Originally Posted by
GrahamO
I would never have a backup with such an obvious flaw/limitation if my data was important to me..
I take it that you have never seen iron oxide flaking off the surface of a hard disk? I was going to suggest optical backup, but then I came across this:
Even the best branded media under optimal storage conditions will not last longer than a couple of years. At best, burned CDs last 10 years, while DVDs only last three years. Under real-life conditions, which are usually far off from the optimal, you can expect maybe a couple of years for CDs and less than a year for burned DVDs. The main alternative to CD backups, while a little more expensive, is external hard disk backup.
With respect to hard disks:
Most IT equipment functions properly for anywhere from five to ten years. However, the typical lifespan of an external hard disk drive (HDD) is only about three to five years. More expensive solid state drives (SSDs) that use flash memory instead of spinning discs generally last ten years or more.
YMMV