Best Storage Practices for Creatives

Best Storage Practices for Creatives (an expensive personal lesson)

I recently learnt a very expensive lesson in data storage and recovery.

Once upon a time a hard drive containing a multitude of project files, documents and data decided to crash for no apparent reason other than “just because”. Suffice to say, this threw a fun little curve ball into my life. But, no fuss, no muss, no coconuts — I was sure this would be an easy fix. Enter, curve ball number two: lack of urgency.

We live in a place that is well regarded for taking their sweet time or ‘island time’ as it is. While life in my lane is equivalent to the far side of the motorway where drivers go anywhere between 100 - 120km/hr, my local counterparts were operating at an easy breezy, ‘must be Sunday in the islands because they’re driving 20km/hr’ pace.

After weeks of research, visiting several IT technicians on the island and constantly forking out payment ‘solutions’ to no avail, I had one recurring thought through it all, “this would actually make a very valuable blog post”. So here I am! Helping you all do as I say, and not as I do (in this case).

Aside from poking fun at my unfortunate situation, this scenario can actually be taken a step further from one of a cautionary tale to that of best practices in digital storage for creative professionals. Now, it may be worth noting before we dive in, that until recently I had presumed that my data management methods were pretty on par with other top professionals from around the world. Why? Well, I’m lucky to call some of them friends. They had advised me years prior of their storage methods. Now, these are top creative professionals that travel for months in a year and take on huge projects for huge clients. Safe to say I thought I was golden following their advice. But with anything, there’s always room for improvement. Given this hiccup, I’m taking their advice to the next level with a ‘twist of Tayla’.

Data recovery isn’t the most glamorous of topics so I’ve kept this post down to 3 concise action points. Let’s jump in.

1. Embrace a Multi-Tiered Storage Strategy

I know. What is that and why? Holistically, it’s consistently allocating time every week, or perhaps every month, to complete a routine that CMA/CYA (covers my/your ass) in situations like these. Here’s how:

Split your storage methods into 3 parts…

Primary Storage (Working Drive): Your working drive is where you store files you're actively editing. For most creatives, speed is paramount here. Rather than opting for a tough cover external HDD (Hard Disk Drives) like I have done to date, consider instead switching to SSDs (Solid State Drives). SSD’s may have a slightly more expensive price tag than your standard HDD, but they are known for quick read/write speeds which can significantly enhance your workflow, making this a worthy investment.

Secondary Storage (External Drives): Invest in high-capacity external hard drives for secondary storage. These drives serve as a local backup for completed projects and frequently accessed files. Regularly transferring files from your primary to your secondary storage can keep your working drive uncluttered.

Tertiary Storage (Archival Solutions): For long-term storage of completed projects, consider archival solutions like NAS (Network-Attached Storage) systems or desktop drives. These options offer vast storage capacities and durability for archival purposes, ensuring your work is preserved for years.

2. Implement a Backup Routine

In between visiting various IT professionals to repair my sacred hard drives which housed literally thousands of important files, the last one I visited (the one who finally managed to successfully recover said files) dropped a bit of sage wisdom on me. He said the ‘golden rule’ of data management is the 3-2-1 backup strategy: maintain at least three copies of your data, store two backup copies on different storage media, and keep one of them offsite. Cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or dedicated cloud solutions for creatives can serve as an offsite backup, offering an extra layer of security against data loss due to physical damage or theft. You may have to pay a small subscription fee for these services, but again it’s well worth it down the road to avoid any potentially nasty circumstances.

If you’re like me, the simple task of backing up your data can often sound tedious. But to avoid an expensive lesson like the one I’ve just learnt, put your immediate feelings aside to save your skin down the line. I now commit time at the end of every month to back up any new files I’ve worked on in this period, safeguarding my hard yards for years to come.

3. Optimise File Organisation

Develop a consistent file naming and folder structure system that suits your workflow. This organization not only saves time when searching for files but also prevents data loss due to misplacement or accidental deletion. Consider incorporating project names, dates, and version numbers in your file naming convention to keep things clear and navigable.

My former-coworkers, current clients, even friends browsing through my hard drives, are always so surprised at how efficiently organised I keep drives and the naming system of all of my files. It goes without saying that it makes it super easy to navigate, especially when you’re dealing with as many projects as I tend to, and keeps it clutter-free. It also means when you visit IT professionals and they ask you to break down what files are located where, you can do so without batting an eyelid.

For creatives, mastering storage practices is as crucial as honing your craft. By implementing a multi-tiered storage strategy, adhering to a disciplined backup routine, and optimising your file organisation, you can ensure that your digital assets are secure, accessible, and ready to fuel your next creative project. Remember, in the digital realm, your data is your most valuable asset; treat it with the care and respect it deserves… or be prepared to pay the high price for a lesson as I just did.

If I’m being completely honest however, one of the worst things about this situation was not the money I had to keep forking out to get it fixed, or the money I then had to immediately invest into better long term solutions to keep this from happening going forward — it was the fact that this threw me out for several weeks — impacting my workflow, delivery times and as a result, my clients. Luckily they are the salt of the earth and understood these things can happen. But the real silver lining is that I learnt a valuable lesson (one that I am not keen on re-learning in the future), successfully recovered all of my files and how have an even more efficient way of securely storing my data.

Remember, do as I say and not as I do.

Ciao for now,

Tayla