Linux - HardwareThis forum is for Hardware issues.
Having trouble installing a piece of hardware? Want to know if that peripheral is compatible with Linux?
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
what mediums are the best for long term data storage without progressive corrupting errors?
especialy for something that wouldnt actully be accessed, powered or used often?
the digital equivalent of acid free paper?
and, i suppose, the best methods of actual storage of the mediums?
Well, CDs (or DVDs, depending on how much you want to backup) are probably the most reliable medium you can use. If you burn a backup today, and take care of the disk, you can be pretty damn sure that the backup will still be good in 20 years.
But if you need high-speed, high-density backups, then tapes are your only choice.
DLT tapes are good because there is no physical contact between the tape and the head, so there (in theory) is no degradation of the tape when you do a read/write operation on it.
This is good if you are on a budget, since you will be buying less replacement tapes. But, if you aren't buying the tapes (you are working for a company or something) then the sky is the limit.
If you can afford the insane costs of the drive/tapes, a LT0-2 tape system will let you store 400GB on a tape.
I myself like Travan tapes (bit expensive, but nice) and the 4mm DDS-4 tapes are also great.
CD's and DVD's if handled properly are very good. And older hard drives are now so
cheap that they're worth buying. While not cheap, I use USB gas drives for incremental backups. If you have physical security issues, store them in a bank safety deposit box.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.