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Dropbox keeps deleted files and previous versions of files for 30 days. With Packrat, a free feature for all paid accounts, Dropbox keeps deleted files for the

Dropbox keeps deleted files and previous versions of files for 30 days. With Packrat, a free feature for all paid accounts, Dropbox keeps deleted files for the lifetime of the account. How is Dropbox not a backup provider? It may not be a very good backup provider, depending on your point of view, but it clearly markets itself as a backup provider ("your stuff is always safe in Dropbox and can be restored in a snap"), is used by its users as a backup provider, and has the features of a backup provider.

jackweirdy 12y ago
Backups should be read only. If I can delete parts of a backup, it's just as susceptible to the same human mistakes that make them necessary in the first place.
- _delirium 12y ago
  By that definition, most corporate backup systems aren't backups! It's pretty common to overwrite old tape backups with newer backups, and yes, that does mean you need to be organized enough to make sure you don't accidentally overwrite the only backup of something.
  - snowwrestler 12y ago
    Maybe a better way to put it is that backups are isolated from current "production" data operations. Backups are not invulnerable, so yes, it's still possible to overwrite the backups, but that involves engaging the backup system specifically. Just doing file operations or settings changes on the production system won't do it. Dropbox is not isolated from production data operations. In fact the whole point is to synchronize production data operations as fast as possible. That makes it dangerous. (This does not excuse the bug is this story; sync setting changes should be obviously be atomic transactions that are confirmed on the server.)
    - jackweirdy 12y ago
      Yeah; that's a better way of putting it. rm -rf'ing my production box's hard drive shouldn't nuke the backups.
  - Spooky23 12y ago
    Not at all. Any backup system defines an RTO (Recovery Time Objective) and RPO (Recovery Point Objective). Usually, backups are scoped to protect against system failure, so fast time to recover and limited historical durations are usually design goals. Being able to restore a server to it's state 20 weeks ago isn't very useful. Dropbox is like shadow copies in Windows. You can go back in time, for the purposes of journaling changes to an existing object. It's a productivity enhancer for users, not really a backup feature. Keeping things forever is usually referred to as backup. For example, my employer keeps certain records for 100 years due to statutory requirements. When you archive, you want to tightly scope what you archive and limit it as much as possible. Things like short time to restore are usually not primary design goals.
- tlrobinson 12y ago
  The "Packrat" feature the parent comment mentioned keeps every version of a file you upload: https://www.dropbox.com/help/113 https://www.dropbox.com/help/113
  - mayneack 12y ago
    You can still permanently delete things. It's just harder.
snowwrestler 12y ago
To me it sounds like Packrat is a backup feature, but this person chose not to take advantage of it.
mayneack 12y ago
I'm paying for packrat on top of pro. Are you getting it for free?
- gabemart 12y ago
  No, I just misread the help page. Thanks.
judk 12y ago
But the OP claimed that they are a paid user but don't have PackRat
egypturnash 12y ago
I didn't realize they were now marketing themselves as a backup provider. Tsk.

jackweirdy 12y ago

Backups should be read only. If I can delete parts of a backup, it's just as susceptible to the same human mistakes that make them necessary in the first place.

_delirium 12y ago
By that definition, most corporate backup systems aren't backups! It's pretty common to overwrite old tape backups with newer backups, and yes, that does mean you need to be organized enough to make sure you don't accidentally overwrite the only backup of something.
- snowwrestler 12y ago
  Maybe a better way to put it is that backups are isolated from current "production" data operations. Backups are not invulnerable, so yes, it's still possible to overwrite the backups, but that involves engaging the backup system specifically. Just doing file operations or settings changes on the production system won't do it. Dropbox is not isolated from production data operations. In fact the whole point is to synchronize production data operations as fast as possible. That makes it dangerous. (This does not excuse the bug is this story; sync setting changes should be obviously be atomic transactions that are confirmed on the server.)
  - jackweirdy 12y ago
    Yeah; that's a better way of putting it. rm -rf'ing my production box's hard drive shouldn't nuke the backups.
- Spooky23 12y ago
  Not at all. Any backup system defines an RTO (Recovery Time Objective) and RPO (Recovery Point Objective). Usually, backups are scoped to protect against system failure, so fast time to recover and limited historical durations are usually design goals. Being able to restore a server to it's state 20 weeks ago isn't very useful. Dropbox is like shadow copies in Windows. You can go back in time, for the purposes of journaling changes to an existing object. It's a productivity enhancer for users, not really a backup feature. Keeping things forever is usually referred to as backup. For example, my employer keeps certain records for 100 years due to statutory requirements. When you archive, you want to tightly scope what you archive and limit it as much as possible. Things like short time to restore are usually not primary design goals.
tlrobinson 12y ago
The "Packrat" feature the parent comment mentioned keeps every version of a file you upload: https://www.dropbox.com/help/113 https://www.dropbox.com/help/113
- mayneack 12y ago
  You can still permanently delete things. It's just harder.

snowwrestler 12y ago

To me it sounds like Packrat is a backup feature, but this person chose not to take advantage of it.

mayneack 12y ago

I'm paying for packrat on top of pro. Are you getting it for free?

gabemart 12y ago
No, I just misread the help page. Thanks.

judk 12y ago

But the OP claimed that they are a paid user but don't have PackRat

egypturnash 12y ago

I didn't realize they were now marketing themselves as a backup provider. Tsk.