Best Backup Solution for multiple macs....

[gpspad]

Right now I have 2 mac mini's and a macbook in the house. My parents mac mini is one of them, and need an automated way to back things up. We have a wireless network running ddwrt that I don't want to mess with.

I considered getting a time capsule and shutting off the router part of the TT and just connecting with the the TT to the lan to make backups.

But looking at the prices of the 3gig ones, I am wondering if I am better off grabbing a NAS drive that supports time machine backups.

I really need an automated system for my parents mac mini, and wouldn't mind one for mine either. I need to easily be able to restore things.

Any suggestions on the best way to go backup wise?

Is the the time capsule a waste if you don't use the router par?

 

[Apple_Robert]

WD MyCloud supports Time Machine. I have the 3TB model. It has been working well and is easy to set up.

 

[colinwil]

How about installing Apple's server software (from the App Store) on one of your mac minis - especially if you leave one always on.

It has a Time Machine function that manages backups from all machines on your local network.

You can configure it to back up to the mac mini itself, or to an external USB or Thunderbolt hard disk connected to it

 

[simonsi]

Unless you feel the need to setup a NAS drive with its complexity and further points of failure I'd just keep it simple and connect a 1-2TB drive to each Mac and setup TM on each one.

Makes restoration <really> simple compared to a NAS setup (eg you can simply boot from the attached TM backup and restore, you can't do that as simply with a common TM NAS setup).

YMMV but simple wins with restores and simple restores normally mean simple backup process.

 

[kissmo]

How about installing Apple's server software (from the App Store) on one of your mac minis - especially if you leave one always on.

It has a Time Machine function that manages backups from all machines on your local network.

You can configure it to back up to the mac mini itself, or to an external USB or Thunderbolt hard disk connected to it

I had a similar setup - and then the SSD in my Mac Mini died. Crappy OCZ Vertex 2.....

Stupid me - I never backed up the server itself - so when it collapsed - I simply had to reinstall everything.

Maybe there is some setting I haven't seen but the server keeps Time Machine backups for all connected users however it does not backup itself to the same disk. I wish I could do that too without having to set up the Time Machine on a different partition/drive for the server.

 

[gpspad]

Just an update, to help the next person who finds this thread. I ended up hooking up a time capsule 3Tb to my router via ethernet. All three macs are backing up fine.

Next when I see a deal Ill grab some usb drives and clone the disks to the portable drives once a month as a 2nd backup.

The time capsule will be for the little oops issues, and the usb drives will be for the big problems. ill probably grab the server software and start playing with it, but it might be overkill.

Thanks for the replies.