Best way to create backup on cloud for EPUB books

[slm]

Okay, I've got to say this: Despite all the advice above, it works to simply move your Calibre folder into a Dropbox folder (and then never touch that folder directly again except in an emergency).

If you operate that way--as I have for many years--a copy of your library always exists in the cloud and is always current.


YMMV

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Get a water/fire proof box to store the backups.

Fireproof boxes are commonly 2hr rated. That assumes YOUR fire gets attention.

I visited my brother in-law's place on the hill in Santa Barbara after the fire in the 70'. There were puddles of cold metal in the foundation (that was also showing distress).

Our fires have been burning for days before crews manage to deal with hot spots.
Off site, a distance, up higher (no flood or slide hazard), and even that is not proof. 2 or 3 places

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

BUT it is great for the first backup because it establishes your personal configuration BASELINE, then the file sync on another copy.

Curious to know which file sync software product can use calibre's export/import spanned archive format as the baseline for subsequent incremental/differential backups.

Added: A safe deposit packet/box may not be as costly as many think - $100-250 pa.

BR

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by slm

Okay, I've got to say this: Despite all the advice above, it works to simply move your Calibre folder into a Dropbox folder (and then never touch that folder directly again except in an emergency).

If you operate that way--as I have for many years--a copy of your library always exists in the cloud and is always current.


YMMV

It works as long as you use that library strictly on one device only. As soon as you start to make changes to your library on more than one device and sync the changes back and forth, database corruption will follow. Because people tend to forget that "one device" part, IMO it's better not to advise them to keep their active library in Dropbox.

[fogice]

It sounds like you don't have a backup strategy for your computer. Losing data is tragic, especially things like photos. Don't let it happen.

I use BackBlaze to back up all my data, including my Calibre library, to their cloud servers. (I also run Time Machine to a NAS, and Carbon Copy Cloner to a separate HD.) All this happens automatically so I don't have to think about it.

[ljrkrispes]

Thanks to everyone for all of the great suggestions. My entire computer is backed up to Carbonite. I also back up to an external hard drive every 3 months. I was more interested in a specific backup of Calibre and the library because it would be so hard to replace 10 years and 5000+books. I wanted a separate discreet backup of just my library--not necessarily a rational wish, but there you have it. Thumb drive and a syncing program or even Dropbox and a syncing program both sound interesting. Thanks for being kind to a neophyte.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by slm

Okay, I've got to say this: Despite all the advice above, it works to simply move your Calibre folder into a Dropbox folder (and then never touch that folder directly again except in an emergency).

If you operate that way--as I have for many years--a copy of your library always exists in the cloud and is always current.


YMMV

NO! NO! NO! NO!

Never ever move your library to where the cloud storage program is looking at. That's the best way to break your library.

The thing is, to do it correctly requires you to use twice the local storage because you need two copies of all of your libraries.

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

NO! NO! NO! NO!

Never ever move your library to where the cloud storage program is looking at. That's the best way to break your library.

The thing is, to do it correctly requires you to use twice the local storage because you need two copies of all of your libraries.

I've had all my calibre libraries on Dropbox for years. Knock on wood, no database corruption has happened yet.

My trick is I pause Dropbox while I'm using my computer, sync everything in the morning, then pause it again once the syncing is complete. I also only ever access the calibre library in Dropbox from one computer/device.

I also use a program to sync my Dropbox calibre folder to another drive so it's also hosted off the cloud server. I prefer cloud option in case of a fire or something happens to my laptop.

I've always been a little worried about ransomware so I do backup my stuff to a external drive about four times a year and then disconnect that drive from my computer.

That's just my two-cents. I'd be curious to hear more about this database corruption problem because I haven't run across it myself, but it doesn't mean it's not a real risk.

Amalthia

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

I'd be curious to hear more about this database corruption problem because I haven't run across it myself, but it doesn't mean it's not a real risk.

Amalthia

It usually happens when you access your library from more than one device.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

That's just my two-cents. I'd be curious to hear more about this database corruption problem because I haven't run across it myself, but it doesn't mean it's not a real risk.

Using two or more computers running calibre accessing the same library in the cloud is probably the best way to trigger database corruption.

OTOH, I could also trigger data base corruption by running the connection through a device that allows me to control the connection (speed, jitter, dropping random packets, all the other fun stuff for testing connections). I suspect the improved speed and stability of most people's Internet connectivity helps with hiding SQLite and other programs inability to handle flaky network connections.

[theducks]

1 word: FRAGILE
This applies to an ACTIVE LIBRARY.

Calibre expects the file system to keep in step NOW. Any delay can cause issues.
Rename a Title or author, then realize you had a typo , and correct.
If the (library) files are in a buffer(cache), waiting to be written, the next changes could be made with no files being previously done.

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by theducks

1 word: FRAGILE
This applies to an ACTIVE LIBRARY.

Calibre expects the file system to keep in step NOW. Any delay can cause issues.
Rename a Title or author, then realize you had a typo , and correct.
If the (library) files are in a buffer(cache), waiting to be written, the next changes could be made with no files being previously done.

It sounds like my practice of pausing Dropbox during the day and only syncing when I'm not using Calibre is probably why this process has been running smoothly for me for years now. That and only accessing my libraries from one device.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

It sounds like my practice of pausing Dropbox during the day and only syncing when I'm not using Calibre is probably why this process has been running smoothly for me for years now. That and only accessing my libraries from one device.

But it only takes once to forget to pause Dropbox and you could get a corrupted database.

[JSWolf]

Now if there was a way to allow me to access Onedrive as though it was a hard drive, I could use FreeFleSync t backup my libraries to the cloud. But I will not allow programs that only allow a two-way sync to run on my computer.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But it only takes once to forget to pause Dropbox and you could get a corrupted database.

If that happens and you catch it quickly enough, it's pretty trivial to repair. Dropbox doesn't delete conflicted file versions out of hand; it creates a copy of them. So if you have two conflicted database files, you'll only have to decide which one is the correct version, rename it correctly and delete the other one. The problems arise when you don't check your library often enough and let the conflicts multiply.