All infrequently accessed files are stored on AWS S3. All files are encrypted server-side using AES-256 with the AWS S3 Master Key. When uploading files to this bucket, you must set this encryption option, otherwise uploads will be prevented by the bucket's policy. Unfortunately, this also means using an app like Transmit won't work since they don't offer this encryption option (as of April 10, 2016).
The intention of these backups are "last resort" backups, so hopefully they'll never actually need retrieved. With that in mind, Lifecycle policies are used to archive files to AWS Glacier after a short period of days.
Using AWS because it's dirt cheap, however since the user experience isn't the greatest and Glacier retrieval prices can be a slippery slope, it's only used for infrequently accessed files and backups are uploaded only a few times a year. Most directories will consist of subdirectories named by year (e.g. finances/2014, photos/2014, etc)
Lifecycle policies:
- finances/ are archived to Glacier after 7 days of creation. 7 days gives me a chance to change or delete any files before they're archived. (This could probably be shorter.)
Use cases:
- Finances (receipts, taxes)
- Scanned documents and forms (confirmations, itineraries, contracts)
- Photos and Videos
- Music
- Books
Pricing (as of April 10, 2016):
- Standard storage: $0.36/yr per GB
- Standard IA storage: $0.15/yr per GB
- Glacier storage: $0.084/yr per GB
Alternatives:
- Arq (arqbackup.com): Tempting and does everything I'd want it to, however I'm hesitant to rely on an intermediary between me and my bucket. What if 5 years from now they decide to call it quits? Am I stuck with their fucked up file structure?
If you use a desktop computer or a laptop that rarely moves, a desktop external drive is a better choice than a portable hard drive. Desktop drives are generally cheaper per terabyte than smaller portable models, and the larger platters and required AC power supplies translate into faster speeds and more capacity than portables. http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-external-desktop-hard-drive/
Portable hard drives - Mid-term, redundant, infrequent backups
Desktop hard drive - Mid-term, frequent backups
Any file I need backed up or accessed on multiple devices is added to Dropbox.
Use cases:
- Finances
- Scanned documents and forms
- Photos and Videos
- Books
- Design files
- App preferences and config settings (Alfred, 1Password, Keyboard Maestro)
Pricing (as of January 10, 2016): $99/yr for 1 TB