Backup Strategies...Firewire disc to ?

[wdw]

Hello All,

 

Seeking any advice concerning a backup strategy for a Mac based iTunes music library on a outboard, bus-powered, firewire drive.

Should I simple use a second firewire or USB drive, then copy one to the other using an archive/backup program such as ChronoSync? I've seen this program recommended for this purpose but would welcome any other recommendations. I'm assuming that Time Machine is not optimal for this use.

 

Thanks,

WDW

 

[mwheelerk]

Why wouldn't you use time machine?

 

[wdw]

...my hesitation about using time machine is that the restore pathway for the outboard disc must be so exacting that restore process might not happen.

If the current path to the drive is /volumes/music.....but assuming there is a catastrophic drive failure that requires a full system restore, all these minor syntax descriptors must be exact or the full system might not restore.

In the same way I've always been cautious of using a Drobo...suppose the little guy just starts forgetting things...an early computer Alzheimer's...(well software but you get my drift) ...well, he's stuffed the data wherever he'd wanted too and I'd have no way of reconstructing the file system...thinking I might want to be able to read individual files outside of proprietry software.

 

Is this nuts?....WW

 

[Panelhead]

I am listening to the advise of using all FW connections. Started with all FW connections daisy chained together. Sounded worse than using USB for the external drive.

But this was with an Apogee Duet that is FW buss powered. With three external drives the added switching supply noise may have been the issue.

Today I use a FW dac that is buss or external supply and feedit with clean power and isolate the FW power. So need to try connecting the main drive via FW and turn the other two off. My power strip has a switch for every outlet so I keep the two backups off unless updating.

But Super Duper is fantastic for cloning drives. Use it so clone my SSD so if one dies I can slap in a replacement. Same with the music drives. They are clones of the main one.

But I use memory playback. So not sure if connecting the Iomega Mini Max with a six inch USB-A to USB-B cable is not just as good as using a Daisy chained FW.

Once Thunderbolt external drives arrive, it will not be long before the drive is connected via Thunderbolt. May not be any better, but it is like having OS on a SSD. MAY be better. And that is all it takes to make the upgrade worthwhile.

 

George

 

[mwheelerk]

Nuts, no not at all. My question was indeed simply a question of my not understanding (the issue of proprietary file formats seems a viable concern) and not 'challenging' why someone wouldn't use Time Machine. I am more of a music/audio equipment guy than a software/computer/peripherals guy so I do a lot of learning here on that side of the table especially.

 

[wdw]

...I find that as my computer based music system gets so much better ( and it is just wonderful), I must have a more thorough back-up regime....something simple and intuitive or it could fall apart if a disc failed.

 

Cheers, WDW