networking suggestions for move from iMac to MacBook Pro?

[CultHero]

I am currently on a 2005 iMac but will be moving to a Macbook Pro whenever the new one is released. Will decide at that point if I need the upgrades or just buy a refurb Ivy Bridge.

That said I currently have a home network that includes a time machine hung off the iMac and a Drobo too. The Drobo houses iTunes and iPhoto libraries and is slow slow slow much like my entire system.

I would like to move to a network that has the new Time Machine Airport Extreme as the router / Time Capsule and then connect the Macbook Pro to a Thunderbolt display.

I love the simplicity of the Thunderbolt display and one cable to essentially turn the display into an iMac.

My question is, can I hang a 1 TB drive off the Thunderbolt with my libraries on it and when I connect with the macbook the time machine will view the drive and the macbook as one pool of data? Meaning will it back everything up as one, or will I have to partition the drive? Can I even do that?

 

[Weaselboy]

That will work and when connected everybody will be able to see the drive if you share it. To make sure the external is backed up you will need to remove the external from the exclude list in Time Machine settings. No need for a separate partition.