Which Mac Mini Will Do This....

[geltab]

So, I need some advice on purchasing a mac mini and was wondering if what I need to do can even be done on this device. I wanted to use the mac mini as a media center connected to my tv, but also have it act as a server or back up of my work files from my main computer.

Here is my situation: I own a 17" MBP which I do all of my work on. I work in the Graphic Design field and have tons of files I am working on everyday. These files need to be backed up on a regular basis. As I am saving them on my primary work computer (17" MBP), I would prefer that they be saved on a server type computer (mac mini) also. Now this is the first thing I am trying to figure out. Can a standard mac mini be set up to do this? Do I need a mac mini with the snow leopard server option? I don't care about a dvd drive since most of my media will be coming from digital files anyhow.

This leads me to my next question... If I do need snow leopard server to do my work related tasks, Can snow leopard server function as a media center with ilife, etc.? Will I be able to use it as a standard computer, like download programs to it. Things like VLC, Perian, Quicktime. Will those work on there. Will I be able to put ilife on it if I chose to do that? Does snow leopard server work the same as snow leopard with server abilities?

I don't know anything about servers and trying to do what I am explaining above. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Intell]

The base Mini with 4Gb of ram and the 500Gb hard drive should be fine for you. You can setup a shared folder and have the Macbook Pro use Time Machine to backup on.

 

[geltab]

Thanks for the quick reply. Can this also do the backup wireless? I don't want to have to plug in from my laptop.

One other thing, can you set up time machine to make a constant real time back up or is it something that has to happen during a specific time frame, like every hour? I really want back up in real time.

Thanks!

 

[Hellhammer]

Thanks for the quick reply. Can this also do the backup wireless? I don't want to have to plug in from my laptop.

One other thing, can you set up time machine to make a constant real time back up or is it something that has to happen during a specific time frame, like every hour? I really want back up in real time.

Thanks!

Yes, you can backup wirelessly. I backup my sisters MacBook to my external HD which is connected to my iMac, wirelessly of course.

TM backups hourly I think but it is pretty real time, constant backup would eat performance too much.

 

[Intell]

You can do them wirelessly. I do recommend that you do the first backup while connected to it via a wired connection like Ethernet. After that you can use the wireless.

 

[geltab]

thanks for all the help. so what is the point of the server version?

what are the advantages to that? can I set that up as a raid configuration and just save everything on my laptop to that mac mini server? If so, does that save files quickly to it, or is there a delay?

thanks again!

 

[Hellhammer]

thanks for all the help. so what is the point of the server version?

what are the advantages to that? can I set that up as a raid configuration and just save everything on my laptop to that mac mini server? If so, does that save files quickly to it, or is there a delay?

thanks again!

It has Mac OS X Server which includes plenty of features the normal version doesn't. May not be useful for you though

http://www.apple.com/server/macosx/

 

[geltab]

I guess what I am really trying to figure out, and I have looked on Apple's server page, is how exactly the Snow Leopard server works.

So say I am going about my daily work on my 17" laptop and I have a mac mini set up as a server with Snow Leopard server. Is it possible to save a file on my 17" MBP and simultaneously have that save to the server? Or do I have to solely work on the server? I kinda prefer to have it save on both computers since the server is more of a backup but also an access point to these files for other computers.

The other thing that appeals to me about the server version is that I would like to be able to access and save my files to the mini when I am off location, like on vacation. Doesn't the VPN included with the Server do that? Is that hard to set up with a standard cable internet connection? Does anybody know if I have ATandT U-verse if I can swap out my wireless router with an airport base station? Or at least connect it to the wireless router they provided? I hate that wireless router they gave me, but I think it carries the tv signal also.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[Hellhammer]

I guess what I am really trying to figure out, and I have looked on Apple's server page, is how exactly the Snow Leopard server works.

So say I am going about my daily work on my 17" laptop and I have a mac mini set up as a server with Snow Leopard server. Is it possible to save a file on my 17" MBP and simultaneously have that save to the server? Or do I have to solely work on the server? I kinda prefer to have it save on both computers since the server is more of a backup but also an access point to these files for other computers.

The other thing that appeals to me about the server version is that I would like to be able to access and save my files to the mini when I am off location, like on vacation. Doesn't the VPN included with the Server do that? Is that hard to set up with a standard cable internet connection? Does anybody know if I have ATandT U-verse if I can swap out my wireless router with an airport base station? Or at least connect it to the wireless router they provided? I hate that wireless router they gave me, but I think it carries the tv signal also.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks again.

You can keep all your files in Mini and e.g. get SSD for MBP. Not sure how to automatically sync it but there must be apps to do it, DropBox does it at least. I think OS X server includes pretty simple tool to make it VPN so you can access it anywhere in the world. I'm sure server people can help you with this, I'm not a specialist of that