new Time Capsule 2TB (storage AND time machine)

[Geert76]

I am about to buy the new Time Capsule 2 TB (tower-model).

I would like to use it for 2 things:

- making back up MacBook and a iMac with Time Machine
- storage (like movies, series, photo's and music)

I like the idea to have a router and hd in one. Dont wanna go NAS ;-)

I know the Time Capsule is not really made for my purposes, I am just looking for people who are using the Time Capsule as I have suggested.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sodner]

I use it exactly how you mention. Its plugged into my cable modem / router and use the WiFi for all my Apple products. It backs up my iMac (x2) and MBA and I use it as a secondary storage area for my movies. I keep all my movies on my iMac but have a second backup utility run to copy them off to the TC as well.

 

[Geert76]

I use it exactly how you mention. Its plugged into my cable modem / router and use the WiFi for all my Apple products. It backs up my iMac (x2) and MBA and I use it as a secondary storage area for my movies. I keep all my movies on my iMac but have a second backup utility run to copy them off to the TC as well.

wow, that's a quick reply! thanks

Is it best to start of with the back up with Time Machine once unpacked and installed, and after that is done, start with the use of external storage?

 

[Sodner]

Ya that works. Warning the initial backup will take LONG! After that its seamless and you will not even notice it. That is until you loose something you need then BANG its back after a few clicks.

Gotta love

 

[Geert76]

Ya that works. Warning the initial backup will take LONG! After that its seamless and you will not even notice it. That is until you loose something you need then BANG its back after a few clicks.

Gotta love

thanks for your time!

 

[ColdCase]

One real world issue, if 2TB is plenty of storage, is the TM backups will grow in size as the archives grow to the point where they eventually take all the disk's free space. There are techniques to constrain the TM size or reserve enough space if interested. Personally I just use the internal Time Capsule drive for backups and plug an external USB drive in for file storage.... so I'm not all that familiar with the current best procedures.

 

[Geert76]

1 more question for the people who use their Time Capsule like I want to do it;

I am having the MacBook Pro Retina with ac wifi. Is moving movies (like 6Gb per movie) from the Mac to the Time Capsule fast, due to ac wifi on the Time Capsule and my MacBook (with ac wifi?


thanks!

 

[iliasp]

Nope, moving files between my rMBP and Time Capsule tops at 25MB/s and just for comparison moving files between my rMBP and a Synology DS713+ tops at 110MB/s

I would never use a Time Capsule as a NAS, Time Machine works just fine but thats all about it!

 

[ColdCase]

My rMBP over a typical home network results are a little different, but the TC is not as a robust file server as some others. Not bad, many use it for one. It streams video to one or two users just fine. The TC performs about as well as an entry level Synology NAS (SYDS212JK2), all things being similar.

Black Magic, 5GB file:
Time Capsule: 20MBps
Synology: 25MBps to internal drives, 17 MBps to a USB3 external drives
Local rotational drive 130MBps+
Inexpensive mini server: 50MBps

The rMBP is wireless to the current generation TC. The Synology and Server are via ethernet cable to the TC.

If you use a ethernet cable instead of wireless for the initial load of movies, it will go a lot faster and be more reliable. I transfer 6-30GB files of the server to my rMBP and its not bad, maybe a minute or three.

 

[Geert76]

My rMBP over a typical home network results are a little different, but the TC is not as a robust file server as some others. Not bad, many use it for one. It streams video to one or two users just fine. The TC performs about as well as an entry level Synology NAS (SYDS212JK2), all things being similar.

Black Magic, 5GB file:
Time Capsule: 20MBps
Synology: 25MBps to internal drives, 17 MBps to a USB3 external drives
Local rotational drive 130MBps+
Inexpensive mini server: 50MBps

The rMBP is wireless to the current generation TC. The Synology and Server are via ethernet cable to the TC.

If you use a ethernet cable instead of wireless for the initial load of movies, it will go a lot faster and be more reliable. I transfer 6-30GB files of the server to my rMBP and its not bad, maybe a minute or three.

thanks for this feedback!

I think I am gonna buy a new Airport Extreme (ac model) and then hook up a external hard drive via usb instead of my initial set up suggestion

 

[ColdCase]

You will find that file transfers to/from a USB drive connected to an AP extreme to be noticeably slower than to the internal TC drive. If that matters.