Need a Backup Solution, Advice Please!

[nhuisman1234]

Okay, I have a lot of question and looking for some helpful tips, tricks, and experience.
I own a Mac Pro, iPhone 3GS, and a Dell Mini 9 running OS X 10.5. I want to start backing up my files and have them safely stored away in case of emergency. My MacPro has 2 drives, 750GB & 250GB. But I am looking into purchasing a 1TB SATA II drive. I want to split up my personal files (ex. music, movies, games, etc.) with my graphic design business files (ex. Photoshop docs, invoices, business photos, contacts, docs, etc.) But I also want to have my files accessible from my iPhone so that i can view files and make changes if necessary. But just a few key files, not everything. So I was thinking MobileMe for those. And then for the backup files on my MacPro I was thinking using Time Machine for my personal files and splitting the 750GB up (a 250GB partition and a 500GB partition) then putting my personal on the 250 and backing up to the 250 partition, and backing up 500GB of business from the 1TB onto the remaining 500GB partition.
What do you guys think? Will this be the best way for me? I am a very organized personal, I don't like not-knowing where my files are and what they are called. Any solid advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance.

 

[Angelo95210]

General advise, if you want sthg reliable keep it simple.

First, manage to backup your Mac Pro. Time Machine is not so bad for daily use. You can double this with some DVD archives (or an other drive) of your business files (stored in an other place)

For the iPhone I don't know... but I don't trust in synchronization. Maybe I am old fahioned on this... :-D

 

[SnapperNZ]

DLink DNS-323 NAS, or a mirrored drive solution would be the best advise around if you ask me. I may be paranoid but I've lost too much data over the years due to drives failing - why have 750GB of data you could lose?

You may as well by a 2 drive NAS and mirror the drives. May cost more but worth it...!

I work in IT and perhaps that's all simple to me, but when you think about it, if it's important data, you should invest in protecting it.

I also use NTI Shadow with it, to sync all my data from my MBP. I store my movies and music on it, and I use time machine to backup my OS ONLY, no data.

If my OS dies, I restore - all my data is happily sat on my NAS - job done. Even my apps I install on my OS are on the NAS, serial numbers, media - even NTI Shadow

Check a NAS out, you won't regret it!

 

[SnapperNZ]

Oh and if you use iTunes to "sync" your iPhone, contacts etc, then backing up your iTunes databases will in turn backup your iPhone backup. The sync of iTunes includes a backup, and you can even right click on the iPhone in iTunes and JUST backup the iPhone. Again, you need to then backup your iTunes database, if you're really wanting to be safe.

Another option - invest in MobileMe - you then have it all on me.com.

A combination is obviously what you need - and only you can work out which or all are what you really need.

Let us know how you go, feel free to ask any questions.

 

[nhuisman1234]

Okay. So I just purchased a 750GB Seagate. This is how Im gunna set up my Mac Pro.
Have my 250GB house all my applications are settings.
Have my first 750GB store all my Business files.
Have my second 750GB store all my personal files.

Now I need to move on to a backup solution. Im really persuaded to go to a 2 drive NAS setup. Then purchase 2 x 1.5TB HD's and RAID 1 them. And backup both 750 drives. And use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone both 750's.

Is this a easy/smart way to use what I have to guarantee a seamless copy?
Any issues with CCC and a RAID 1 drive?
Should I partition my RAID 1 into 2 drives, or does it see the 2 automatically?
Thanks in Advance

 

[lemonhk]

Okay. So I just purchased a 750GB Seagate. This is how Im gunna set up my Mac Pro.
Have my 250GB house all my applications are settings.
Have my first 750GB store all my Business files.
Have my second 750GB store all my personal files.

Now I need to move on to a backup solution. Im really persuaded to go to a 2 drive NAS setup. Then purchase 2 x 1.5TB HD's and RAID 1 them. And backup both 750 drives. And use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone both 750's.

Is this a easy/smart way to use what I have to guarantee a seamless copy?
Any issues with CCC and a RAID 1 drive?
Should I partition my RAID 1 into 2 drives, or does it see the 2 automatically?
Thanks in Advance

i'm a photographer.
my case is almost same as u
ill use the internel HDD for app. music
ext. HD for business file
2nd ext. HD for personal file

its already very safty, if u do want to know a backup
i suggest u buy a spare HD for business file
its mean
int. HDD for app
2x ext.HD for business file (use app to sync them)
another ext. HD for personal file