Doug, I use S3 for my personal and client site backups. Some further Pro and Con thoughts.
Cons: 1. Like most I used to rely on the host provider's backup utility to nightly ensure everything was safe and archived somewhere. Little did I know they just stored the backup zip file on the same account's disk drive. So when they lost the server drives I also lost my entire backup. So -1 on using the host's backup process unless for the extra $100 they can guarantee the backup is stored on a different server that is also backup. 2. Using Amazon S3 you have to use your own solution. I've developed some shell scripts which run nightly via a cronjob to an S3 account. So consider for using Amazon you will need to do the same. I basically create a zip of the entire tree of the site. Include in that zip a DB dump (mysqldump). Then using the Amazon S3 PHP class http://www.neurofuzzy.net/2006/08/26/amazon-s3-php-class-update/ connect and push to a folder on the S3 account. 3. Remember Amazon is cheap but they charge in two ways. For storage space plus bandwidth usage. Can't remember off the top is the bandwidth is both outbound and inbound or just outbound. Still assumed it would be less than your $100 up-charge from your host provider. Pros: 1. I consider using Amazon's cloud a much better solution because the server storage is not on a physical server. It's a dynamic distributed array of server that constantly mirror each other. So if you loose one you don't loose all your data. Though there are some on this list who think Amazon may just one day wake up and pull the plug on the service. My personal option is not going to happen without at least some advanced notification. 2. This is more for my perspective then most. Since I manage many client websites many of which I do not control the hosting I can still send the backup to my Amazon S3 account for centralized storage. 3. There are a number of utilities like the FireFox S3 plugin that makes managing files on Amazon dead simple. 4. A site restore from an S3 backup would include 1) download the archive from Amazon. As mentioned I create a zip file of the site. I would not recommend a file-by-file storage unless you also want to access the images (which many do) directly from Amazon. 2) upload to your host. 3) restore the database from zip file. P- On Aug 13, 2009, at 1:40 PM, Doug Boude wrote: > Needing some sane, unbiased input from my technical brethren. > > Should I pay my new web host $100/month to perform backups of my > VPS, or should i save that money and put complete trust in an Amazon > S3 backup solution that I can implement myself? The pros and cons as > I see them are: > > Pros for dropping the hundred bucks: I don't have to think about > anything...if there's a need for restoration, i just tell the host > to do it. > > Cons for dropping the hundred bucks: I'm dropping a hundred bucks > > Pros for amazon s3: I save a hundred bucks (minus Amazon's miniscule > storage fee); > > Cons for amazon s3: I have to perform recovery procedures myself > (which I'm unsure how to do using this service); I can't "touch" my > backups (I feel better being able to put my backups in my pocket, so > to speak - not an issue for me if the host is bearing the > responsibility of backup and recovery) > > Any input regarding my dilemma? Wish I wasn't such a tightwad, but I > am. :) > > Thanks! > > Doug Boude > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Our Web site: http://www.RefreshAustin.org/ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Refresh Austin" group. [ Posting ] To post to this group, send email to [email protected] Job-related postings should follow http://tr.im/refreshaustinjobspolicy We do not accept job posts from recruiters. [ Unsubscribe ] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] [ More Info ] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Refresh-Austin -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
