Trying to Figure Out a Strategy

[thusband]

I'm trying to figure out the best strategy for backing up my PC. My current setup is:
C: OS Win 7 Internal drive.
D: 650 GB. Backup drive for C: (Acronis image) and some other data. Internal drive.
E: 650 GB. Photos (currently about 400 GB. Internal drive.
G: 650 GB. Backup for E: Photos (Acronis image). This is an external USB drive.

I'll be running out of room on E: and G: at some point so I'm looking at the Synology DS212j but I'm not sure if I should:

1. Go with RAID 1 and two 2 TB drives. If I go with RAID I'll really only have 2 TB of drive space on the DS212j right?

2. Forget the RAID and just stay with Acronis. That way I'll have 4 TB of drive space.

When I fill drive E: up do I start using one of the Synology drives? Then it doesn't make sense to back that up to the second Synology drive.

I also have an HTPC in the living room I'd like to back up to the Synology.

In any case I'll want to eliminate the external drive G:.

The more I think about this the worse my headache becomes. I find it all very confusing but maybe the answer is simple and right under my nose.

Any suggestions really appreciated.

 

[stevech]

towards the simple, consider too SecondCopy ($30), from centered Systems. I use it to do constant backups of selected folders/shares.

"RAID is not a backup". So a second drive and file system is needed to protect from loss of irreplaceable files.