Time Machine

[schalliol]

Well, you could make it read only.

[bhoar]

Well, you could make it read only.

Yup. It'd be sort of like drivesnapshot on windows in that way (you can mount your backups as a read only drive letters).

-brendan

[schalliol]

I can see that. Except in this instance, the mount would be through these multiple hard links, which yield the picture of the whole system at a much smaller footprint.

[ericdano]

Well, you could make it read only.

And don't you think traversing a Time Machine backup would be a nightmare? Maybe we should have a little faith that the software will work exactly like it looks like it will, and no one would really need to geek out and want read only access to the archive?

[schalliol]

My understanding is that because of the structure, each time machine backup looks exactly like the system, as the structure uses hard links to the files. I agree that you'd most often want to use a Mac running 10.5 to access it, but it would be nice if there were other options in a pinch. All I really care is that it works from a Mac and Time Machine.

[ericdano]

My understanding is that because of the structure, each time machine backup looks exactly like the system, as the structure uses hard links to the files. I agree that you'd most often want to use a Mac running 10.5 to access it, but it would be nice if there were other options in a pinch. All I really care is that it works from a Mac and Time Machine.

I haven't read that at all. In fact, it might be a lot different than a "looks exactly like the system" due to the scheduling of backups.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/timemachine.html

How else would it be able to figure out the time of a file that you want to restore? I imagine it would probably be something similar to the Apple Backup program that Tiger has........just smarter and easier to use.

[schalliol]

Look at this section of AppleInsider Look at Time Machine. My comments are based upon this. Perhaps I read it incorrectly.

[shelt]

I'm still a little lost on the filesystem requirements. It seems to me that we should be able to create a SparseImage file on our ReadyNAS' using Apple's disk utility. This disk image is formatted HFS+. Then you have Time Machine mount that image and store the backup structure within that image. (Is this the process Yoda was referring to?)

I'm not sure why Apple requires the extra step. Why not have Time Machine essentially use the disk image concept from the start, so that your backup can reside anywhere?

Also, I hate the idea of spinning the ReadyNAS up constantly for the 4 Macs in my house -- wouldn't it be nice to have a daily snaphot option rather than hourly? Doesn't seem to over-complicate things...

[ericdano]

I'm still a little lost on the filesystem requirements. It seems to me that we should be able to create a SparseImage file on our ReadyNAS' using Apple's disk utility. This disk image is formatted HFS+. Then you have Time Machine mount that image and store the backup structure within that image. (Is this the process Yoda was referring to?)

I'm not sure why Apple requires the extra step. Why not have Time Machine essentially use the disk image concept from the start, so that your backup can reside anywhere?

Also, I hate the idea of spinning the ReadyNAS up constantly for the 4 Macs in my house -- wouldn't it be nice to have a daily snaphot option rather than hourly? Doesn't seem to over-complicate things...

Instead of spreading FUD, and armchair philosophizing about it, why not read about it?

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07 ... tml&page=1

[shelt]

No need to be nasty and rude. I made a legitimate point, and have read every published document (including Apple Insider) on Time Machine.

My point & concerns are still relevant. How are you going to use Time Machine on your ReadyNAS - natively (doesn't seem possible); sparseimage (not mentioned ever by Apple, does that even work?); other???

[ericdano]

No need to be nasty and rude. I made a legitimate point, and have read every published document (including Apple Insider) on Time Machine.

My point & concerns are still relevant. How are you going to use Time Machine on your ReadyNAS - natively (doesn't seem possible); sparseimage (not mentioned ever by Apple, does that even work?); other???

Then perhaps Time Machine will not be the best thing for you. You'd rather have daily snapshots? Maybe get Retrospect.

Obviously you can't use it natively, as the ReadyNAS does not have a HFS+ filesystem. It says it works on network drives, such as ones connected with the new Airport Extreme Base station, which uses a HFS+ filesystem. Will it work with a Samba connected share? Or an Appleshare? That is a good question, which will be answered in about a week. I'll go out on a limb and say that if a network device supports Appleshare completely (as in all the specs), it should work fine.

I'll know for sure when my copy of 10.5 shows up Friday, and I install it.

[schalliol]

Sending note to Yoh-dah asking for clarification on how he was able to make it work.

[pjc]

From Walt Mossberg's review in the WSJ:

While Time Machine can perform backups over a network, the backup destination can only be a hard disk connected to a Mac running Leopard.

Dang...

Also, Macworld's review of Time Machine from yesterday says:

Time Machine only seems to work with external hard drives attached directly to your Mac, and perhaps file servers running Leopard Server. But you can't use any old remote server, and you can't attach Time Machine to your AirPort Extreme's shared volume, either.

But this seems to disagree with what I've heard about AirPort Extreme support...

(p.s. I'd supply the links to the review, the the forum's anti-spammer filter won't let me.)

[pjc]

Sorry to follow up on my own post, but I found an article that explains the discrepancy. Apple changed their description of Time Machine. It used to read:

Effortless meets wireless. With a hard disk connected to your AirPort Extreme Base Station, all the Macs in your house can use Time Machine to back up wirelessly. Simply select your AirPort Disk as the backup disk for each computer and the whole family can enjoy the benefits of Time Machine.

It now reads:

You can designate just about any HFS+ formatted FireWire or USB drive connected to a Mac as a Time Machine backup drive. Time Machine can also back up to another Mac running Leopard with Personal File Sharing, Leopard Server, or Xsan storage devices.

I don't know what this bodes for ReadyNAS support, but it sounds like AEBS used to be supported and is no longer.

(Google for macenstein 875 to find the link...I still can't put links in messages.)

[schalliol]

Eek!