Also using personal, only interested in backing up current devices to backblaze, not version history. They constantly pitch upgrading to their version history option but it wouldn't be worth it for me.
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What do you use for both on site and off site backups?
- Thread starter VitoBotta
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Also using personal, only interested in backing up current devices to backblaze, not version history. They constantly pitch upgrading to their version history option but it wouldn't be worth it for me.
rsync script to local server (delta updates for the l33t winz)
github(s) for source code
icloud for personal
x1: dev system
x2: rsync to local/network server ( could go to remote, but do not currently )
x3: github(s) for source code, cloud for personal
github(s) for source code
icloud for personal
x1: dev system
x2: rsync to local/network server ( could go to remote, but do not currently )
x3: github(s) for source code, cloud for personal
What matters is backed up in real time. If I've deleted it, don't need it. Save pictures and the like - which I have three local backups for those. But I do use Time Machine as well for overall.
Backblaze to me is like another said, insurance in case the place burns, things get stolen, or some other tragic activity takes my local data.
I understand, but many people see the Personal Backup plan as a real backup.
It's not a problem if you delete files you don't need, but it is a problem if you don't realize that one of the files has been corrupted. If you don't notice this before the retention policy expires, you can say goodbye to the file.
Good Points. I checked my account and could go from 30 day to 1 year without increase in cost. Should have done that a while ago.
Just want to learn. Would you share your thought why you backup to 2 clouds? What is the likelihood that a cloud backup will go bad when you need it? Also using ARQ for both clouds, would it become a single point of failure?
Not sure I trust OneDrive - but it is "free" with Office subscription. I would feel exposed if I only use OneDrive. I have since stopped using B2 and now use Google Drive (good bit cheaper for 2TB) - another reason to be cautious.
But I don't really need 2. It would only be important if my local backup was destroyed at the same time as the cloud service. Just being (over?) cautious.
Yes. Again we would need an Arq failure at the same time as local backup (TM or cCC) fails. I can see three possibilities for Arq failure: 1) Update to Arq or macOS stops it working - roll back to previous version, 2) Arq developer stopped supporting - there would be some time to choose another product before Arq stopped working. 3) Arq update corrupts all backups - that is the nasty one and hard to assess likelihood, so important to maintain local backup.
To fully cover two simultaneous failures it would be better to use two cloud backup products - e.g. Arq to a cloud service and Duplicacy to a different cloudl. There was a time (after Arq 5 was released) when I used Duplicacy as well as Arq.
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Thank you for sharing your thought! I read that Chronosync, which you seemed to like (but you also said best use for sync), recently provides the capability of backing up to the Cloud using the file provider approach. Is this you would recommend in addition to using ARQ?
It is very different to Arq and I would not recommend it as an alternative/additional to Arq. CS is primarily a sync tool, not backup like Arq. It does optionally save old versions of files in a special folder but there is no concept of snapshots or backup records. But the method of sync to File Provider is that it will sync to the file provider storage on your Mac and the file provider (e.g. Dropbox) will sync it to the cloud. I am not convinced this is a good way to go for backup. But could be good for syncing a folder to the file provider storage - maybe. It is a new connector for CS, perhaps you should experiment.
There is an unlimited retention option for a fee.
I tried the unlimited retention plan for a while. It bit me when i was moving around terabytes of data. Got a >$200 monthly charge so at that point went back to a 1 year retention.
I am ignorant on how to choose a cloud provider and I hope you could provide me with a guideline or share your experience. B2 charges $12/2TB whereas Google drive $10/2TB. I notice that iDirve is much cheaper, 5TB for $70 for the 1st year and $99.5 after that. iDrive can also backup gamil/calendar/contact (not sure if it can be included in the 5TB).
I also remember reading iDrive's upload/download speed is reasonable. Would you recommend iDrive?
Is cost the only consideration?
Also what is the difference of using backup service provided by a cloud provider such as Backblaze vs paying for 2TB of storage and then use ARQ? The former can be done inexpensively, why bother to use ARQ+2TB?
