6 TB internal Time Machine Backup Advice

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Level 1

77 points

6 TB internal Time Machine Backup Advice

apologies for the multiple posts today. i am trying to finalize my backup on a new system.

i have previously run an OS drive and another "data drive" in my mac pro while having the other two drives act as daily clones.

however i am having a hard time finding a reasonably priced external drive to back up my 4 TB data drive (it will give me a lot of years to add to it).

so i am considering buying a 6 TB WD "Red" drive and putting this in the machine and using this INTERNAL drive to act as a backup for the 4 TB data drive.

if i do this i can repurpose the 4TB drive that is currently acting as a clone for the OS drive.

if i do this i will have internal drives acting as time machine backups and i can buy a more reasonably priced 4 TB external drive to act as a daily clone for the OS drive.

is this a good or bad idea?

THANKS for any help as i try and finalize this.

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Mar 28, 2015 4:13 PM

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Answer 1

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kaz-k

Level 8

49,230 points

Mar 28, 2015 6:28 PM in response to hotwheels22

It's a good idea. I do almost same way backup.

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Answer 2

hotwheels22 Author

Level 1

77 points

Mar 28, 2015 6:38 PM in response to kaz-k

hi kaz-k.

thanks a lot. it only now occurred to me that this might be more efficient.

can i please ask you if you happen to know whether i should buy one or the other of these? i guess i could post on a separate thread but there is a green and a red (NAS) WD hard drive. i have the 5,1 mac pro these days and generally buy the black caviar hard drives.

thanks

http://store.westerndigital.com/store/wdus/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/Theme ID.21986300/categoryID.65801000/subCateg…

http://store.westerndigital.com/store/wdus/en_US/pd/ThemeID.21986300/productID.3 06326800/parid.13092500/catid.68249200/c…

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Answer 3

kaz-k

Level 8

49,230 points

Mar 29, 2015 12:49 AM in response to hotwheels22

If I were you, I will purchase Green one, since it's not that different MTBF between the two drives, I suppose.

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Answer 4

kahjot

Level 4

2,462 points

Mar 29, 2015 12:23 PM in response to hotwheels22

Have a look at this thread, the last response from Grant Bennet-Alder: can a mac pro mid 2012 support the use of 4TB hard drives in each hard drive bay??

There may be problems, as described, with a drive that size (and presumably with the 6TB drive you propose to get) when installed internally due to the a change in the mounting hardware.

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Mar 29, 2015 1:09 PM in response to hotwheels22

OWC sells a drive sled (bracket) for internal drives of 6TB as the size and alignment of drive and SATA plug and power would otherwise be off and not fit.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MPRODBKTLG6/

Some people use a couple and exchange internal drives (shutdown, they are not hot-swap friendly).

You said something about a drive for the system - all you want for the system is small and fast and even PCIe style, whether an Apple/.Samsung M.2 blade or XP941 - great for system or scratch or where you need high speed IO. Usually 256GB is fine. A Samsung 850 EVO is even inexpensive.

Then use your four drive bays as needed. And continue with the separate boot and data drive setup.

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