It was a wet spring, and the fall hasn't been epic - so far, but the rest of season 2019, was excellent!

Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
It's not mechanical. Contacts are usually gold plated. However, unless they are sealed somehow (and circuits conformally coated) everything is subject to salt air corrosion over a long term.
I understand the theory that SSD drives are more “durable” than traditional rotational drive head types due to the fact they don’t have any “moving” parts and the corrosive effect of salt laden air but that would only affect the contacts or external electrical components of the drive not the internal part of either drive type.

I totally get why an SSD might be better in an environment where the drive might get bounced around (moving sailboat) vs a desk.

SSD capacity and price are constantly improving but are still not competitive with traditional drives. It’s also debatable (perhaps in a different forum ;) ) whether they are “better”.
 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,372
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I think the problem with your approach is that it depends too much on manual process, is vulnerable to physical loss/fire/theft, persistent "attacked computer" threat and physical loss of non-encrypted data.
I don't follow the above in its entirety. Yes, my main vulnerability would be loss, most likely from water damage, some possibility via theft, although that part I have a number of ways to minimize. Persistent "attacked computer" I don't follow at all. I would not be connected to the internet. How would I get that? You can't steal data from this system unless you steal the physical components. The computer and the back-up system would be two physically distinct entities. The only time anyone would even know of their existence would be when I connect them to perform a backup of data.

I prefer a more automated and distributed approach that relies on physical redundancy, automated point in time archival, and distributed encryption (where I control the encryption keys).
(BTW the concern about paying iDrive subscriptions is trivial at roughly $1 per week. Most Americans pay more for coffee)
This model works fine when in a single location, like on land, and where one has a more "normal" lifestyle. When I head off, I will be looking to have as few "monthly" payments as possible. None would be preferred. I will not be in one location or country. I will not be in locations, for much of the time, where internet access will be available. I can't rely on that.

dj
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,372
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I understand the theory that SSD drives are more “durable” than traditional rotational drive head types due to the fact they don’t have any “moving” parts and the corrosive effect of salt laden air but that would only affect the contacts or external electrical components of the drive not the internal part of either drive type.

I totally get why an SSD might be better in an environment where the drive might get bounced around (moving sailboat) vs a desk.

SSD capacity and price are constantly improving but are still not competitive with traditional drives. It’s also debatable (perhaps in a different forum ;) ) whether they are “better”.
So this greatly interests me. Yes, the drive will be on a sailboat and crossing oceans with all the bouncing that entails. Hence, my thought that SSD's would be better. In addition, I had thought, perhaps erroneously, that they would be more robust than hard drives in this environment. I'm well aware of the limitations in capacity and price, but I'm looking to put this together in a couple years, not at the present. I have plenty of backup hard drives where I can trial the software end of things and such in the interim.

As this thread started with TomY on a totally different topic, I'd be happy to start a new thread if that is felt to be a better way to continue this conversation. It certainly was not my desire to hijack this thread...

dj
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
So this greatly interests me. Yes, the drive will be on a sailboat and crossing oceans with all the bouncing that entails. Hence, my thought that SSD's would be better. In addition, I had thought, perhaps erroneously, that they would be more robust than hard drives in this environment. I'm well aware of the limitations in capacity and price, but I'm looking to put this together in a couple years, not at the present. I have plenty of backup hard drives where I can trial the software end of things and such in the interim.

As this thread started with TomY on a totally different topic, I'd be happy to start a new thread if that is felt to be a better way to continue this conversation. It certainly was not my desire to hijack this thread...

dj
I think the hijack has occurred ;) Sorry @TomY however you did mention backup drives in the initial post ;)

Perhaps a new thread is called for.
 

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
You must have gotten all our good weather. We had eight weeks in a row of Wednesday night racing cancelled because of thunderstorms or (twice) no wind. We even moved one cancelled Wednesday session to Thursday and got zapped that day too. Photo: competitor waiting for wind...
 

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