DVDisaster - free OSS parity ECC creation backup software

[PeterCH]

Works with both Intel Mac and Windows.
http://dvdisaster.net/en/index.php

Allows you to keep ECC data in the image (then burn that to medium) or keep it seperate to use for recovery purposes in case of corruption of the original media.

Great for archival purposes. There is other PARITY file generation software out there but this is for Mac OSX too.

 

[StbA]

Seems interesting, all my DVD's have now been backed up onto HDD, one working copy and one offline copy. Just waiting for the Drobo Pro to drop in price a bit and then I'll get that for triple redundancy, no more dvd's for me.

 

[PeterCH]

Seems interesting, all my DVD's have now been backed up onto HDD, one working copy and one offline copy. Just waiting for the Drobo Pro to drop in price a bit and then I'll get that for triple redundancy, no more dvd's for me.

If you make two identical copies on DVD-R, chances are both DVD-Rs will deteriorate equally and you'll get the same data lost on each DVD/CD. If you make a copy with parity/ECC info on it or keep the info seperate - chances are greater that you'll be able to recover from more errors.
It works like a Drobo.

The problem with the Drobo is that it is PROPRIETORY. If it dies you'll need an indentical Drobo unit and once those are no longer made (or only updated models are sold) you may have problems.

 

[StbA]

Really?, so if i have 4 hdd's in an old drobo and put it into a new drobo pro my data is lost?

 

[PeterCH]

Really?, so if i have 4 hdd's in an old drobo and put it into a new drobo pro my data is lost?

Maybe its not as extreme as that but if Drobo goes bust, or stops making their drives and your system dies, your data will be lost forever.

Unlike software RAID where the format is pretty ubiquitous.

 

[bdt]

As I read through this, I'm getting more impressed by how brilliant (seeming, still reading/thinking it through/to test) it is. This could be pivotal in committing crucial data to a backup medium for long-term [-]dust-gathering[/-] offline storage. An example: master copy of (years worth of) digital photos to Bluray discs.

(and if you think that isn't crucial data, you have no idea how attached people get to their holiday/family/etc. photos!)

 

[plazma]

Please excuse my ignorance, but how is this different from simply making a backup of something, say, a dvd?

 

[bdt]

Please excuse my ignorance, but how is this different from simply making a backup of something, say, a dvd?

It's a given that your backup medium may (ok, will) likely fail in some interesting way down the line. This app puts error detection/recovery INTO the backup you make so that (if you catch it in time/catch a break) you stand a good/better chance of getting your stuff back.

Plain copying it doesn't give you that.