Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not smart?

Re:Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not s... by extra88 on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @10:14AM (#28759764)

What effort? It runs automatically every hour. They include that they buy a new drive on which backups are written and archive the old one. Presumably they buy drives that are big enough to have a full backup and a reasonable about of space for the diffs (a drive 50% larger than the one being backed up is typically sufficient).

Since Time Machine is in addition to other backup methods, they don't need to make an effort to keep a Time Machine drive offsite.

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Re:Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not s... by cloogshicer on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @10:32AM (#28760013)

What I meant is, you have to physically connect the drive, unless you're using a Network drive, and I wanted to know how their setup works. I tried setting up Time Machine via Network Drive once and it didn't work so well, so I'm trying to learn.

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Re:Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not s... by ryandrake on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @11:32AM (#28760837)

Time Machine has been the only way I've been able to get the majority of my family's devices to consistently back up. Thankfully it's a mostly-mac house. Have an always-on Debian machine which acts as a NAS. Install and configure netatalk and avahi.

Edit /etc/netatalk/afp.conf:

    [Time Machine]
    path = /path/to/backups
    time machine = yes

And you're done. Don't lift a finger to do backups ever again.

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Re:Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not s... by cloogshicer on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @12:39PM (#28761834)

Thank you!

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Re:Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not s... by Joeri on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @11:20AM (#28760649)

I run a usb cable from the back of my imac to a drive hidden underneath my desk. It is effectively zero maintenance, because time machine removes old backups to make space for the new.

For laptops I would aim for a setup where the drive is connected to whatever dock solution is in place. MacOS would backup automatically while the laptop was docked.

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Re:Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not s... by miked85 on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @10:49AM (#28760261)

Using Time Machine via network is the only way I have ever used it. I initially used Apple Time Capsule (RIP), and now just use a Time Machine compatible NAS.

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Re:Ask HN: How should I back up data on devices if I'm not s... by chaostheory on Tuesday October 05, 2021 @11:51AM (#28761122)

Too complicated. Just connect a drive via USB.

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