Backing up a Time Capsule

[Bulky]

Hi all,

I'm considering buying a time capsule but before I do I was wondering if anyone knows or has tried backing up their time capsule.

Basically here's my thinking, the time capsule will backup all of my families devices automatically but I want to be able to sync that time capsule to an external hard drive through the USB port once a week that I can keep in a safe thief-proof/fire-proof area (mainly so we don't lose photos)...

Can that be done?

 

[Command]

Hi all,

I'm considering buying a time capsule but before I do I was wondering if anyone knows or has tried backing up their time capsule.

Basically here's my thinking, the time capsule will backup all of my families devices automatically but I want to be able to sync that time capsule to an external hard drive through the USB port once a week that I can keep in a safe thief-proof/fire-proof area (mainly so we don't lose photos)...

Can that be done?

No - you can do it the other way around and backup an external to the Time Capsule but you can't backup the Time Capsule to an external since it's a mounted network drive and not local.
Now, you could potentially copy the backup folder / sparse bundle it creates from the Time Capsule to an external - but I wouldn't envy you in that regard.

 

[ColdCase]

Not reliably they way you are thinking. Its tuff to simply clone or backup a TM volume. TC has an archive feature (via airport utility), where it archives the contents of the internal disk to a connected USB drive (the portable drive) .... so one can connect your portable drive and archive once in awhile If no one jumps in here, take a look at this: https://discussions.apple.com/message/27471622#27471622

One issue with using the archive method is that I think it takes the TC off line for the duration of the archive, which could be several hours as it copies everything.

The current OS TM will backup to two or more drives in an alternating fasion. So a better approach may be to specify both the Time Capsule drive and the "portable" drive you connected to the TC as TM destinations. When the "portable" drive is stored away, TM won't find it and will just skip it. When the "portable" drive is connected TM will resume using it. http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14382

Otherwise, some use TM to routinely backup to the TC, then separately either manually or use something like CCC to backup individual computers to your portable drive. Some skip TM altogether and use CCC to back up the computers to a network drive and either rotate the drive or have CCC clone the backup drive once in awhile. CCC is designed to handle those situations.

 

[Command]

Hi all,

I'm considering buying a time capsule but before I do I was wondering if anyone knows or has tried backing up their time capsule.

Basically here's my thinking, the time capsule will backup all of my families devices automatically but I want to be able to sync that time capsule to an external hard drive through the USB port once a week that I can keep in a safe thief-proof/fire-proof area (mainly so we don't lose photos)...

Can that be done?

BUT - you CAN backup to two separate drives... I didn't think of that.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14382