Apple introduced their idea of a solution for backing up notebooks with Time Machine back in January at Macworld 2008, called “Time Capsule.” It’s an interesting contraption.
At first I was a bit skeptical and put-off with the device and with Apple. I was upset with Apple with this device, which makes Apple appear that they’re becoming more like Microsoft. The device is supposed to relieve the issue that notebook users with Mac OS X Leopard, Apple’s newest operating system, can use Time Machine to automatically back up the notebooks files.
The Time Capsule is pretty much the same thing an Airport Extreme Base Station, aside from the fact that the Time Capsule has a built in hard drive. But, once again, Apple has released a product that I’ve found flaws with its options, offerings, and has, well, come up short in my expectations of an amazing Apple product.
I was going to write this ‘review’ of the Time Capsule a few weeks ago, but I was prompted to back up my MacBook with Time Machine and connected my external drive, a 200GB FireWire Seagate drive, which I set up with my MacBook back in October when I first installed Mac OS X Leopard. Leopard’s Time Machine will delete the oldest back up, which gets on my personal nerves. Personally, I don’t like having back ups delete, or be thrown away, I’m a pack-rat, I like to know that I have a good reason to throw something out, and knowing I won’t need it in the future. So, I went out an bought a 1TB Time Capsule to replace my 200GB FireWire drive, in addition to expanding the wireless network here at the house and add wireless printing to my laptop.
200GBs isn’t that much space, I’ll admit, but it was what I had on hand to set up my back up. Which leads me to my first complaint about Apple’s Time Machine back-up system and Time Capsule wireless hard drive.
I started using Mac OS X Leopard the day it came out, October 26, 2007, and I’ve been using Time Machine as my back-up system. So, I have some history in Time Machine stored on my 200GB drive, but what happens if I go out and buy a new hard drive or a Time Capsule, how am I to move or transfer my previous Time Machine or back-up data from one hard drive to a new drive or Time Capsule? Apple’s Time Machine or Time Capsule software doesn’t offer any Time Machine Data transfer option or process to assist users that want to upgrade or replace one back-up drive with another. Why doesn’t Apple have anything to transfer Time Machine data? Seems like Apple is defeating their own purpose. I would’ve expected the Time Capsule to have included a transfer program to move data off a physical connected hard drive in order to move all back up data to the Time Capsule drive. So, I was disappointed that the Time Capsule CD didn’t include any process for transferring existing Time Machine Data to the Time Capsule. So, I did some searching online (thanks Google) and found some notes that some people where able to transfer their Time Machine Data from one external drive to a second external drive using Apple’s Disk Utility to create a disk image to compress the data then decompress it onto a new drive. I’m putting this theory to the test, I’m doing a disk image of my 200GB drive and saving it on the Time Capsule drive. I’m about 2 days into the compression – since I’m doing it from FireWire over the Wireless-G network onto the Time Capsule drive, it’s going to take some time.
Secondly, in my opinion, the Time Capsule is missing a few ports. One USB port, while nice for wireless printing, is nice, but what if I want to expand my wireless storage with multiple external drives? Setting up a Time Capsule with a couple 2TB external drives chained to it, for additional computers, as well as wireless printing – one USB port isn’t going to work. I know I’m a bit of an extremest when it comes to advance set ups or pushing something beyond its design – much like Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Home Improvement). But being the pack rat that I am, 1TB isn’t enough storage space for back up, neither is 2TB. Ideally, having the ability to wirelessly back up to a 4TB storage center.
So if the AirPort Extreme Base Station or Time Capsule is to be applied as a one-point access for multiple computer back up, then they need to have expandability for multiple accessories or drives. Ports should include: 1 WAN, 4 LAN, 4 USB and 2 FireWire ports, with a 2 TB internal drive option. This might be an extreme product, but it would be useful in a large family house or small business office.
More info on my Time Capsule coming soon once I get it up and running smoothly.
