Post your "Backup" process

[Photog82]

I've seen questions here and there on the forums and thought it would be nice to have a thread dedicated to this. (I searched and couldn't find a similar thread).

Here's my backup process:

1. RAW files are downloaded from CF
2. RAW files are edited in DPP or Lightroom
   
   1. Since DPP saves edits in the RAW file, those edits are backed up when I back up the RAW files
   2. I have Lightroom export the sidecar/XMP file when I export the edits to JPG, that way if I ever start a new catalog and want to re-edit the photos, Lightroom will import the sidecar file that contains the edits
   
   
3. All photos are stored in a hierarchical folder structure by date and file type:
   
   • Year
     
     • Month
       
       • Day (contains JPG files and these sub-folders)
       • RAW
       • PSD (if applicable)
       • DNG (if applicable)
   
   
4. I keep a copy of that data on an external hard drive (I try to keep it updated every month or so)
5. I burn the data to Blu-ray discs and keep 1 copy at my house and another at my office where I'm employed.
   
   • I like this method for long-term storage, meaning anywhere from 6-12 months after the photos were taken, they get burnt to disc as by that time I most likely will not need or want to make any further edits, etc. to the photos.

I have a DIY built NAS that I keep in the basement (FreeNAS) and everyone 6 months or so I make a copy there too, just in-case. I haven't considered an online backup such as Carbonite (despite it being a really great online backup solution) due to the sheer amount of data that I have.