How to allow Time Machine service to back up to a NAS?

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Level 1

15 points

How to allow Time Machine service to back up to a NAS?

I have Mavericks and OS Server 3 installed and working without too much trouble (slight Caching Server 2 question) but want to tweak the Time Machine service.

I have two private networks in my setup each with their own routers, but the server can see both to service Time Machine. I was previously using Time Machine on a Synology DiskStation but it was hard wired to one of the subnets only, so to get all the clients to back up theu had to switch networks.

I tried setting up the TM destination on the NAS, but the clients could not actually back up and the destination folder was "(null)" instead of "Time Machine" (that I created and pointed at). I would really like to use this setup to allow clients on both networks to use a single Time Machine setup, but would prefer that (at least) the sparsebundles are on the NAS for a little RAID 5 love.

Any solutions?

Posted on Oct 28, 2013 1:24 PM

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Answer 1

lkraider

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2013 7:33 AM in response to JustLarry

Seems the Server while it allows you to select remote folders for backup destination, fails to actually work when a client tries to use setup that as its Time Machine.

I don't know what the issue is or where to start to debug, does anyone have an idea where the Server Time Machine logs are kept?

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Answer 2

Dec 22, 2013 11:15 AM in response to lkraider

I have smilar iussue, mac mini server and time capsule. When i selct a folder in osx server time machine for backup thats on the time capsule it says 0kb available (2.5tb available)

on the client side when selcting a backup destination it shows the name of the server+folder and then 'null' and fails the back up

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Answer 3

Jan 24, 2014 8:46 PM in response to JustLarry

hello people ...

same scenario and problems here.

http://wp.me/aD60V-2Zk

I have a Mac Mini Server with the Mavericks and running, but I can not define how disk for TimeMachine folders in there NAS (/ Volume_1) here. They appear to "Zero KB"!

But I can effectively define an external drive (/ TM_Caparica) connected directly to the Mac Mini via USB port for TimeMachine.

Beginning to believe that not - in fact - we can use a mapped drive for the server on the local network as the destination for the backup TimeMachine.

What a shame ...

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Answer 4

atoss

Level 1

26 points

May 29, 2014 5:16 AM in response to JustLarry

I am also looking for a solution to this problem. I manage about 50 Macs in a school environment and I have a Mavericks server with about 25TB of NAS storage. I want Time Machine Server setup to use this NAS, but when I set it up, the clients only see "(null)" on my server as an option and it rejects the backup when they attempt to log in. I swear I had this working at one point when I first set up the server, it seemed to have something to do with FileSharing, but then I moved the server to the rack and once it was on a new network it went back to not working and I can't figure out how I had it working to begin with. Local folders do work fine for the TM Server and clients recognize them normally, but I have about 24TB LESS if I do it this way! Please help!

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Answer 5

May 31, 2014 10:55 AM in response to JustLarry

I am using this small piece of software since 2 years:

http://www.studionetworksolutions.com/globalsan-iscsi-initiator/

29Tb iSCSI volume on a Server 2012 R2 works absolut great as TM Server Target.

I know its not freeware but its awesome!

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