Backups: iCloud or AirPort Time capsule?

I recommend an external drive.. plug it into your MBA, and do two kinds of backup..

So with a 2TB drive.. nice small USB 3 2.5" type.. partition it in disk utility to 2x 1TB.. an air with USB3 ports it will fly.

On the main partition create a carbon copy cloner, clone of your drive.. that will give you instant boot replacement of the internal drive.

And use Time Machine for the second partition which is more useful for Migration Assistant to move your files to a new computer with next OS.

Cloud is expensive and slow.. you cannot boot from it.

TC is expensive and unreliable.. and much more hassle with network backups than local backups. Nor can you boot from it.

I present as one opinion only.. clearly for some people cloud works and for others TC works. But the fastest cheapest and reliablest is external drive.

Cloud can be used for when you are on the move.. away from home etc. just to backup the difference between last backup ..

You can not back up a Mac to iCloud. There are cloud services you can use for backup, but they can be a real PITA. Lots of people do just fine with the Time Capsule, but unless you really need or want a new router right now, it is pricy. External hard drives are dirt cheap these days. Get yourself a portable external drive and use Time Machine to backup your Mac. A Time Machine backup isn't bootable, but it's easy enough to restore your machine to its previous state after reinstalling OS X if necessary.

LaPastenague wrote:

I recommend an external drive.. plug it into your MBA, and do two kinds of backup..

So with a 2TB drive.. nice small USB 3 2.5" type.. partition it in disk utility to 2x 1TB.. an air with USB3 ports it will fly.

On the main partition create a carbon copy cloner, clone of your drive.. that will give you instant boot replacement of the internal drive.

And use Time Machine for the second partition which is more useful for Migration Assistant to move your files to a new computer with next OS.

Cloud is expensive and slow.. you cannot boot from it.

TC is expensive and unreliable.. and much more hassle with network backups than local backups. Nor can you boot from it.

I present as one opinion only.. clearly for some people cloud works and for others TC works. But the fastest cheapest and reliablest is external drive.

Cloud can be used for when you are on the move.. away from home etc. just to backup the difference between last backup ..

I really like this suggestion, using CCC for a bootable replacement and then TM for subsequent ongoing backups.

Could I do this? After creating the bootable clone on this 2TB drive (USB3 to MacBook), could I then connect (USB2) this drive to my TC and use TM for ongoing wireless backups?

Could I do this? After creating the bootable clone on this 2TB drive (USB3 to MacBook), could I then connect (USB2) this drive to my TC and use TM for ongoing wireless backups?

You can backup to a USB drive plugged into the TC.. so as a method of providing both backups will work.

Make sure you test the boot partition is fully working before you move the drive to the TC.. and I would test it after you finish the TM backup.

I am not sure what advantages this offers you.. Creating the bootable backup on a smaller drive would make more sense to me.. then use the TC as per normal with TM. Why do you want TM on external drive when you have the TC??

If you do use this idea..

1. You must do the TM backup to the second partition when connected to the TC.. You cannot do the first TM backup locally then continue to do backups over the network.. TM works differently to local and network disks. However a first backup using ethernet will be much better than using wireless.. if your Mac doesn't have an ethernet port, buy a thunderbolt to ethernet adapter.. it is a cheap extra that is well worth owning.

2. USB2 on TC is slow.. although if you do backup over wireless it is probably not that different to the internal disk of the TC.

3. Most self powered drives will not work from the USB in the TC.. you will need a powered hub.

LaPastenague wrote:

Make sure you test the boot partition is fully working before you move the drive to the TC.. and I would test it after you finish the TM backup.

Excellent point!

I am not sure what advantages this offers you.. Creating the bootable backup on a smaller drive would make more sense to me..

I can do that.

"Why do you want TM on external drive when you have the TC??"

Good question. My confidence level with TM is good, but with TC, not so good. I have been backing up to a TC for over a year now. I have it in Bridge mode, Wireless turned off, it has an external power supply (provided by you), with a WD Green 2 TB internal drive. It works fine...for now. Speed is not an issue. My thinking with the above post is if I moved the WD drive outside the TC, with a USB connection to TC, my confidence level in this configuration would be enhanced. The TC then would only provide a wireless path to get there for TM backups from two MacBooks, on the move, with the house.

.. you will need a powered hub.

Got that.

2 TB's is way more than I need. One MBA has 35Gb's, the other only 25Gb's. Partitioning the WD reserving one for a CCC bootable backup seemed to make sense to me. Anyway, LaPastenague, that is my thought process.

Finally in closing, paolo@spring, sorry for hijacking your thread.

it has an external power supply (purchased from you), with a WD Green 2 TB internal drive.

My oh my!!

If this is the Gen 3 I would be very confident .. and for the most part the Gen4 is very good..

My thing for the Gen3 is that I can repair them easily.. Gen4 not so.. I cannot repair at all if does go bad..

However you can still remove the hard disk.

And here is the big advantage.. the speed of the internal disk is hugely better than USB drive.

if I moved the WD drive outside the TC, with a USB connection to the TC, my confidence level in this configuration would be enhanced.

What I would suggest then is to use a simple small disk or even SDcard or large USB stick.. I think the MBA missed out on SD slot.. but SD cards are now fairly cheap.. I run my mini with a 64GB card.. which I am going to have a crack at using as a boot drive.

Your WD drive inside the TC is perfectly fine and actually more reliable than using USB.. since that adds another converter.. And if you really wanted to play around.. since you already have a hacked TC. Make it esata drive.. !! Or even just sata.. but esata can be purchased as extension cable from internal sata connection.

I just wacked this together on the desk.. but I could do it neatly with a standard power + sata connector and make it into the side of the unit..

Fully connected sata drive.. can then be swapped for another drive to make a secondary backup.. etc.. all sorts of interesting ideas open up.. and all at good speed.

email me for more info.

Yes, it's the Gen3. You have a good memory.

As always, your reply is well thought out and good advice to follow. I'll leave the WD Greenie inside where it is. Hadn't even considered using a USB stick for the boot drive. I like that Idea too.

Don't know what eSATA is. Haven't even heard the term before. I have some research to do.

WIll email if follow-on help needed. Thanks.