Best way of linking two Imacs to share data?

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Jelfy Author

Level 1

0 points

Best way of linking two Imacs to share data?

I just purchased a 5k Imac. The older (2009 model) Imac will now be used by my PA.

I am a wedding photographer and deal with large amounts of RAW and Jpeg files.

Current editing work will be on the 525GB SSD drive and then later moved to an external HD (2-3T'bytes needed)

I need my PA to easily access these older files. Do I buy a T'Bolt external HD and then link the computers

with (Ethernet cable ?) and share or .......go with a Airport time machine thing? (speed most important factor not

fussed by wireless and router not in easy reach. Or another route altogether....

Thanks

iMac

Posted on May 20, 2015 6:22 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

woodmeister50

Level 6

19,645 points

May 20, 2015 6:58 AM in response to Jelfy

If you do not have a wired/wireless network available, there are three possible options.

1. You use your master (assuming the 5k iMac) to set up a wireless network.

Then enable sharing of the master volume.

2. Again, use your master (assuming the 5k iMac), and install the Server App.

You can then set up the master as a network server and connect directly between

the 2 computers with an ethernet cables (the iMacs are smart enough to auto-negotiate

so no crossover cable should be needed). Then you would enable sharing of your

master library. The other advantage of this approach, with the Server app you can

setup Time Machine backup for both machines. You can also setup to administer

system updates as well. Plus, there are a variety of other things you can set up as well.

3. Purchase and set up on of the many wireless network storage devices.

Don't know if you do this or not, however you set up, you should always make copies of the

shared files to local machines. Never work on files over a network. I've been burned by

that more than once when a network went down.

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Answer 2

Jelfy Author

Level 1

0 points

May 20, 2015 7:25 AM in response to woodmeister50

Thanks very much Woodmeister,

Just to clarify.... My 5k (master) will have a, lets say a 4Tb external HD with the last 2to 3 years of my work in it. (older stuff will be kept on an unconnected drive in a cupboard) Linked to the 5k ,via Ethernet cable, will be my older Imac. From this my assistant will be able to access files from the new 5k AND the hard drive.

So I don't need a (more expensive and only USB2) Apple time machine necessarily. I prefer to back up photo files manually and smaller admin files are all on Dropbox anyway

But I do need to get the OSX server App (£14.99), if its not already on the new 5k - correct?

Thanks again!

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