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Storage: syncing 2 externals?

jimthing

jimthing

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
1,979
1,139
I have 2 Promise R6's (got a great deal on them second hand!).

I am planning on using the first R6#1 as my main file storage device (all my files on it), with the second R6#2 being a backup of the first R6 (both in RAID 5 mode), meaning:

R6#1 (file storage) ==> R6#2 (backup of R6#1)

So the big question I need answering is:
What is the best solution for backing-up from one R6 to the other R6? (or any other backup set-up suggestions or general set-up ideas anyone can offer to me?).

I'm thinking cloning is not the solution, as faults would be copied straight across, and I'm also pretty sure that TimeMachine cannot backup one external to another external? Is there perhaps a utility that can save files to two external drives simultaneously?


Some background on my Mac Mini set-up:
I have a 2012 Mac Mini (as the boot/apps machine only), which has a 256gb SSD and the OEM Apple 1TB HDD. The SSD has the boot/apps, with the HDD having two partitions 260gb/740gb, with the 260gb part being a clone of the SSD, and the 740gb part being a TimeMachine incremental backup of the SSD.

This, I hope, means I can boot from the clone on the HDD if the SSD fails, and/or use the TM backups to reinstate anything (OS/apps/temp files) back to the SSD from the incremental backups it does.


This stuff sure gets complicated quickly! Thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
F

fa8362

macrumors 68000
Jul 7, 2008
1,571
497
I use Intego Backup Manager Pro software. You can schedule it or do it manually.
 
I

ItWasNotMe

macrumors 6502
Dec 1, 2012
439
304
jimthing said:
I... I'm also pretty sure that TimeMachine cannot backup one external to another external? ...
Click to expand...

With the introduction of Mountain Lion, Time Machine gained the ability to back-up multiple disks; including external to external. Generally works, but I've had a few problems when backing up multiple externals and one has gone to sleep while its backing up the other. Usually resolved by shutting down and restarting.
 
satcomer

satcomer

Suspended
Feb 19, 2008
9,115
1,973
The Finger Lakes Region
If you run both NAS devices using a clone/time Machine backup of the drive. On the second NAS would move you iTunes Library (How To move your iTunes library to an external).

Plus if you plane to use a NAS for time Machine read the blog post Configuring OS X Mountain Lion Time Machine to Work With CIFS (SMB) Share.

Lastly consider moving your iPhoto/Aperture Library to an external also (Move Your iPhoto Library to an External to Save Space).

This way you use an SSD inside your Mac mini and have good backup with RAIDs from the NAS boxes.
 
O

opinio

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2013
1,171
7
jimthing said:
I have 2 Promise R6's (got a great deal on them second hand!).

I am planning on using the first R6#1 as my main file storage device (all my files on it), with the second R6#2 being a backup of the first R6 (both in RAID 5 mode), meaning:

R6#1 (file storage) ==> R6#2 (backup of R6#1)

So the big question I need answering is:
What is the best solution for backing-up from one R6 to the other R6? (or any other backup set-up suggestions or general set-up ideas anyone can offer to me?).

I'm thinking cloning is not the solution, as faults would be copied straight across, and I'm also pretty sure that TimeMachine cannot backup one external to another external? Is there perhaps a utility that can save files to two external drives simultaneously?


Some background on my Mac Mini set-up:
I have a 2012 Mac Mini (as the boot/apps machine only), which has a 256gb SSD and the OEM Apple 1TB HDD. The SSD has the boot/apps, with the HDD having two partitions 260gb/740gb, with the 260gb part being a clone of the SSD, and the 740gb part being a TimeMachine incremental backup of the SSD.

This, I hope, means I can boot from the clone on the HDD if the SSD fails, and/or use the TM backups to reinstate anything (OS/apps/temp files) back to the SSD from the incremental backups it does.


This stuff sure gets complicated quickly! Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I have a similar set up to you but with different encolsures.

I use SuperDuper. It has a small cost but has good backup options and scheduling. I use a disk to disk copy with 'smart update' so it only has to update the new files, and schedule it to run each night whiel I am asleep.

You can also use Super Duper to back up the image of the OS and other disks onto your main pegusus drive so you have multiple copies of them also.

It is also good for backing up drives into single image files. I do this whenever I but a new Mac so I keep an image of the original OEM OS so I can always restore it to factory if needed for warranty or if I have hardware issues.

http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html

SD has a small cost but worth its weight in gold.

Also if you want to save to 2 drives simaltaneously you could try RAID-1 through Apple Software RAID in the disk utility. But I am not sure how that gets around not cloning faults across. That will still happen, just in real time.
 
MacUser2525

MacUser2525

Suspended
Mar 17, 2007
2,097
377
Canada
jimthing said:
R6#1 (file storage) ==> R6#2 (backup of R6#1)
Click to expand...

In Terminal rsync -arv --dry-run --delete /Volumes/R6#1/ /Volumes/R6#2/ should do it if you like what it will do then remove the --dry-run to have it actually done, if wanting graphics when doing this look at DropSync.
 
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