Mac Advice

[LondonLuke]

Hi all

 

Just gone over to Mac system for business.

 

Keen to get everything backed up and understand that need an external drive for Time Capsule to operate.

 

Can anyone advise on a good drive for this purpose? Also, is it worth going wireless? Its for an imac

 

Thanks

 

Luke

[rectifier]

Hi Luke

 

Ive used the Western Digital My Book due to its amount of connections (can be used as a NAS as well for when the mac is off) but if you dont get one of them them the firewire ones are good (or USB 3). I stopped using the time capsule backup thing as it was easier to backup to an external drive without using the prog. But I did find that the time capsule prog was good at auto backups as failsafe, but then again lots of things are going cloud based and thats pretty good!

 

Hope thats of some use!

 

Cheers

Steve

[LondonLuke]

Hi Luke

 

Ive used the Western Digital My Book due to its amount of connections (can be used as a NAS as well for when the mac is off) but if you dont get one of them them the firewire ones are good (or USB 3). I stopped using the time capsule backup thing as it was easier to backup to an external drive without using the prog. But I did find that the time capsule prog was good at auto backups as failsafe, but then again lots of things are going cloud based and thats pretty good!

 

Hope thats of some use!

 

Cheers

Steve

Thanks Steve. I am pretty new to all this but am concerned that so much is on the computer that I would hate to lose the data or be without a system for too long.

 

That said most things work wise are uploaded to Dropbox which I could pull to any computer if I needed to. Do you know if time capsule backs up more than just files - does it do a system restore of sorts?

 

Will have a look about and see what's on offer in usb3/FireWire

 

Thanks again

 

Luke

[rectifier]

Hi Luke

 

Yeh it is like windows system restore, so it takes backups of your whole system. So if you had to roll back then you can. Ive wiped my iMac before and then restored it from the time machine backup. I prefer cloud backup now (like carbonite) which is like dropbox i think, but you can say what files it will backup (or folders) and if you edit it, it automatically replicates it to the cloud.

 

Cheers

Steve

[Billy.]

If you've got loads to back up, a timecapsule won't suit your needs.

 

Synology NAS drives will give you cloud storage, along with full backup options. You can swap the Hard Drives, which is critical for the longevity of your backups. There are other NAS drives on the market, but for £169 and a What HiFI 5 star rating, the DS212J will give you up to 4TB of backup space, which is double what the TC is and probably about £300 cheaper.

 

The TC takes hourly snapshots of your Mac for 24 hours and then keeps a daily snap for 7 days and then a weekly after that. You can roll back or forwards to any point, should something go wrong. I've used it a couple of times, but it's highly overrated.

 

If you want a 500GB TC, I could probably sell you mine for £50, if you give me time to move stuff over from it.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Billy.

[huffhuff]

Just to point out, the backup facility on the Mac is called 'Time Machine'. The Apple 'Time Capsule' is their external/wifi hard disk for backing up (and wifi access). It is this i'd recommend you use... especially if you are thinking of replacing your wifi setup. I have a mac that backs up to another branded 1TB drive, it's just not as good. The time capsule 'just works'. Although, just read you're using a iMac so maybe the wireless isn't necessary (unless you have more than one). I walk indoors and when I use the macbook, it just backs up automatically. Magic. However, it is a little costly when you look at a standard external drive. I'm sure Billy. will disagree...

 

Their blurb;

 

Time Machine is the built-in backup that works with your Mac and an external drive (sold separately) or Time Capsule. Connect the drive, tell Time Machine to use it, and relax. Time Machine automatically backs up your entire Mac, including system files, applications, accounts, preferences, email messages, music, photos, movies, and documents. But what makes Time Machine different from other backup applications is that it not only keeps a spare copy of every file, it remembers how your system looked on any given day—so you can revisit your Mac as it appeared in the past. Time Machine keeps hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups until your backup drive is full.

 

Another alternative, that i've just started using at work is complete offsite storage in the cloud. I'm using a company called CrashPlan. 1TB of data for £15 a month (they do a 400GB for £9.99 - nice chaps too). Very good indeed.

Edited January 23, 2013 by huffhuff

[Seamus]

I have also been using CrashPlan to off-site backup my work servers for a couple of years and they are excellent.

[Billy.]

I'm sure Billy. will disagree...

 

Not entirely, but I bet you're well aware of when your backup is happening? Fans kick up and if you're running an older machine, the resources which are getting pumped into finding whats changed and needs uploading can slow a Mac down.

 

I ran my TC for a while and just gave up with it. You can stream stuff from it, but it's really not meant to do that.

