How to handle 2 iPads with same content

[weatherreport]

Googled it but could not find any info about a question I have: My company gave me an iPad Pro but I already had an iPad Air 2 with a lot of documents in it. I'm about to restore the iPad Pro from the old iPad Air 2 backup so that all my work in progress and the settings I'm accustomed to will come bak to the new ipad.
But want to keep the air 2 as it is, as I can change this job anytime... I will use itunes to restore the original content. Would that cause any problems? As of today, the 2 ipads will be identical after the restore from backup. What would happen when the next time these two identical ipads connect to itunes for automatic backup? Will works in progess and documents clash? Many thanks...

 

[Abazigal]

Is there anything stopping you from storing those documents in a cloud service like dropbox, then keeping them in sync via a document provider app such as Documents?

 

[friedmud]

When I did this... I didn't bother trying to "restore" my old iPad onto my iPP. I just stores all of my stuff into iCloud/Dropbox (depending on which app) and then set my iPP up as a clean iPad and set everying up manually. Takes a bit more time... but I like that I'm starting with a clean slate (see what I did there?!).

 

[millydog]

I have successfully done what you are asking. My iPad Pro was set up with the backup from my iPad Air 2. I still use both iPads and also back up both iPads to iCloud and my Mac (manually).
This works without changing anything, but so as to more easily distinguish between the devices when they are connected to iTunes or their iCloud back up files, I changed the name of one of them in Settings, General, About, Name.

 

[millydog]

I should add that going forward, the iPads are treated differently. Adding a file to the iPad Pro only adds it to the iPad Pro for example. So moving your documents to a cloud storage solution does make sense so as the same file is accessible on both iPads.

 

[weatherreport]

I have successfully done what you are asking. My iPad Pro was set up with the backup from my iPad Air 2. I still use both iPads and also back up both iPads to iCloud and my Mac (manually).
This works without changing anything, but so as to more easily distinguish between the devices when they are connected to iTunes or their iCloud back up files, I changed the name of one of them in Settings, General, About, Name.

Thanks for the replies.
millydog, your suggestion worked perfectly fine. I restored the PRO from the AIR2 backup then changed the name of the device name of the PRO. Now they have different backups, same content (ony for now) and they will have their own progress in time. That just what I needed to do. Again many thanks...

 

[millydog]

Thanks for the replies.
millydog, your suggestion worked perfectly fine. I restored the PRO from the AIR2 backup then changed the name of the device name of the PRO. Now they have different backups, same content (ony for now) and they will have their own progress in time. That just what I needed to do. Again many thanks...

I'm happy to have helped you.

 

[Night Spring]

Thanks for the replies.
millydog, your suggestion worked perfectly fine. I restored the PRO from the AIR2 backup then changed the name of the device name of the PRO. Now they have different backups, same content (ony for now) and they will have their own progress in time. That just what I needed to do. Again many thanks...

To be clear, you don't have to rename your devices to have different backups for each device. iTunes distinguishes each device by their serial number, and creates a separate backup for a device each time you backup a different device, even if the contents have been restored from a previous device. Renaming the device is strictly so YOU can tell which backup is which.

 

[maxsix]

I have successfully done what you are asking. My iPad Pro was set up with the backup from my iPad Air 2. I still use both iPads and also back up both iPads to iCloud and my Mac (manually).
This works without changing anything, but so as to more easily distinguish between the devices when they are connected to iTunes or their iCloud back up files, I changed the name of one of them in Settings, General, About, Name.

I do the same with three iPads, works ideally.

 

[artfossil]

When I did this... I didn't bother trying to "restore" my old iPad onto my iPP. I just stores all of my stuff into iCloud/Dropbox (depending on which app) and then set my iPP up as a clean iPad and set everying up manually. Takes a bit more time... but I like that I'm starting with a clean slate (see what I did there?!).

I too set up my iPP as new. I wanted to be forced to take a close look at what apps I really need and use.

But the content on both my iPP and my iPad Air 2 is identical, as all my content is stored in DropBox, iCloud and Box.

I'm continuing to teach with my iPad Air as I cringe at the thought of handing my iPP over to a student.