Backing up digital images

RE: Backing up digital images

Roland Bulkyn-Rackowe — Thu, 25 May 2017 09:10:24 GMT

DICOMM to disk is OK. I would like to have an off site or cloud solution. Writing the DVD DICOMM files to the cloud works although I don't know how well the patient data is retained and whether this will remain readily accessible. It's probably the best solution we'll get.

Unfortunately there is no option to adjust the output quality of Jpegs on our system, which is very frustrating. The Visbion PACS system, which is a small separate NAS device, is integrated into the settings of the NXuser application and does store at high resolution. It also has a reasonable web front end to its internal database that can be accessed within our LAN.

The NXuser PC deletes older images if they have been archived to Visbion so the backups would be limited. Not a bad option if someone remembered to take the external hard disks off site on a rotating basis.

RE: Backing up digital images

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 24 May 2017 18:24:39 GMT

[quote user="roland bulkyn-rackowe"] I can't seem to find an alternative way of backing up at that quality other than writing DICOMMS to disk.[/quote]

A little time-consuming, yes, but otherwise is that so bad?

Does your system not allow you to save images as jpegs in the quality of your choice?

Another suggestion: why not just keep a clone of your system on an external hard disc and back up every night?

RE: Backing up digital images

Roland Bulkyn-Rackowe — Wed, 24 May 2017 17:29:50 GMT

Our Nxuser jpeg exports are only 400KB, low resolution and horribly compressed. We have a Visbion PACS system that keeps high res JPEGS but that's proprietory and has a risk of failure. I can't seem to find an alternative way of backing up at that quality other than writing DICOMMS to disk.

RE: Backing up digital images

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 22 May 2017 16:49:20 GMT

[quote user="roland bulkyn-rackowe"]Does anyone have a backup solution with NX user 2.0 (Agfa) that means that the images are accessible (ideally high quality Jpegs)?[/quote]Well as already intimated, as nxuser doesn't save straight to our PMS we save ours to a memory stick then transfer to client files. Every now and again we back up to DVD. The images from the memory stick can then easily be added to emails. They're Jpeg and all the images look good enough to me, I can't see what the issue is.

RE: Backing up digital images

Neil Wheadon — Fri, 19 May 2017 11:07:33 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]

Just remember DVDs and CDs you burn yourself do NOT last indefinitely - they degrade significantly even over a few years, depending on quality.

Flash memory is much more stable but even those are subject to damage.

[/quote]

Apparently in 500 years we will be known as the digital dark ages, simply because no-one will be open to open/view/access anything that we produce today (including this forum )

Out of interest, how long does a practice have to keep the images for?

Neil

RE: Backing up digital images

Stephen Courtney — Thu, 18 May 2017 22:52:01 GMT

Just remember DVDs and CDs you burn yourself do NOT last indefinitely - they degrade significantly even over a few years, depending on quality.

Flash memory is much more stable but even those are subject to damage.

RE: Backing up digital images

Malcolm Ness — Thu, 18 May 2017 12:42:45 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Thanks - very kind offer but seeing as I no longer pay the bills, I just can't be bothered![/quote]

Careful Gillian, the corporate thought-police will be after you!!

RE: Backing up digital images

Roland Bulkyn-Rackowe — Thu, 18 May 2017 12:26:59 GMT

How are you backing up? Does anyone have a backup solution with NX user 2.0 (Agfa) that means that the images are accessible (ideally high quality Jpegs)?

I don't have the logins yet for the changing the configuration although I can see that the raw files can be saved readily enough.

RE: Backing up digital images

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 16 May 2017 11:03:18 GMT

Thanks - very kind offer but seeing as I no longer pay the bills, I just can't be bothered!

RE: Backing up digital images

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 16 May 2017 10:30:32 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]We're still on film [/quote]Going digital end of last year was one of the best decisions I've made recently. Which means I have some film that needs a new home. One unopened box of Agfa 24 x 30 - make me an offer I can't refuse and one opened box probably over half full FOC - just pay the postage.

RE: Backing up digital images

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 16 May 2017 09:22:05 GMT

By no means am I telling you what to do Martin! We're still on film so a flood and fire would certainly be terminal!

RE: Backing up digital images

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 16 May 2017 08:59:55 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]A flood or fire?[/quote]A memory stick or DVD can be removed from the premises. If you data is in the hands of a third party are you certain their system is secure? Given recent events I have my doubts. I'll take my chance with flood and fire for now.

RE: Backing up digital images

Andrew Henfrey — Mon, 15 May 2017 19:58:09 GMT

Ask Jack in the Guardian did a good reply to the backup question this week.

RE: Backing up digital images

Caroline Allen — Mon, 15 May 2017 19:49:25 GMT

Thanks all. I think the on site vs off site is an interesting one.

I think that we do want off site back-up, hence looking at the cloud options.

RE: Backing up digital images

Gillian Mostyn — Mon, 15 May 2017 14:39:51 GMT

A flood or fire?

You might have more issues than a few lost images, but your clients may not see it that way!

RE: Backing up digital images

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 15 May 2017 11:35:18 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]I think the issue Martin about is safe remote storage [/quote]True Gillian but how likely is it that the computer hard disc with the developer, the memory stick, the DVD, the PMS and the back-up of the PMS will all fail? Even Wannacry or Fancy Bears would be hard pushed to achieve that! I think I will have bigger issues than a few lost X-rays then.

RE: Backing up digital images

Gillian Mostyn — Mon, 15 May 2017 11:26:16 GMT

I think the issue Martin about is safe remote storage - your computer system can be corrupted, or DVD back ups can fail/burn/be lost.

RE: Backing up digital images

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 15 May 2017 09:31:53 GMT

Only went digital end of last year and we're hardly busy so running out of storage is not an issue. However, our developer is not connected directly to the PMS so images get saved onto a memory stick then transferred to client files the same day with a periodic back up to a DVD.

RE: Backing up digital images

Seadna — Sun, 14 May 2017 19:16:16 GMT

I'm paying around £79 per year for one terrabyte from Dropbox and I love it if that's any use. That's a private account but there are business accounts that aren't much better and have useful features like recovery of accidentally-deleted files etc. I find it fast and reliable and you can have several layers of security to keep things nice and safe. I assume one of the scariest things about backing up to the cloud is the potential for leaks and hacking.

RE: Backing up digital images

Andrew Henfrey — Sun, 14 May 2017 15:32:20 GMT

Daily automatic send of images to Zoolz cloud backup deep freeze [part of Amazon]. Can get files back in 8-12 hours I think. Long term protection, rather than instant access, catastrophe stuff. Weekly Filesync to another computer in the practice. Otherwise DVD backup intermittently, and store off-site.