Thought I’d give an update on possible problems using online backups with Aperture for anyone who may be interested.
I’ve had more conversations with Backblaze support staff, who insist there will be no problem restoring Aperture libraries as long as you:
1) Restore the complete library at one time.
2) Restore the library in the original location.
I have been testing a small library (~500 mb) for the past week and restored it three times so far. The first time required a “repair,” but worked fine after the repair. The last two restores worked fine with no “repair” needed. So far, so good.
Allan Eckert stated (in a separate discussion) that he tested Backblaze and had problems with the restore working properly. I asked Backblaze support if there was previously a problem that they fixed in the past, but I never got a straight answer.
Csound1 stated (in a separate discussion) that he had used “SugarSync” and they finally stopped backing up Aperture libraries due to unresolved problems. I contacted SugarSync and asked them about this. They said they have resolved the issue and they now backup Aperture libraries.
Leonie cautions about using any online backup for Apple packages since the packages depend on using an OS X formatted disk to maintain link integrity within the package. I specifically asked Backblaze about this and they simply repeated that “it will work if you follow our instructions.”
Bottom line; I never got a completely satisfactory answer to my questions from Backblaze, but I also have not (yet) encountered any issues with restoring my test library. I will continue to test it for a while and see if problems develop with time and report back here for anyone who is interested.
I use Backblaze as an additional backup strategy and not a replacement for anything I already had. I will remain skeptical for the time being and continue to restore my test library. I will eventually do a complete restore on my main library at some point (probably when I get a new computer to minimize the hassle). If that restore works, I will be satisfied.
David