How to locally sync an iPhone with OS X Mavericks? iCloud is NOT an option.

Paranoid much?

Quote

boglott Switzerland

So, here is what I did: I bought the OS X Server and run a local Calendar and Contacts server.

I switched all my iOS devices and OS X Calendar and Contacts application config to that server in the local network. And I exported my contacts and calendar entries from the local store in OS X to a file and then reimported them to the server store using the same OS X client applications. Now my devices are in sync again and should keep automatically synced whenever I am home an the Mac is running. --- End Quote

boglot said ^^^^^^^

How did you do this? Is this a work around to the Mavericks iCloud only syncing problem. Where can I find detailed info on how to do this. I want to buy a new iMac, but they only come with Mavericks... and I really do not want to run Mavericks if my only syncing option for my calendar and contacts is using iCloud.

I've been thinking about a home server anyway, this just pushes the issue a little.

Thanks,

Andy

Mac users in the US might have some expectation of privacy for their data when sync occurs using iCloud.

However, for those of us outside the US - there is absolutely no legal protection from US surveillance authorities and for that reason, the ability to sync locally is important especially for any data that is considered sensitive such as legal/health/confidential.

OS X Mountain Lion already took away the ability to sync Notes and Reminders while leaving Calendar, Contacts ok to sync locally so the writing was on the wall unfortunately.

I'll try Boglott's suggested solution so as to maintain control of my own information, but it's disappointing that Apple is taking away something that has worked for a long time with no explanation as to why they are doing it. It could be that they are being forced to do so by surveillance authorities to make it easier for them to access (I'm sure it's more effort to tap in to our computers directly than it is to call up sync'd data from Apple)...which would be even more disappointing.

I keep my personal information close; for two reasons:

1. companies, even massive ones may get hacked eventually (Adobe?) and I will have put the personal info of myself and all of my friends, relatives and acquaintences at risk.

2. there are virtually no legal boundaries to what the NSA can do with data aquired from non-US citizens.

Furthermore, I legally have to maintain control over all data from my business contacts, or might get sued over EU privacy law violations either by my clients or by competitors.

I have not the time, knowledge or the energy to start running my own server, as has been suggested.

I think my view on this is neither trivial nor paranoid.

P.S.: I love the title of a neighboring thread, "reprehensible" hits the mark, I think this is a massive violation of customer trust.

Being able to sync all important data from my computer to my phone was the primary reason why I bought an iPhone. It was the number one reason why I told friends and family that using an iPhone and a Mac is the best and easiest solution to keep a smartphone and a computer synchronised.

With iTunes 11.1.2 and Mavericks this isn't the case anymore.

iCloud syncing is a very good and easy way to sync between the cloud and computers or smartphones, but it's not a direct sync. I see no reason to move all my data to a server on the other side of the world and back just to do something that can be done with a short cable between my phone and my computer.

AndyD wrote:

boglot said ^^^^^^^

How did you do this? Is this a work around to the Mavericks iCloud only syncing problem. Where can I find detailed info on how to do this. I want to buy a new iMac, but they only come with Mavericks... and I really do not want to run Mavericks if my only syncing option for my calendar and contacts is using iCloud.

I've been thinking about a home server anyway, this just pushes the issue a little.

Thanks,

Andy

Hello Andy!

Yes, it is a workaround and it behaves differently than the simple Calendar and Contacts sync before. And you need to know what you do, althogh Apple makes it easy with their server configuration application. But although I have a master's degree in computer science, am working as a software engineer and was system administrator of a few Linux servers during my studies, it still took me about an hour and a bit of reading to set this all up since I was not familiar with Apple's server tools and how the clients connect to them.

If you have been thinking about a home server and have the time, do it. It'll fit there perfectly. You need to have support for CalDav for Calendars and Reminders, and CardDav for Contacts. But it doesn't need to be an Apple server.

A home server is a good project and I'd like to encourage you to do it. You'll learn something anyway.

My problem is that I didn't have the time to find a solution as a hobby project, but it had to be quite fast since that removal of the local sync hit me quite unprepared yesterday and I needed to come up with a solution in a matter of hours, not weeks.

Cheers!

Hi boglott,

Can you recommend a good book or other on-line study materials so I can approach this with a little knowledge.

Thanks,

Andy

This is crazy. Setting aside the privacy issues (you're not paranoid if you think the NSA wants access to your data, they pretty much have it already if they want it) and the typically arrogant "we know what you want" attiture of Apple, what about the simple practical issues?

I travel a tremendous amount in a year (international airline pilot). I don't always have internet access, or good access. In hotels, purchasing internet access often only allows one device to connect to their network, which is usually my MP Pro Retina. How am I supposed to sync updated contact info or other without access to the cloud? Pay twice for the hotel internet? Wait until I get home in a week? I've lived with this more or less with Notes, but won't put up with it for all services.