 

The NAS drives these days actually offer some decent tools, such as working as an AirPlay device or providing shared iTunes libraries locally and as a cloud service. The TC has one hell of a lot to catch up on methinks.

[huffhuff]

Not entirely, but I bet you're well aware of when your backup is happening? Fans kick up and if you're running an older machine, the resources which are getting pumped into finding whats changed and needs uploading can slow a Mac down.

 

I ran my TC for a while and just gave up with it. You can stream stuff from it, but it's really not meant to do that.

 

The NAS drives these days actually offer some decent tools, such as working as an AirPlay device or providing shared iTunes libraries locally and as a cloud service. The TC has one hell of a lot to catch up on methinks.

 

Nope, I see no degradation when it's backing up if i'm honest. However, i'm not doing anything too intensive. Mainly porn.

 

My airplay is catered for with the Apple TV and Airport Express Apple fanboi whaaaaat?!?

[Billy.]

My airplay is catered for with the Apple TV and Airport Express Apple fanboi whaaaaat?!?

 

Duh! I mean that your NAS drive will appear as a device on your AirPlay list. So it'll stream directly to your Apple TV.

[twitchynik]

I Time Machine backup wirelessly to my old QNAP NAS box. Suits me sir.

 

It has a BitTorrent client on it for downloading straight onto it, streams to my PS3 or iPad and could easily run a web server if I wanted it to. Dead easy to set up and use.

 

Bigger versions come with RAID capability so you have some redundancy/failover.

[Billy.]

I Time Machine backup wirelessly to my old QNAP NAS box. Suits me sir.

 

It has a BitTorrent client on it for downloading straight onto it, streams to my PS3 or iPad and could easily run a web server if I wanted it to. Dead easy to set up and use.

 

Bigger versions come with RAID capability so you have some redundancy/failover.

 

How do you sleep at night over the noise of your server cabinet?

 

Talking of that - do you happen to have a small, wall mounted cabinet you don't need? New house and new needs - I'm going all out and networking the place up to the teeth. Oh and a gigabit switch or hub would be lovely if you're shifting one of those too

Edited January 23, 2013 by Billy.

[Thunderbird]

I'm thinking about chopping in my mac pro (rude not to at the resale value) and getting a new iMac. I'm using the WD 1TB drive at the moment and running Snow Leopard. The drive I have used Firewire 2 and also USB 2.

 

Will it just be a case of firing up the new iMac, plugging in the WD drive and way-hay off we go??

[twitchynik]

 

 

How do you sleep at night over the noise of your server cabinet?

 

Talking of that - do you happen to have a small, wall mounted cabinet you don't need? New house and new needs - I'm going all out and networking the place up to the teeth. Oh and a gigabit switch or hub would be lovely if you're shifting one of those too

Huh??? You've seen my gaff - where the **** would I put a cabinet??! The whole point of those NAS boxes is they're quiet, take up next to no space and can do many things that would otherwise need larger equipment etc.

 

Gigabit hub...?! Tsk tsk. No need for 1000bps in the household, no need for it in majority of workplaces either. No spare kit I'm afraid. Seriously consider the Ethernet over household mains cabling adapters. I was sceptical but my bro has a few of them and they work really well.

[Billy.]

Yeah, it's overkill, but if you're going to do something once, might as well do it properly. Plus they're like £30 for something small.

 

I only mean a small cabinet, like enough to house router, hub, NAS, TC and home automation bridges (plus all the wiring). It sounds a bit silly, but I'm fed up of having a pile of kit all stacked up on top of each other.

 

Send over the link for the adapters. I 100% trust your judgement on those, as you of all people would be the first to rubbish Ethernet over mains

[huffhuff]

I think I have a spare 24/48 port gigabit POE switch... I also have a cabinet but it's about a 12u so too big for your needs.

 

I've tried about 5 manufacturers of powerline adapters. All pretty much like for like really. I started a few years back with dLan kit. Then some draytek devices. Now using Netgear Powerline 200s. Simply plug and play (assuming it all goes back to the same DB). Only issue I had was mixing 2 types but can't remember which. Some of them work together no problems.

 

http://www.misco.co.uk/product/Q522398/NETGEAR-Powerline-200Mbps-Single-Port-Mini-Bundle

[Billy.]

I think I have a spare 24/48 port gigabit POE switch... I also have a cabinet but it's about a 12u so too big for your needs.

