I would like to have a backup copy at work and at home. Is there a way to run two independent Time Machine backup routines?
If not what is the best way to have two copies?
You can run two time machines on both two external hard drives or one partitioned hard drive. Technically, you could run a lot more, but as others said, vary it up. I keep a partitioned external drive with a Time Machine partition, a Carbon Clone Copy partition, and a partition for my generated files only in my fireproof/waterproof/humidity regulated gun safe as well as a 32GB flash drive that simply has the documents I use only...32GB holds all of my generated 'data' so it works nicely. Then I also have an external HDD that lives on my desk and I use it for Time Machine and direct data backup only. It's good to have a few different backup systems on a few different drives, in different places, because:
-Two drives have around will halve the chance of complete loss (depending on the config), and the probability of two drives PLUS you computer all breaking at the same time is, well, damned near impossible.
-Data corruption can occur on a single drive
-You can do a few different RAID configs
-More space with 2 hard drives for more full backups of various dates
-Keeping two HDDs with backups together in a vulnerable place, which is most of the world, means you aren't getting your full money's worth. Store one in areas easy to get to, and another that has some resistance to fire, water, humidity, and shock. You can get thick Nomex soft cases (which provides
some level of fire/heat protection), but the issue their is internal temperature due to smaller space and less fireproof material. My gun safe is rated to a ridiculously high temp for over 2 hours at about twice the temp of an average house fire, and it still keeps internals cool enough to avoid damage. I keep a lot of things in it though, including many sentimental items as it is nice knowing that they will never be stolen, lost, damaged or destroyed.
