What’s the Best Storage Medium for Backing Up My Linux System?

For backups, I prefer to keep some hard drives that I only connect when needed. They're stored carefully in their boxes and are not powered all the time. This way, you protect against data loss while saving on wear and tear. Also, when it comes to stored media, I sometimes use SD cards for music—backed up to an HDD, of course!

Using external HDDs has worked well for me. They allow for incremental backups, which helps reduce the wear on write cycles. Plus, honestly, it's usually faster for me to just plug one in and start the rsync command than to deal with other methods.

If you prioritize reliability and endurance over speed, consider using a RAID array. It’s a solid choice for backup mediums and provides redundancy, just make sure you have decent drives in it!

HDDs are definitely better for long-term storage due to potential SSD bitrot if they sit powered off for too long. If data integrity is a top concern, consider burning Blu-ray discs, as they can last a long time!

If your data isn’t massive and changes frequently, I recommend a cloud backup solution like Backblaze paired with restic. It offers durability against disasters like fires or power outages, which is something that local backups just can’t guarantee.