Storage system for Time Machine? Time Capsule, AEBS+USB drive, Linux server?

[wilburpan]

I'm planning to get a new Macbook Pro, and upgrading my iMac in the near future. In making the big leap to Leopard, I am going to upgrade my router to at least the AEBS. But I'm not sure what the best way is to take advantage of the Time Machine function.

Here's my take on the situation:

Time Capsule
Pros: all in one solution
Cons: I'm stuck if one day I need a bigger drive, or need to replace it.

AEBS+USB drive
Pros: Easy way to upgrade/replace drive if needed
Cons: Extra device and power plug needed

Using a drive on my Linux fileserver
Pros: Most cost effective and easy way to upgrade/replace drive(s) if needed, can set up RAID1 for extra redundancy. Also, I already have this hardware.
Cons: Not officially supported, but apparently can use the "defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1" tweak to get this going.

Which would you do?

 

[gnasher729]

I'm planning to get a new Macbook Pro, and upgrading my iMac in the near future. In making the big leap to Leopard, I am going to upgrade my router to at least the AEBS. But I'm not sure what the best way is to take advantage of the Time Machine function.

Here's my take on the situation:

Time Capsule
Pros: all in one solution
Cons: I'm stuck if one day I need a bigger drive, or need to replace it.

AEBS+USB drive
Pros: Easy way to upgrade/replace drive if needed
Cons: Extra device and power plug needed

Using a drive on my Linux fileserver
Pros: Most cost effective and easy way to upgrade/replace drive(s) if needed, can set up RAID1 for extra redundancy. Also, I already have this hardware.
Cons: Not officially supported, but apparently can use the "defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1" tweak to get this going.

The system preferences hack may display a volume as supported, but that doesn't mean it will actually work. TimeMachine requires hard links for folders to function properly, and that is something that Airport Extreme didn't use to support, and a Linux file server is also unlikely to support. And that file server needs to support HFS+ as well.

 

[wilburpan]

Actually, network drive support for a Mac based system under Linux is pretty robust. HFS+ support is built into the Linux kernel, and the Appletalk protocol works well under Linux, where it's called netatalk, as well.

My current Linux file server uses ReiserFS, but connects to my Macs using Appletalk/netatalk. To add in another HFS+ formatted drive for use by Time Machine is pretty easy to do, although actually getting it to work with Time Machine may not be.

But if you were to pass on the Linux option, would you pick Time Capsule or the AEBS with a USB drive?