How to set up Network Time Machine Backups for Multiple Clients using Drobo 2nd Generation?

[Dinkar P]

We are operating small business from past six months. We are having 11 Mac client on the LAN also there is 2nd generation Drobo which are having four 2TB drives. I want to run Time Machine backups using over the network. Let me know if anyone have done above mentioned thing then let me know as soon as possible. Should create and maintain 11 partitions on the Drobo for the computers? Or the Time Machine will automatically sparse the volume according to client detected? Any help would be highly appreciated.

[Amie]

I am not having any idea regarding Drobos. But I think I know what one should do while trying to do back over the network. Well particularly on Mac back up files are usually paced in to sparse bundle disk image. Backups which are done locally stored into separate sub-folders in to the single top level folder. You need to create and share partition why because each backups are having individual sparse bundle. It will be get finished in to same hard disk space without any issue.

[HiSpeed]

If you create partition for each client system then you will face following disadvantages on your system.

• You have deleted entire back up file of the Mac and begin again when partition is entirely full. If there is empty space then other Mac client will attempt to fill quickly.
• You will not be able to add 12th Mac client on the network if the partition of hard disk is filled with 11 partitions.
• When you trying to delete Mac Sparse Bundle then it will take quite enough time to complete the thing. In case each sparse bundle is stored into their own partition then you need to erase the desire partition.

[BiGMaCHiNe]

According to me you should go for single Time Machine partition for your Mac clients. Time Machine will worry regarding the sparse bundles. For your information Drobo is having 95% threshold cap. Rest of 5% can be used for processing of the Data which is happening by the system. By default this is done to prevent loss of the data when the drive which you are using gets full or if you wanted to add large capacity drive on the Drobo of yours.

[Connect_Me]

According to me there are various reasons which might be the causing the problem in your situation. I know working of the Time Machine very well and I love to use this particular thing. So far it did not generated any issue. As far as I know this particular application is very easy to use and reliable as well. Another thing you can use Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper which might be better solution for this particular situation.

[Wguy2008]

You have to setup Drobo FS and go for Drobo Dashboard where you have to create a share backup on the Mac. You have to do following things to do this.

• You have to set a name for Share.
• Now simply click on Enable Time Machine support on this share.
• Finally you need to specify maximum amount of space which you wanted to use.
• Now mount the share on the Mac by using Drobo Dashboard.
• Finally you need to set up Time Machine to complete the process.