Use TimeMachine to do backups once a week to a OWC Envoy Pro Elektron SSD
One I keep it in house
A second one I TM to once a month & keep in a safe in another building
One I keep it in house
A second one I TM to once a month & keep in a safe in another building
My GoogleDrive is AU$125pa which is only slightly more than half B2 when you take exchange rate and GST(VAT) into account. GoogleDrive prices do fluctuate - I took a deal. B2 only charges for actual space occupied whereas GoogleDrive is for potential space - so will be a bit cheaper if, for example, you only use 1.5TB.
I have doubts about iDrive. From functionality perspective it suffers from being mostly non-Mac - like Backblaze Computer Backup. In my testing some years ago, the speed (up and down) was very poor from Australia and that ruled it out. I saw complaints about speed getting worse after some time and/or as storage built up (but I have no evidence of that).
As with Backblaze you need to distinguish between iDrive (consumer/computer backup) and eDrive (S3 compatible storage like Backblaze B2).
Cost is not the only consideration, think of:
Reputation of provider,
Support (low cost > low support),
Durability usually expressed as 99.99..9% and frequently not mentioned for consumer storage (like OneDrive),
Functionality when looking at personal/consumer targeted product.
Up and down speed, particularly if distant from servers.
I have already indicated that I consider Arq much better Mac backup than Backblaze Personal Backup (same goes for iDrive) based on functionality. And you have the choice of storage provider from AWS (expensive but enterprise quality) to STORJ. And I am prepared to pay the cost of Arq (if need be) as well as "good enough" storage.
You need to try some of these services. Nearly all offer some kind of trial - either time limited (e.g. 30 days) or storage limited (e.g. 10GB).
Disclaimer re cost of Arq: I purchased in the early days when lifetime (my lifetime) licenses were offered, so no ongoing cost.
I store all my photos, videos, archived documents etc. on a 6TB NAS with RAID 1. I take onsite backups of the NAS to 2 different HDDs and offsite backup to B2 (costs me about 9$/month currently). I backup my Mac to an SSD through Carbon Copy Cloner every other day and hourly TM snapshots go to a M.2 SSD sitting on a Satechi Mac Mini hub.
Edit: Using GoodSync on Mac to manage the NAS backups.
Edit: Using GoodSync on Mac to manage the NAS backups.
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Don't have a B2 account, just a personal computer backup account. Maybe that's how they implement it if you choose infinite retention.
I use Backblaze personal backup. B2 at that rate would cost me ~$400 a month vs $90 a year for personal backup. If I were efficient (which I am not) my off-site backups would cover files deleted more then a year ago.
How to people backup their Macbooks? I backup to a network time machine share on my TrueNAS server, but occasionally backing up will break and I'll have to delete my sparsebundle file and start over. That's happened every since I started backing up to a network drive, which I started doing when I had a Synology NAS.
I'd love to use an external drive, but I would need to attach and re-attach it several times a day. macOS has a fit whenever you disconnect a USB or TB drive without click on eject and waiting for it to eject. Ain't nobody got time for that, so I stuck with network backups.
I'd love to use an external drive, but I would need to attach and re-attach it several times a day. macOS has a fit whenever you disconnect a USB or TB drive without click on eject and waiting for it to eject. Ain't nobody got time for that, so I stuck with network backups.
iCloud provides immediate backups for application data: Numbers, Pages, Keynote, anything I save in the documents folder and whatever I stick in the iCloud folder ( for example I have scanned several very old school D&D modules and have them saved in iCloud ).
Source code gets saved to multiple locations > github is most common for personal projects. (i.e. I do not typically store source in iCloud).
Local backups are for not for the faint of heart ( fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, theft, ect ).
iCloud makes is super easy to upgrade computers every couple of years, just log in. My iPad has access to the iCloud files. I can access my files/documents from any internet connected computer, even my mom's Gateway DX2/66.