AppleInsider › Forums › General › Genius Bar › Apple Hardware › Home storage
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Home storage

post #1 of 8
2/22/11 at 5:59am
Thread Starter 
Hi all,

Thanks for taking the time to read. My home set-up looks pretty much as per the image below. It's becoming more frustrating that my storage is spread-out and the right computer isn't always switched on or awake.



Currently files are stored on the MBP and Intel iMac drives, mostly the latter, and each backs up via Time Machine and WiFi(n) to a 320GB USB drive and 500GB Time Capsule respectively located out in the garage (where it is Kensington locked and seperate should there be a fire in the house).

iTunes Home Sharing handles copying media between machines and MobileMe keeps track of contacts/calendars across each device. I don't make any use of iDisk - I struggled to understand how I could backup and keep synchronized this cloud-based data.

I'd like to install a RAID or similar storage device (probably connected to the D-Link WiFi Router) so that all machines can access the single point of data. However the D-Link only has 100Base-T ports and if I connect a Gigabit RAID direct to the iMac I end up with the same problem that the iMac has to remain on.

The Macs that will do 'serious' work have 802.11n. The G4 iMac and TiPb will have to get by on 802.11g and b respectively.

Can I connect a RAID direct to the iMac (for speed) and the D-Link (for sharing)? How about a MacMini Server (£££ though)?

How should I best re-employ the Time Capsule and external FW/USB drives in the picture?

Any other ideas?

My plan would be to reduce the storage in each individual Mac over time to have a smaller SSD - which will be faster and less battery intensive and hold the data centrally.

My internet is fibre optic delivered; I currently pay for unlimited volume at 10Mbps. It would be good if the iPhones out on the move could access files too.

Any suggestions will be gratefully recieved.
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 8
2/22/11 at 7:22am
An option is to get a NAS drive.
Many different brand/options available to choose from... If you've got the $$, you can get several TB worth of space.

Another option is to get an AirPort Extreme (or other wireless router) with a USB port... you can simply plug a hub and your existing external drives into the AirPort and have them accessible via the network without a computer being turned on.
From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that!" -...
Reply
From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that!" -...
Reply
post #3 of 8
3/24/11 at 4:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingOfSomewhereHot View Post

An option is to get a NAS drive.
Many different brand/options available to choose from... If you've got the $$, you can get several TB worth of space.

Another option is to get an AirPort Extreme (or other wireless router) with a USB port... you can simply plug a hub and your existing external drives into the AirPort and have them accessible via the network without a computer being turned on.

Might be a little late to help but you can always use a time capsule 4GB for $499, or use could get a mac mini server and make it a nas

"I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory." - proverb
RepairZoom.com Best Apple fix around!
Best Buy - Special Agent 5 Years
Apple - Specialist 1 1/2 Years
Best Years of my LIFE!

Reply

"I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory." - proverb
RepairZoom.com Best Apple fix around!
Best Buy - Special Agent 5 Years
Apple - Specialist 1 1/2 Years
Best Years of my LIFE!

Reply
post #4 of 8
3/24/11 at 4:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RepairZoom View Post

Might be a little late to help but you can always use a time capsule 4GB for $499, or use could get a mac mini server and make it a nas

Check your sources.
From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that!" -...
Reply
From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that!" -...
Reply
post #5 of 8
5/1/11 at 3:35pm
Any issues you can think of limiting performance of a NAS server (thinking of using a Seagate Black Armor w/ 4TB) as an iTunes music/movie & pics/home movie server? Other option would be to use a Macmini server as iTunes and a NAS for backups & videos only.

Network would be mixed 802.11n and wired. Server connecting to AppleTV and home theatre systems.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 8
5/13/11 at 9:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by wes1856 View Post

Any issues you can think of limiting performance of a NAS server (thinking of using a Seagate Black Armor w/ 4TB) as an iTunes music/movie & pics/home movie server? Other option would be to use a Macmini server as iTunes and a NAS for backups & videos only.

Network would be mixed 802.11n and wired. Server connecting to AppleTV and home theatre systems.

Wes the BlackArmors look pretty sick, I use to use something call a Mira server but they have sense been discontinued. I bet if you really want to get geeky you could buy the 1TB and manually upgrade the HDD(s) yourself :P

And king thanks for the correction 2TB for $499 though you don't get the RAID so if the HDD goes bad you're SOL. Saw that a few times working at Apple.

"I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory." - proverb
RepairZoom.com Best Apple fix around!
Best Buy - Special Agent 5 Years
Apple - Specialist 1 1/2 Years
Best Years of my LIFE!

Reply

"I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory." - proverb
RepairZoom.com Best Apple fix around!
Best Buy - Special Agent 5 Years
Apple - Specialist 1 1/2 Years
Best Years of my LIFE!

Reply
post #7 of 8
9/16/11 at 3:02pm
Thread Starter 
End solution, after dabbling with now dead iDisk, is Dropbox.

Documents are saved in Dropbox which syncs between all four Macs and the iOS device. TimeMachine backs up the Dropbox from both the Alu iMac and MBP to the garage giving me improved fire and theft protection too.

iTunes Home Sharing syncs all movies and music.

The weak part is photos - only get backed up once to the Time Capsule but iCloud should help on that.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 8
5/2/12 at 12:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrtotes View Post

Hi all,

Thanks for taking the time to read. My home set-up looks pretty much as per the image below. It's becoming more frustrating that my storage is spread-out and the right computer isn't always switched on or awake.



Currently files are stored on the MBP and Intel iMac drives, mostly the latter, and each backs up via Time Machine and WiFi(n) to a 320GB USB drive and 500GB Time Capsule respectively located out in the garage (where it is Kensington locked and seperate should there be a fire in the house).

iTunes Home Sharing handles copying media between machines and MobileMe keeps track of contacts/calendars across each device. I don't make any use of iDisk - I struggled to understand how I could backup and keep synchronized this cloud-based data.

I'd like to install a RAID or similar storage device (probably connected to the D-Link WiFi Router) so that all machines can access the single point of data. However the D-Link only has 100Base-T ports and if I connect a Gigabit RAID direct to the iMac I end up with the same problem that the iMac has to remain on.

The Macs that will do 'serious' work have 802.11n. The G4 iMac and TiPb will have to get by on 802.11g and b respectively.

Can I connect a RAID direct to the iMac (for speed) and the D-Link (for sharing)? How about a MacMini Server (£££ though)?

How should I best re-employ the Time Capsule and external FW/USB drives in the picture?

Any other ideas?

My plan would be to reduce the storage in each individual Mac over time to have a smaller SSD - which will be faster and less battery intensive and hold the data centrally.

My internet is fibre optic delivered; I currently pay for unlimited volume at 10Mbps. It would be good if the iPhones out on the move could access files too.

Any suggestions will be gratefully recieved.

 

The garage is too close. What if a 747 crashed on your house? Or a meteorite? Or Uncle Kim's Long Dong warhead? It does happen, you know!

You should store another (mirror) copy of that backup set at least 10 miles away. That's what I got, and I physically rotate 'm once a month.

It's really the old Grandfather-Father-Son data security and backup plan we already used in the sixties!

Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Apple Hardware
AppleInsider › Forums › General › Genius Bar › Apple Hardware › Home storage