On Nov 6, 2011, at 19:29 , Lee Larson wrote: > > On Nov 6, 2011, at 2:17 PM, Bill Rising wrote: > >> 1. I currently use SuperDuper! so that I can have a bootable backup. Time >> Machine does not make bootable backups. Do most people use both methods of >> backup, or do you rely on booting from a (now user-made) install disk + Time >> Machine? >> >> 2. I would like to backup wirelessly, so backups can happen w/o >> intervention. Time Machine seems simple for this. Has anyone done this over >> a period of time and been happy? [Something makes me think Lee has done >> this, but I'm not sure of his happiness level.] > > Here's what I do. There are two backup methods here. > > • The two desktop computers are backed up by wire with Time Machine to a > software RAID in the Linux server down the basement. The Linux machine > advertises the RAID volume using Netatalk, so it looks and behaves just like > an Appleshare server.
Is a software RAID as reliable as a hardware RAID? (I would guess it is, or else you wouldn't use it.) > > • We have three Mac laptops. They are wirelessly backed up with Time Machine > to a 1.5TB Seagate USB drive plugged into an Airport Extreme. The Seagate is > partitioned into three volumes: one for each of the laptops' Time Machine > needs. Do you have the Time Machine drive backed up redundantly? This is the one thing I really want to do, because of working on laptops all the time. Of course, maybe this is a silly idea, because the data are already redundant (one copy on the laptop, one copy on the backup). >> 3. Having a redundant RAID seems like a good idea (though pricey). Drobos >> cost $399, and are really made for 4 drives (but will make a redundant raid >> starting with 2 drives) [1]. > > I've long thought about getting a dedicated RAID box, but what I have works > fine and it does a lot of other stuff besides: MythTV backend, local file > sharing, front end for SSH logins to the house from the WAN, etc. Until I really figure out how I would get MythTV running right, I guess I don't need to worry about this ;<). [other info about setting up a RAID...] > >> 5. When looking this up on the web, it seemed like wireless backup works >> only with USB drives hanging off the router (a not-quite-the-latest Apple >> Airport Extreme). Having a faster drive would not help, because the wireless >> speeds are slower still. If I get new enclosure(s), is it a waste of money >> to get fancier (firewire, esata) busses? > > If all you're going to use it for is backup to the Airport, you can get by > with a cheaper box because Apple doesn't support USB3 on anything, and all > the faster and newer boxes are USB3 capable. If there is a chance you'll be > using the box on non-Apple equipment, I'd lean toward the USB3 stuff because > it's a lot faster into a USB3 machine, while still being backward compatible > with USB2. > >> I suppose this is actually quite a lot of questions, but if anyone has >> experience, that would be more valuable than searching the web and finding >> (as I have already) reviews from people who used the devices for at most a >> week before writing a glowing review. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. > > You should have done this a month or so ago because hard drive prices are > going through the roof due to the flooding in Thailand. Hmm... I guess this gives me an excuse for putting this all off again. Probably a bad idea, but still... Thanks for all the info. Bill _______________________________________________ MacGroup mailing list [email protected] http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup
