Time Capsule 2TB too small

C

climbguy


Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
203
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Washington, DC
I would like to use a Time Capsule in an SMB environment and 2TB is too small, I have been told that i can connect a 4way usb splitter to the back of the Time Capsule and connect 4 additional USB HDs.

Would someone please confirm this is true, do I need to do anything once connecting the drives?
 
cwa107

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
climbguy said:
I would like to use a Time Capsule in an SMB environment and 2TB is too small, I have been told that i can connect a 4way usb splitter to the back of the Time Capsule and connect 4 additional USB HDs.

Would someone please confirm this is true, do I need to do anything once connecting the drives?
Click to expand...

I think you might be looking at the wrong device. The Time Capsule is really not optimized for SMB - there are a lot of other NAS devices that are much better suited. It's not that it couldn't be done, I just don't think it's the most practical solution, given your requirements.

Off the top of my head, I'm thinking I'd be leaning toward something like the Drobo.
 
OP
C

climbguy


Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
203
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Washington, DC
is the Drobo or other similar devises compatible with Time Machine?
 
Stretch

Stretch


Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
4,773
Reaction score
166
Points
63
Location
Central New York
Your Mac's Specs
15in i7 MacBook Pro, 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 500GB HD
Any hard drive is compatible with Time Machine as long as it is formatted for a Mac.
 
OP
C

climbguy


Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
203
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Washington, DC
I looked at the Drobo in more detail, and I am looking for some form of NAS devise as I will need to backup about 10 Macs.

As I mentioned in my first post, Apple advised me to buy a Time Machine and then connect several external HDs to it via USB.

I am here to look for other solutions.
 
S

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,609
Reaction score
1,076
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
I have two drives connected to my Time capsule. Both of the drives are in the same enclosure though I don't think that would matter. I have not tried it with more drives than that though I don't anticipate a problem. Given a day or two I could probably connect another drive or two to test whether 4 drives would work. Generally I have not had any serious problems though I do sometimes wish the Time Capsule would allow connection via SATA instead of USB.

There are a few things to keep in mind with the project you are undertaking. The brain trust here may think of a few other considerations:

1. If you are using the drives for Time Machine let them start the backup after they are connected to the Time Capsule. Time Machine stores its backups in a different format when stored on a network volume versus directly connoted to a Mac. You can move from the folder format (direct connect) to sparsebundle (network) but the process can be Time consuming.

2. If possible allow the Macs being backed up to do the initial backup via wired ethernet. It will be much faster than wireless backups.

3. Disk Utility will not "see" a network drive directly even if the damage is minor. Disconnect the problem drive from the Time Capsule and connect it directly to a Mac then launch Disk Utility.

4. Use a usb hub which draws power from an electrical outlet rather than drawing all its power from the USB bus. I recommend that in "across the board" for hard drives as men seem to require more power than some USB ports provide.
 
Stretch

Stretch


Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
4,773
Reaction score
166
Points
63
Location
Central New York
Your Mac's Specs
15in i7 MacBook Pro, 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 500GB HD
The Drobo FS is a network drive. You can plug it into your router and use it as a networked Time Machine drive.
 
OP
C

climbguy


Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
203
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Washington, DC
Thank you for the detailed explanation. Would I be best off using a Time Capsule and connecting a Drobo or similar devise to it or using standard USB drives with a splitter?

I'll probably need 10-12GB, maybe 15 just to have some room to grow.

Slydude said:
I have two drives connected to my Time capsule. Both of the drives are in the same enclosure though I don't think that would matter. I have not tried it with more drives than that though I don't anticipate a problem. Given a day or two I could probably connect another drive or two to test whether 4 drives would work. Generally I have not had any serious problems though I do sometimes wish the Time Capsule would allow connection via SATA instead of USB.

There are a few things to keep in mind with the project you are undertaking. The brain trust here may think of a few other considerations:

1. If you are using the drives for Time Machine let them start the backup after they are connected to the Time Capsule. Time Machine stores its backups in a different format when stored on a network volume versus directly connoted to a Mac. You can move from the folder format (direct connect) to sparsebundle (network) but the process can be Time consuming.

2. If possible allow the Macs being backed up to do the initial backup via wired ethernet. It will be much faster than wireless backups.

3. Disk Utility will not "see" a network drive directly even if the damage is minor. Disconnect the problem drive from the Time Capsule and connect it directly to a Mac then launch Disk Utility.

4. Use a usb hub which draws power from an electrical outlet rather than drawing all its power from the USB bus. I recommend that in "across the board" for hard drives as men seem to require more power than some USB ports provide.
Click to expand...
 
OP
C

climbguy


Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
203
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Washington, DC
Stretch said:
The Drobo FS is a network drive. You can plug it into your router and use it as a networked Time Machine drive.
Click to expand...

do most NAS devises support time machine? The Drobo looks rather pricey.
 
OP
C

climbguy


Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
203
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Washington, DC
Slydude, any luck testing the USB hub?

Slydude said:
I have two drives connected to my Time capsule. Both of the drives are in the same enclosure though I don't think that would matter. I have not tried it with more drives than that though I don't anticipate a problem. Given a day or two I could probably connect another drive or two to test whether 4 drives would work. Generally I have not had any serious problems though I do sometimes wish the Time Capsule would allow connection via SATA instead of USB.

There are a few things to keep in mind with the project you are undertaking. The brain trust here may think of a few other considerations:

1. If you are using the drives for Time Machine let them start the backup after they are connected to the Time Capsule. Time Machine stores its backups in a different format when stored on a network volume versus directly connoted to a Mac. You can move from the folder format (direct connect) to sparsebundle (network) but the process can be Time consuming.

2. If possible allow the Macs being backed up to do the initial backup via wired ethernet. It will be much faster than wireless backups.

3. Disk Utility will not "see" a network drive directly even if the damage is minor. Disconnect the problem drive from the Time Capsule and connect it directly to a Mac then launch Disk Utility.

4. Use a usb hub which draws power from an electrical outlet rather than drawing all its power from the USB bus. I recommend that in "across the board" for hard drives as men seem to require more power than some USB ports provide.
Click to expand...
 
S

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,609
Reaction score
1,076
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
Sorry for being so late getting back to you so late. I was having trouble getting into the forums last night. I haven't had any luck testing this idea. Over the last week I have had two "spare" drives fail.

To go to the point you are interested in though neither of those drives failed due to being attached to the Time Capsule. One was several years old (5 - 10 years) and salvaged from one of our previous Gateways. The other failed while in my Mac Pro. Neither drive had ever been attached to the Time Capsule.
 
OP
C

climbguy


Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
203
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Washington, DC
I am sorry to hear about your dive failures.

Just to confirm, you had no problem using a USB hub?

Slydude said:
Sorry for being so late getting back to you so late. I was having trouble getting into the forums last night. I haven't had any luck testing this idea. Over the last week I have had two "spare" drives fail.

To go to the point you are interested in though neither of those drives failed due to being attached to the Time Capsule. One was several years old (5 - 10 years) and salvaged from one of our previous Gateways. The other failed while in my Mac Pro. Neither drive had ever been attached to the Time Capsule.
Click to expand...
 
S

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,609
Reaction score
1,076
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
No problem at all. In fact, my Time Machine has been connected that wat for about a year now with no issues. I have one enclosure attached to the hub. Inside that enclosure I have two hard drives. One is used for Time Machine.is a full backup rather than I use the second drive to periodically back up the content of the Time Capsule.

Right now I am using the Archive function in the Airport Utility to back up the Time Capsule. I will likely change that though because it is very time consuming. Each backup is a full rather than incremental backup. If remember correctly the wireless functions are out of commission during that time.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top