iCloud used as backup tool .. Not synchronization, doable?

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iCloud used as backup tool .. Not synchronization, doable?

I want to use iCloud for backup of my photo library ONLY without synchronization. Got 40k photos on my MacBook Pro and not interested in pushing them down to my iPhone (not even as thumbnails in optimized mode) .. so if I enable iCloud on my MAC -in Photos- and disable it on my my iOS device that should do it, right ?

Now I got 4 Photos libraries, but I understand I can only use iCloud with one (being the system library) .. can I enable iCloud for each one at a time (assign system library for each one at a time) ?

Thanks for any help ..

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Oct 10, 2015 3:38 AM

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Answer 1

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Old Toad

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Oct 11, 2015 3:29 AM in response to mhalfares

No. The iCloud Photo Library is not designed for backup, only dynamic syncing between multiple devices.

If you only have the iCPL activated on your Mac and you delete a photo from your local library it will be deleted from the iICPL online. With that setup you would be better off backing up to an external HD so you wouldn't have to purchase the extra storage online and have faster recovery in case you do mess up the library and need to restore it. Recovery can be done locally in a matter of minutes instead of days from the iCPL.

Now I got 4 Photos libraries, but I understand I can only use iCloud with one (being the system library) .. can I enable iCloud for each one at a time (assign system library for each one at a time) ?

That would cause each of those four libraries to download all of the photo from the iCPL that are not in the library. So you'd have 4 samed sized libraries.

A better solution would be to wait until the next version of PowerPhotos is released and then you'll be able to merger Photos libraries like we could with iPhoto Library Manager and iPhoto libraries. Shouldn't be too long.

You can keep abreast of the progress at the developer's blog: Fat Cat Software Blog.

Remember, the iCloud Photo Library is not a backup. It's a syncing feature.

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Answer 2

mhalfares Author

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Oct 11, 2015 3:29 AM in response to Old Toad

“ Remember, the iCloud Photo Library is not a backup. It's a syncing feature “

Got it. When backing up data I have a copy of the original data stored somewhere so when the original is lost/corrupted, there is always a copy left somewhere while in syncing, losing the original will cause the “other mirrored” data to be lost as well.

I already have an external HD on which I do a regular back up of my photo libraries but wanted an additional venue. I guess I have to look at online backup services.

Thanks a million for the insight...

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Answer 3

Eric Root

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Oct 10, 2015 5:31 PM in response to mhalfares

Or get another external hard drive to backup to. If you are using Time Machine to backup, it will alternate between the drives.

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,463 points

Oct 11, 2015 9:04 AM in response to mhalfares

I guess I have to look at online backup services.

There are no online backup services that will backup an iPhoto/Photo library and restore a working version. Those libraries must be stored on a drive formatted OS X Extended (journaled) in order to preserve the complex ecosystem of hard links, database files, etc. that make up a library. If all you want to do is store the original files then an online service would suffice.

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