Rule of Thumb

If you want reliable on-site backup, expect to spend up to 30,000 PHP. Only individuals with workflows that generate high-value media and data should invest in this level of backup. The cost should be trivial in comparison to the earning potential of the data, ideally around 20% or less of the revenue it can generate, multiplied by how critical it is to your work.

Who Needs This Level of Backup?
  • IT Professionals: Critical systems and files that require redundancy.
  • Video Editors & Media Artists: Large media files that are vital to work.
Expected Costs Breakdown
  1. Storage Costs
    • Base cost: ~2,000 PHP per TB.
    • Real-world pricing fluctuates.
    • RAID 1 (mirroring) doubles storage needs and cost.
    • Minimum recommended: 7TB (an 8TB drive offers ~7TB usable space).
  2. Recommended Enterprise-Grade Storage Drives
    • Western Digital (WD) RED
    • Seagate IronWolf
    • Toshiba N300
    • Warning: Seagate drives have a higher failure rate (up to 3-5x more failures). 1 in 20 fails. Check Backblaze drive failure statistics before purchasing.
  3. NAS System Costs
    • Choose from Synology, QNAP, or TrueNAS.
    • Typically supports 2 to 4 drives.
    • 2,000 – 5,000 PHP per drive slot.
  4. Setup & Learning Curve
    • Learn best backup practices.
    • Ensure an easy recovery process in case of failure.
Conclusion
  • Valuate your data: If it’s critical, it’s worth protecting. 
  • Budget at least 30,000 PHP for a solid backup system. 
  • Plan for 2.4 – 3k PHP per TB, factoring in RAID redundancy. 
  • Use enterprise-grade drives for reliability.
  • Understand failure rates to avoid unreliable brands.

Invest wisely in backups, because when things go wrong, you’ll be glad you did.

Stay secure, stay informed, and take control of your digital security.

For more information on how to stay secure in the digital age, stay tuned to the Comfac-IT Blog.