a 90 day
warranty. Hmmm.