Thanks to the guidance of Peter Krogh, a few weeks ago I began using “validated transfers” when copying all critical files, such as when making backups and migrating images to my new hard drive. I’m doing so using ChronoSync, an extremely affordable and easy-to-use application for Mac. As a result, not only have I made a critical advance in safeguarding my images, but I am also feeling a lot more secure about the integrity of my data.

Below is a fantastic video that Krogh made for dpBestflow.org in which he shows us exactly how to put ChronoSync to work. (If you are using a PC, no worries. Krogh made a video — shared the end of this post — on how to perform validated transfers using SyncBack, which does the same trick.)

Important Note on ChronoSync: As you can see in the video, it’s absolutely critical that you check the option for “Verify copied data.” If not, you are just making a regular copy, not performing the bit-by-bit comparison of data that is so important. (More on that in a minute.)

The World of Data Validation

Making validated transfers is just one part of the world known as “data validation.” Krogh wrote the “Data Validation” section of dpBestflow.org, and this is definitely must-read material on a must-know topic for all photographers. It’s clearly written and super informative, typical of Krogh, a major guru regarding all aspects of digital asset management.

Krogh is always trying teach us the bigger, overarching principals that we can put to use in our specific workflows. As a result, “Data Validation” can seem a little heady at first, making us want to say “not today.” But I encourage you to stick in there — if nothing else, giving the section a quick scan, getting a sense of what’s there.

Really, it’s not that complicated. Or, maybe it is. But in either case, just being aware of the topic will — I can assure you from my own personal experience — serve you by opening your eyes to new concepts and language, as well as processes that you will want to put in place in your own time, in the manner that works best for you.

To help you keep from feeling overwhelmed by Krogh’s “Data Validation,” here’s what I suggest:

• Skim through “Data Validation,” knowing that simply exposing yourself to these ideas is helping you a great deal. After all, you have gotten this far, so any additional information you learn can only help! We’re in this for the long haul, no?

• Pick one aspect of data validation to put into place sooner-than-later, knowing that you can continue to build from there. This is how you learned (and continue to learn) Photoshop, right? One thing at a time, starting with what is most approachable, and most needed.

Not So Nerdy, Super Important

If Krogh is right (and I’m sure he is), very few photographers are following best practices regarding data storage, backup and validation practices. (I’m certainly not.) There are many aspects to these practices, but one of the most basic relates to “data transfer,” which we more commonly refer to as “copying files.”

Performing validated transfers is the one aspect of data validation I chose to put into effect right away. Here’s why:

Every time we copy a file, we risk corrupting that file, and unless we are performing validated transfers, we might never realize there is a problem until it’s too late. Gulp. But, no fear, performing validated transfers is easy.

(In a recent post, I shared how to properly format a hard drive for best data preservation practices. Just like performing validated data transfers, properly formatting a hard drive is just one aspect of best practices in data preservation and, again, it can be done on it’s own — one a piece of a larger puzzle of data security.)

Making Validated Copies

“Making validated transfers” might sound complex, but it’s actually very, very simple, and Krogh helped me understand the need by explaining:

“If you are moving files from one place to another, you need to make sure every bit comes along for the ride. Most people don’t know this could be a problem, but it can.”

Krogh told me that most photographers transfer files using their system software, often making a quick visual check to ensure that everything is in order. This  is exactly what I had been doing — until a couple weeks ago.

Whether copying a handful of files or 450GBs of digital images, I was just moving them in my Mac system software, checking to see if they “were there” on the far side and (basically) feeling OK about the process. Krogh told me that I was right to not feel totally confidant with this manner of copying. As he explained:

“Your operating system performs some basic checks when files are copied from one place to another, but it does not do a thorough validation. The only way to be absolutely sure that everything was transferred properly is to perform a bit-for-bit comparison between the original and the copy.”

This is where ChronoSync or SyncBack (or other programs that perform the same function) come into play. As Krogh says, they perform a bit-by-bit comparison of every piece of data transferred.

This means that the transfer takes twice as long, but who gives a poop? The process is automated and the sense (and reality) of security is well worth it.

Does It Really Matter?

So, let’s take a reality check here. You might be thinking (like I was a few weeks ago), “Hey, I haven’t been performing validated transfers and I’ve never had data corrupted during routine copying. So why start now?”

There are a few responses to this line of thinking. One obvious one is that I might have been wrong, having corrupted files along the way without knowing it — and still not knowing it.

Another response to motivate us into action is fear-based, as in: “It’s only a matter of time before you do have a problem — and it could be big — so you better protect yourself!”

To this attitude, I say. “Screw fear!” Who wants to be motivated by fear and anxiety?

Let’s be more positive and look at the situation this way: If you start to institute this simple process of performing validated transfers of data, you will not only guard against possible problems — that might not be big at all — but you will also increase your level of knowledge about best practices, and, best of all, you will feel more in control and more confident about the health of your data.

This is exactly what has happened to me. Simply by using ChronoSync (and making sure to check “Verify copied data”!) I have a whole new sense of security, and I have become a more active participant in all aspects of “data validation” — by getting started in a concrete and valuable way.

I used “glorious” in the title of this post because performing validated transfers — as simple as it is — does indeed feel glorious.

The Irony of Unexpected Anxiety

Ironically, although performing validated transfers has made me feel more at ease, it has also resulted in me feeling a greater sense of anxiety. This is because, thanks to Krogh’s non-fear-based guidance, I have become more aware of the aspects of data validation that I still don’t have under control.

Sure, this kind of sucks: improving part of my workflow only to feel more anxious about other parts of my workflow. But hey, this is what happens when we start to do something better, no? We start to realize how many things we are not doing “right.”

To myself and to you, I simply remind myself that this is where we simply need to take a deep breath, realizing that improving even one step or our data validation process does make a huge difference. Not only am I performing glorious validated data transfers, but I’m looking for other ways that I can make improvements to the overall health and security of my data.

(And here’s. . . SyncBack!)

Tags: Backups, ChronoSync, Copying Files, Copying Image Files, Data Management, Data Validation, dpBestflow.org, Peter Krogh, SyncBack, Validated File Transfer