OS X Home Network? Coming from Windows...

[Reg88]

Hi,
I could use some advice about how best to setup file-sharing for OS X -- with a backup.

I have:

1) 21.5" iMac where I keep all of the videos -- TM backup + SpiderOak Backup

2) 27" iMac where I keep all of the images -- TM backup + SpiderOak Backup

3) Macbook Pro (most data in Dropbox/cloud)

I would like to be able to:
1) store the images and the videos one ONE drive (preferably a RAID volume) that is backed up locally and to the cloud (spideroak is what I use currently).

2) access these videos and images from any of the Mac's above (I have full CS6 on these machines -- though I know LR4 will be unhappy on a network).

QL Should I buy a mini to use as a server with an external RAID drive? Or should I go with some type of RAID NAS?

Q: Can the mini run headless? And would I need to have OS X server or could I just create shared volumes?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

 

[Attonine]

I don't think you need a Mac mini Server for this. A Synology or QNAP type NAS should be fine. To back-up locally you would presumably need 2 devices, so could get expensive.

Mac Mini server does indeed run headless. You access it from your regular desktop or laptop via an app or screen sharing.

I don't think you would need OS X server, shared volumes would work (though I don't know how well a regular mini runs headless). Again though, I think a NAS would be better for what you need.

 

[satcomer]

1. A Snology NAS or Drobo and Move your iTune Library (if you are using a SMB NAS) for Time Machine look at the blog post Configuring OS X Mountain Lion Time Machine to Work With CIFS (SMB) Share.

2. Use an OS X Alias to move files to a mounted external.