by Jon Beattie
Rod and I share the same desire…the perfect home network/backup solution.
I agree with Rod, offsite storage is definitely the answer, but it all comes back to faster, cheaper broadband. I too miss the Briefcase/Offline Files feature of Windows since I moved to Mac. I actually use it in my Parallels Windows XP machine (this allows you run Windows on your Mac simultaneously) to sync with the file servers at the office. There is a great new feature in Parallels 3.0 where you can open a file from Windows in an app on OS X or vice versa. You can also now mount up the drive without booting up the virtual machine. I tried Chronosync, but it just gives you errors without any explanation of what you might do to solve those errors? Also, it corrupts certain files if you have applications open during the sync.
Regarding backup of iTunes and iPhoto, the only solution I have found is to use Chronosync to my firewire drive at home via a network shared drive on the home Mac. There is also the ability to have multiple iTunes/iPhoto libraries, you just hold down the alt/option key when starting the application. This allowed me to have a cut down iTunes library which I use when I’m traveling and leave the massive one with all my video at home.
There should be a simpler solution though. Back up technology is just so disappointing, I just don’t think it has really advanced at all except the type of media you back up onto.