I'm glad I heard about this before I upgraded to Mavericks. First computer as a child was the Mac Plus in about 1985, and Mountain Lion will be the end of the line for me I guess.

As far as saying that the software is "free", if you need expensive hardware to use it, it's hardly without cost, is it. Stupid comment.

Boglott,

Thanks for the info. I too have a fair bit of experience installing and administrating servers. For $20 I'd be willing to install Mavericks Server on my principal computer simply to obtain local syncing.

What I'm unclear of is exactly what Mavericks loses in terms of sync with the removal of Sync Services. Notes has been gone since Mountain Lion (or was it Lion?), and now Calendars and Contacts, anything else? And I'm hazy about how you manage ID's, for example I'm thinking you'd still need to log into iTunes with your actual Apple ID to manage your Apple Store purchases, but then switch login credentials to sync with your own server install...?

Normally I'd just plunge in and install and tweak, but this is a big enough issue that if I can't get it to work, I'll have no choice but to stick with Mountain Lion indefintely and hope there are alternatives to Apple when it stops being supported.

A server solution would be messy but I'd live with it. At least then on the road without a decent internet connection I could connect devices with an ad hoc connection and keep them synced. Kind of like I'm currently doing with um, a USB cable. I guess Apple wouldn't ask their enterprise customers (the assumed target market of Server) to share all of their client private data with them?!

Pretty sad we have to kludge Apple stuff to death now to make it work the way we want.

Shoot_me is completely right.

The paranoia is not with the clients but with the companies who want monopolies, are afraid of their market share slipping and the value of their stock. (and sometimes even remove a post they do not like)

Fortunately I can get around all this by using my own server and writing programs. However, this is precisely the tedious work I wanted to avoid when I first bought a Mac.

Sad, very sad.

boglott,

Thanks for the useful tip and the info about the server workaround. I do not hold any degrees in IT unfortunately and not really looking for this as a hobby project, more because of the urgency to find something before I set up running multiple calendars manually. I have no experience whatsoever with servers, so my questions may sound therefore stupid but anyway:

- You mentioned you run server on a Macbook, which I assume means it is not always on and not always on the home network. Does that cause any issues? Naturally I do not expect it to sync out of the home network environment, but does it need starting / stopping, configuring every time you back in the home environment?

- Does the server running in the background (I assume it does its thing in the background) put any strain on the system resources or you dont' even notice it?

- You mentioned reading a lot about setting it up. Any good resources you would recommend (the calendar related aspects are currently unavailable on the Apple Support website....surprise, surprise)?

Many thanks

The idea with the local server sounds very interesting.

So can I run Mac OS X 3.0 Server on my MBP, running it on top of Mavericks and sync my iPhone Apps and my MBP Apps with it?

This would be awesome and would be the best solution for me 🙂

So, I'm also very interested in the answers to these questions:

Z001 wrote:

boglott,

Thanks for the useful tip and the info about the server workaround. I do not hold any degrees in IT unfortunately and not really looking for this as a hobby project, more because of the urgency to find something before I set up running multiple calendars manually. I have no experience whatsoever with servers, so my questions may sound therefore stupid but anyway:

- You mentioned you run server on a Macbook, which I assume means it is not always on and not always on the home network. Does that cause any issues? Naturally I do not expect it to sync out of the home network environment, but does it need starting / stopping, configuring every time you back in the home environment?

- Does the server running in the background (I assume it does its thing in the background) put any strain on the system resources or you dont' even notice it?

- You mentioned reading a lot about setting it up. Any good resources you would recommend (the calendar related aspects are currently unavailable on the Apple Support website....surprise, surprise)?

Many thanks

boglott wrote:

So, here is what I did: I bought the OS X Server and run a local Calendar and Contacts server.…

That's what I will do, but it's not an option for people who just want their stuff to work without having to mess around with server configuration.

Most people I know don't want to do things like that. Apple simply removed a main advantage of the iPhone for no good reason.

I'm certainly starting to look at other options. If I have to do complicated workarounds for something that should be simple I can start using Android.

It is not only about privacy. Now, Adroid users and iPhone 3G users, neither of which use iCloud, both cannot use iTunes in order to sync between phone and computer. It's all about the money. There is no workaround.

I am new to Apple and not a tech person, but I was having the same problem moving music from my library to my iPhone 5. It then told me my phone was authorized to sync with my old PC and not my new iMac. It gave me the option to change that, which I did. It erased most of the music I had on the phone, except recently download when I got the new iMac. Then it allowed me to move music to my phone while conected with the USB. Don't know if this is what is being discussed, all my contacts and all are in the cloud and it doesnt really bother me so I havent messed with that. Just throwing this out there, maybe someone more tech/Apple savy can explain better, trying to help...