Does this backup (redundant storage) process make sense?

[jsopoci]

My Lightroom catalog and photos are on an external drive with no current backups. I purchased another external drive and am planning to copy the full contents of my current external drive (drag and drop on Mac). Going forward, my plan is to use the program GoodSync to periodically (often) sync the 2 external drives so that the second/backup drive is up-to-date with my current external drive mapped to Lightroom for my work. Am I missing anything? Does this make sense?

I plan to stay with Lightroom CC Classic, but haven't done the most recent updates, as I want to be sure I have a complete backup before the updates. I've taken too many chances already with no backups!

Thank you!

[dj_paige]

You want to use the built-in Lightroom catalog backup function, and store the backup on your original external drive. Then GoodSync will copy it to the other drive.

The reason you want to use the built-in LIghtroom catalog backup function is that there is a check-box for checking the integrity of the catalog. This can prevent errors in the long run. Also, in the case where you are not using the built-in catalog backup and the catalog file would fail that integrity check, you could still make a backup of this catalog but it would be useless, as if you had no backup.

[jsopoci]

Thank you. I do have the catalog backed up by Lightroom weekly. All those backups are on the original external hard drive with the catalog and photos. Are you saying that Goodsync will copy the entire contents of my original hard drive directly from that hard drive, without my having to copy it over to the new, back up hard drive first? I admit I don’t really know much about that software other than I saw it recommended in a Tim Grey video!

[JoeKostoss]

I use a similar workflow on a Mac using SuperDuper to clone my original disc1 to a matching disc2.  I keep the working copy of my catalog on my computer internal HD with Lightroom making periodic catalog backups to disc1.  I don't have any experience with GoodSync, but assuming it is similar to most clone apps, it should be able to make the initial backup to disc2 without your having to copy the files manually.  After the initial backup, which can take a while, the following backups should be incremental and take only a short time to complete.

While this backup scheme is good to prevent loss due to a disc failure, it will not protect against a house fire, flood, etc.  You would need a cloud backup for that event, or have a disc3 which you keep somewhere away from your house, such as at work or in a safe-deposit box; however this becomes cumbersome if you want to back up often.

[jsopoci]

Great - thanks. I’ll get the backup started and hope I don’t run into any issues!

[dj_paige]

jsopoci  wrote

Are you saying that Goodsync will copy the entire contents of my original hard drive directly from that hard drive, without my having to copy it over to the new, back up hard drive first? I admit I don’t really know much about that software other than I saw it recommended in a Tim Grey video!

I never used Goodsync, so you will have to answer that question yourself. Give it a try and see what happens.