 

I've tried about 5 manufacturers of powerline adapters. All pretty much like for like really. I started a few years back with dLan kit. Then some draytek devices. Now using Netgear Powerline 200s. Simply plug and play (assuming it all goes back to the same DB). Only issue I had was mixing 2 types but can't remember which. Some of them work together no problems.

 

http://www.misco.co....ort-Mini-Bundle

 

Thanks. I'll take that switch if you don't want it. As for the cabinet... Send a pic and I'll see if I can accommodate it Worse comes to worse, I have a loft, but I was planning on having it mounted in the cupboard where the washing machine is.

[twitchynik]

The TP-Link ones are what my bro are using.

 

http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?model=TL-PA211

 

[twitchynik]

Sorry OP. This has kinda been derailed somewhat! TimeMachine backup to a NAS box that supports TM would be my recommendation.

[LondonLuke]

Is this the time to admit that I have no idea what NAS is?

[twitchynik]

Is this the time to admit that I have no idea what NAS is?

In that case get a Time Capsule and plug it in to a FireWire/USB/Thunderbolt port on the iMac.

 

You could use an external and/portable hard drive but I think in your situation you'd be better off going the Apple route to keep it simple. Or even pop into an Apple shop and have a chat with them.

[Billy.]

Is this the time to admit that I have no idea what NAS is?

 

Nik's being a bully. It's Network Attached Storage.

 

A time capsule is a NAS drive, but the functions of it are extremely limited. It allows file backup and complete system backup, in conjunction to a backup which checks for changes since last time and tops up the check (hourly)

 

Pro level NAS systems will have their own Operating Systems, which allows you to make them do certain tasks, such as web hosting, BitTorrent clients or record and store your home CCTV system. The OS also allows it to keep check of the drives, using software (NAS systems can contain quite a few hard drives) which can warn you of a faulty drive and transfer the contents to another drive in an emergency situation.

 

One key thing a Time Capsule doesn't offer is cloud based storage, meaning that all your data is accessible from anywhere in the world (with an internet connection). This can also apply to things like your music collection - a NAS hosting your music will allow you to keep more music, films and TV shows than your PC can physically hold and it will just stream the data to you.

 

There's loads more they can do though.

[artschool]

This is nas

[LondonLuke]

In that case get a Time Capsule and plug it in to a FireWire/USB/Thunderbolt port on the iMac.

 

You could use an external and/portable hard drive but I think in your situation you'd be better off going the Apple route to keep it simple. Or even pop into an Apple shop and have a chat with them.

 

Hi Nik

 

Thanks for this - whilst that may be the obvious route I think I will invest some time and research into finding the right product.

 

By all accounts the Apple option offers a more expensive solution which also comes with less features.

 

Prepare for plenty more questions!

 

Thanks

 

Luke

[LondonLuke]

Nik's being a bully. It's Network Attached Storage.

 

A time capsule is a NAS drive, but the functions of it are extremely limited. It allows file backup and complete system backup, in conjunction to a backup which checks for changes since last time and tops up the check (hourly)

 

Pro level NAS systems will have their own Operating Systems, which allows you to make them do certain tasks, such as web hosting, BitTorrent clients or record and store your home CCTV system. The OS also allows it to keep check of the drives, using software (NAS systems can contain quite a few hard drives) which can warn you of a faulty drive and transfer the contents to another drive in an emergency situation.

 

One key thing a Time Capsule doesn't offer is cloud based storage, meaning that all your data is accessible from anywhere in the world (with an internet connection). This can also apply to things like your music collection - a NAS hosting your music will allow you to keep more music, films and TV shows than your PC can physically hold and it will just stream the data to you.

 

There's loads more they can do though.

 

Ok I think I understand - thank you for taking the time to help me and to type all of this out, it is truly appreciated.

 

I would like to have a system set up whereby I could have my Time Machine is set up to back up as well as having a bittorrent client set up on an external hard drive.

 

Sorry - millions of questions coming up

 

I assume that this would mean the internet connection would go to the NAS and would download direct to the NAS (not via the iMac)?

 

Will these down loads take place only whilst the iMac is on?

 

My router and iMac are not next to each other and couldnt really run a cable between the two - does this mess up the system?

 

I am reasonably au fait with using "normal" computing functions - am I going to struggle setting up/operating this?

 

Whatever route we go down I cannot alter the way in which our internet is "delivered" as my flatmate needs to access it too. Incidentally it currently comes through a Virgin Media wireless router if this matters.

 

Cost wise - how much are we looking at for NAS vs NAS that can run bittorrent?

 

I dont mean to take the **** with my questioning so by all means tell me to Foxtrot Oscar if I am

 

Thanks in advance

 

Luke