Time Capsule questions before i buy.

[jmichael99]

My setup:
1 Macbook Air
1 Mac mini as HTPC
1 Mac mini as a media server (5tb and growing) with external drives.

I want to get a 2tb time capsule to back up my laptop and mac mini that i use as a HTPC. Simple enough....

Since the new gen airport extremes support external drives to a time machine back up i want to plug a CineRAID device with 4 6TB drives (12gb of storage in a RAID) and use that as a backup for my media server. Could I just plug it directly into the mac mini? Yes, but i am trying to have the lest amount of clutter possible visible. So i want to put in a closet where my router is..

So can I plug in the CineRAID into the usb port for a 2nd time machine backup with massive storage?

Option 2:

Just get an airport extreme and use the CineRAID for a backup via USB...


Also, how much space does the airport extreme support? Like i said up time I am at 5tb but its growing fast

 

[ColdCase]

The time capsule and airport extremes work the same as far as external USB drives. TCs seem to be more robust, however. As long as the CineRAID can be formatted it should work, but I dunno.

Disk access is going to be very very slow, however. If that makes any difference. It may take a few days to initially backup 5TB, and days to recover. Directly connected to the mini would be much faster and more robust, especially if your mini-TC connection involves a wireless network. You can save the expense and hardware RAID issues with a direct connected JBOD enclosure and Disk Utility.

I use a Thunderbolt enclosure with 4 5TB drives and run the thin TB cable through the wall between the mini and enclosure. No clutter.

If you are forced to use the Enclosure near the mini, not sure how quiet the CineRAID is. The OWC Thunderbay is quiet.