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What is faster for Time Machine: USB2or3 External HD OR Time Capsule(Wifi)?
- Thread starter imacericg
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Obviously usb3 is the fastest solutioN. Usb2 would be next fastest. Wifi is slowest, but for me the most convenient as i have multiple machines and don't care for peripherals on my desk.
Actually, i don't understand the concern for fast backup connections. Time machine runs in the background and frequently enough that any single transfer is typically a small data amount. Even large data changes, tens or hundreds of gigs, transfer quickly enough over the wireless connection to my Time Capsule.
Same thoughts, other than the very first backup the change sizes should be so small that it wouldn't matter which medium is used. I hadn't backed up to time machine in ~45 days until a week ago (was moving around a ton and never unpacked the drive) and the backup size was just barely a GB.
Good choice, i highly recommend the TC. And, if its a concern, to speed the initial backup you can connect the computer by ethernet cable to the TC.
Time Capsule obsolescence
I have been wondering if there is a new Time Capsule in the offing
I have been wondering if there is a new Time Capsule in the offing
Initial backups and updates run in the background and you hardly notice them. Recovery, however, may be a different story. If you have a lot of time or are patient, it doesn't really mater but that machine is dead in the water until recovered. For a point of reference, if you need to recover about 500GB from a TM backup that has been running for 8 months or so from a thunderbolt enclosure, it takes an hour and a half (if the backup is on a Raid0 volume less time). Similar backup drive in a USB3 enclosure takes about two an a half hours. Similar drive in a USB2 enclosure takes roughly five hours, and over WiFi about twelve hours. The longer it takes the more chance of screw up. I had to recover the same machine twice today due to operator error. It would have been much more annoying if I was recovering via WiFi.
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With Time Capsules most people will do the initial backup via Ethernet cable and then all future backups (small updates) via wifi.
With time machine there is no advantage over the other depending on the situation. Like marzer said the updates will be faster over USB3 (about 100MBps), then USB2 (about 30MBps) and wifi "N" (about 10MBps). I'm not sure of AC speeds as my MBP only has wireless N.
The issue with most people is they don't have the USB drive constantly connected to their mac if they have a mac laptop. They will only backup when TM reminds them every 10 days. Time Capsules will do a implemental backup ever hour. This will result in a small backup via wifi. If you back up every 10-14 days the backups will be much larger and therefore would require a faster delivery system for impatient people (99% of the population).
Also you have to factor in if you travel a lot. "Frequent flyers" may be better off with a portable USB3 drive to keep backups while traveling.
Both have their pros and cons.
With time machine there is no advantage over the other depending on the situation. Like marzer said the updates will be faster over USB3 (about 100MBps), then USB2 (about 30MBps) and wifi "N" (about 10MBps). I'm not sure of AC speeds as my MBP only has wireless N.
The issue with most people is they don't have the USB drive constantly connected to their mac if they have a mac laptop. They will only backup when TM reminds them every 10 days. Time Capsules will do a implemental backup ever hour. This will result in a small backup via wifi. If you back up every 10-14 days the backups will be much larger and therefore would require a faster delivery system for impatient people (99% of the population).
Also you have to factor in if you travel a lot. "Frequent flyers" may be better off with a portable USB3 drive to keep backups while traveling.
Both have their pros and cons.
I agree but your data rates are double the real world data rate reported by activity monitor during a TM backup. You need a fast drive or a couple in a RAID to get anywhere near 50 MBps.
