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The original was posted on /r/datahoarder by /u/Revolutionary_Ad6574 on 2024-10-01 14:39:13+00:00.

I know these are rookie numbers for this sub but that’s all I need. My whole digital archive fits into 1TB but I still want to make damn sure I never lose any of it. Currently I have an external 1TB WD SSD which I plug in only once every 2-3 months to copy new files. I do that because I just assumed that the less I use it the safer it is. But skimming through the sub I’ve found a term called “cold storage”. I assume it means just keeping your data in your drive and use it only when you need it as opposed to keeping it plugged all the time and using it constantly. I don’t know if “cold storage” is a good or a bad thing but seeing posts about it makes me wonder.

Am I doing it wrong? Or is this the safest way to handle my data? Should I switch to a HDD? Or is it enough to keep my SSD plugged in?

Keep in mind I’m looking for the simplest “good enough” solution. If what I’m already doing falls in that category then so be it. I’m just disclaiming that because I’m not looking for advice on setting up RAID or this new kid on the block NAS etc, I’m not an enthusiast, my interests lie elsewhere. I just want to make sure I’m not doing anything obviously wrong.

Also, I’m not looking for cloud storage, I’m only interested in offline.