OSX Backups
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I've been tasked to look into OSX backups. The C-levels use Macs. They currently use external drives and use Time Machine. I know Time Machine can be configured for a network drive. I was thinking about a Time Machine drive, or an OSX Server that can have specific users broken out so they don't overlap eachother.
I'm also sure there is some other service like Unitrends or something.
Anyway, OSX backups to the network without having the devices bind to AD. Thoughts?
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Lots of choices, tons of backup utilities, Unitrends for sure, support Macs.
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@scottalanmiller said in OSX Backups:
Lots of choices, tons of backup utilities, Unitrends for sure, support Macs.
I don't really know where to start with this one. A Mac Mini would run us about a grand and OSX server is free. If we went with Unitrends, I could throw that on a server but the software would end up running more than the Mac Mini including additional storage capacity... Have you done anything with OSX backups over the network? If so, what was the pricing like and overall experience?
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No, have not dealt with OSX because that's always an end user machine and if the user had value, then we wouldn't let their data be on the Mac so no need to back it up.
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Worth noting, we already use DPM for anything related to any other box (workstation/server VHDs) so we wouldn't converge into something like Unitrends. They were far too expensive in the past compared to staying with DPM. This is only for about 5 computers in the same building.
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@BBigford said in OSX Backups:
so we wouldn't converge into something like Unitrends.
*strictly Unitrends, and cut DPM loose.
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@scottalanmiller said in OSX Backups:
No, have not dealt with OSX because that's always an end user machine and if the user had value, then we wouldn't let their data be on the Mac so no need to back it up.
LOL.
I am going to pitch a new reality show to a network. We are going to drop you as a regular IT worker into the scenarios most of us deal with all the time and see how you react.
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Is there any budget? What about something like BackBlaze?
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@scottalanmiller said in OSX Backups:
No, have not dealt with OSX because that's always an end user machine and if the user had value, then we wouldn't let their data be on the Mac so no need to back it up.
Lol well the C levels are 100% unwavering to changing from OSX. So I have no control there.
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@BBigford said
Lol well the C levels are 100% unwavering to changing from OSX. So I have no control there.
The plot for my new reality show thickens.
Also this week, the new CEO brings in his daughter's friend's Mac, and says he thinks there might be a virus on it, and can IT take a look at it.
Tune in!
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@BRRABill said in OSX Backups:
Is there any budget? What about something like BackBlaze?
If I had to put a number on it right this second... I would say $5k total (non-recurring costs), since it is for so few machines.
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@BRRABill said in OSX Backups:
@BBigford said
Lol well the C levels are 100% unwavering to changing from OSX. So I have no control there.
The plot for my new reality show thickens.
Also this week, the new CEO brings in his daughter's friend's Mac, and says he thinks there might be a virus on it, and can IT take a look at it.
Tune in!
Ok that's pretty funny.
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@BRRABill I'm not against BackBlaze. Do they do just file level backup or complete image restore? Any experience with it personally, if so what shortfalls if any did you notice? Is it an automated backup or does it have to be something you have to remember to do? The price is enticing.
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@BBigford said
If I had to put a number on it right this second... I would say $5k total (non-recurring costs), since it is for so few machines.
Could you use an online service? Are you just looking to backup data?
That would be $25-$50 a month for all 5 machines.
We use CrashPlan for our 5 C-level people. Though I have been considering a change to BackBlaze.
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@BRRABill said in OSX Backups:
@BBigford said
If I had to put a number on it right this second... I would say $5k total (non-recurring costs), since it is for so few machines.
Could you use an online service? Are you just looking to backup data?
Actually, we can now! It used to be that chain of command forbid online services out of fear for security. From the CEO, "the data is not as important as others might think. We aren't a development company. I just want the damn thing to restore our files when we mess something up. That's all."
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@BRRABill said in OSX Backups:
@BBigford said
If I had to put a number on it right this second... I would say $5k total (non-recurring costs), since it is for so few machines.
Could you use an online service? Are you just looking to backup data?
That would be $25-$50 a month for all 5 machines.
We use CrashPlan for our 5 C-level people. Though I have been considering a change to BackBlaze.
BackBlaze is what I would likely use.
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@BBigford said in OSX Backups:
Actually, we can now! It used to be that chain of command forbid online services out of fear for security.
And yet... Macs.
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@BBigford said
@BRRABill I'm not against BackBlaze. Do they do just file level backup or complete image restore? Any experience with it personally, if so what shortfalls if any did you notice? Is it an automated backup or does it have to be something you have to remember to do? The price is enticing.
Just file level backups.
You'll get a lot of people heere at ML against image backups for endpoints. And I'm moved to agreeing with them. It makes a lot of sense to backup the data, and the reimage/reinstall the machine.
BBackBlaze and CrashPlan are both fully automatic. CrashPlan you can also backup locally which is nice.
They both also have business plans so you can monitor the backups and administrate them as well.
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@BRRABill said in OSX Backups:
@BBigford said
If I had to put a number on it right this second... I would say $5k total (non-recurring costs), since it is for so few machines.
Could you use an online service? Are you just looking to backup data?
That would be $25-$50 a month for all 5 machines.
We use CrashPlan for our 5 C-level people. Though I have been considering a change to BackBlaze.
Just looking to backup data. But what has been nice about Time Machine (not using Time Capsule currently, just external drives as the targets), is that it takes a complete snapshot. So if they delete a contact in Outlook, it has them covered, vs. just backing up their documents/pictures/etc.
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@scottalanmiller said in OSX Backups:
@BBigford said in OSX Backups:
Actually, we can now! It used to be that chain of command forbid online services out of fear for security.
And yet... Macs.
But Macs don't get viruses...
