Hi. I'm thinking about using my good old MacPro 5,1 as a Time Machine backup server in my network. Can you recommend this? Will it be woke-up when one of the other Macs try you start a backup? Thanks for any help and advice in advance.
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MP 1,1-5,1 Use MacPro 5,1 as a Time Machine Backup Server?
- Thread starter Coyote2006
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I have never been able to get my MacPros to wake on network access, but I do run a lot of software which might interfere. Why don't you try it out? Just be aware that a 5,1 is an energy hog.
I've started testing, thanks. I just wanted to know if anyone has experiences with this and could recommend it or not.
ActionableMango
macrumors G3
In my experience using Mac Mini as a time machine destination there were countless failed backups unless I kept the Mini on 24x7. Wake on LAN is problematic, and because the problem was inconsistent, it was extraordinarily difficult to fix and so I gave up and just left it on all the time.
But the MM uses like 6W when idle so it wasn't a big deal. I don't think I'd want to keep a cheesegrater on 24x7 just for occasional file server duty.
I have to admit that even when the MM was on 24x7, there were still many failed Time Machine backups. I do not have a good opinion of that feature.
But the MM uses like 6W when idle so it wasn't a big deal. I don't think I'd want to keep a cheesegrater on 24x7 just for occasional file server duty.
I have to admit that even when the MM was on 24x7, there were still many failed Time Machine backups. I do not have a good opinion of that feature.
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This is exactly why I would not choose MP5,1 for just Time Machine stuff.
Even picking up an older AirPort Extreme (not to use as router) with a USB hard drive attached may be a more reliable solution if you cannot find a compatible network attached drive.
ActionableMango
macrumors G3
Yes even my TP-Link branded wifi router has Time Machine compatibility for its USB attached storage.
Thanks a lot for your answers. I do have two routers in my network and one of them is an older Apple router (to provide a 2nd WLAN in the area further away). I didn't think of attaching an external drive there (forgot about it as its in a different room and running without any problems 🙂 ).
Flint Ironstag
macrumors 68000
I don't know how you guys are configuring things, but I've run (and still run) Time Machine service on everything from Mac Minis to XServes to every model of Mac Pro in enterprise environments and they've never skipped a beat. This is usually as a convenience feature in conjunction with CCC or other backup solution.
My experience is that wake on lan issues are actually caused by some combination of Finder & bon jour screwing up. Use static IPs and everything works as advertised.
Do your own math on power costs - the price and satisfaction of working with what you have may well offset a bit of savings.
My experience is that wake on lan issues are actually caused by some combination of Finder & bon jour screwing up. Use static IPs and everything works as advertised.
Do your own math on power costs - the price and satisfaction of working with what you have may well offset a bit of savings.
Flint Ironstag
macrumors 68000
There's a server*, main data store volume, time machine volume, and local backup volume. All the volumes are physically independent devices.
All staff work from the main data store, and TM backs up the entire thing hourly. It's handy for those accidental deletes, etc. and is a popular feature.
Carbon Copy Cloner handles local and offsite backups duty.
* the server is sometimes hardware dedicated to TM, sometimes not.
As for details, make sure the TM server is on static IP on all interfaces. Disable sleep. Should work like a charm.
All staff work from the main data store, and TM backs up the entire thing hourly. It's handy for those accidental deletes, etc. and is a popular feature.
Carbon Copy Cloner handles local and offsite backups duty.
* the server is sometimes hardware dedicated to TM, sometimes not.
As for details, make sure the TM server is on static IP on all interfaces. Disable sleep. Should work like a charm.