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How to keep a M3 iMac and MacBook Air’s data synced
- Thread starter Jackbequickly
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You mean just your data like calendars, email, and documents? Those can be synced using a free iCloud account.
1) Do you have your data properly backed up?
Note: No, a single copy of your data is not a backup.
If disaster strikes where you live, are your backups redundant so you can recover?
2) With that in mind, consider your data syncing. Does your backup process let you do something like?
Machine 1 -> Backup -> Machine 2
Example: Machine 1 replicates to backup like a Cloud provider and machine 2 syncs from the cloud provider to the local machine.
If it does, you can setup certain folders to sync and you're basically done. If not, you might consider the value of redundant backups that allow you to do that. iCloud isn't the only Cloud. You can check /r/privacy's wiki on reddit and the https://www.privacyguides.org/en/ website they link to for different private Cloud providers that keep your data encrypted end to end so nobody can access it except you.
3) If you have a locally hosted/offline redundant backup system, but still want offline sync, that starts with: What do you want to keep synced?
Do you just want to keep your Documents and Downloads folders synced? If it's something like that, many utilities can help like the command line rclone utility.
Note: No, a single copy of your data is not a backup.
If disaster strikes where you live, are your backups redundant so you can recover?
2) With that in mind, consider your data syncing. Does your backup process let you do something like?
Machine 1 -> Backup -> Machine 2
Example: Machine 1 replicates to backup like a Cloud provider and machine 2 syncs from the cloud provider to the local machine.
If it does, you can setup certain folders to sync and you're basically done. If not, you might consider the value of redundant backups that allow you to do that. iCloud isn't the only Cloud. You can check /r/privacy's wiki on reddit and the https://www.privacyguides.org/en/ website they link to for different private Cloud providers that keep your data encrypted end to end so nobody can access it except you.
3) If you have a locally hosted/offline redundant backup system, but still want offline sync, that starts with: What do you want to keep synced?
Do you just want to keep your Documents and Downloads folders synced? If it's something like that, many utilities can help like the command line rclone utility.
‘I have 5 backups. One for each day of the work week. They go home with me each day.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
If you have big iCloud (and pay the big rent for it), you can save all commonly-used files in iCloud Drive and both will be using the SAME files. Be careful to look into backing up to TM as there is a setting for iCloud that makes backups to TM iffy. Else, manually duplicate your cloud storage regularly to backup drives so you have backups.
If you have big cloud with some other service, same.
If you have some budget, instead of renting cloud space from Apple or others, buy yourself a NAS with a cloud feature- such as those from Synology- set up your own rent-free cloud with any amount of space you need and expandable if you need a bigger cloud in the future. Then, you fully control your own cloud instead of hoping stranger caretakers will actually take care of your data forever-after. A NAS can do many other things besides just the one thing... but this one thing is very much like the classic own vs. rent concepts: you can own and fully control your own cloud... and charge yourself NO rent to use any amount of space in it.
I don't care for "trusting (complete strangers in) the cloud" so I use a terrific program called Chronosync to keep multiple Macs synched. It is a manual process that I run just before needing to switch to the other Mac. For example, the bulk of my Mac time is working on a desktop. However, when I need to hit the road, I run the sync job to sync anything different on the desktop to the laptop. When I get back, I run it again to sync anything new on the laptop back to desktop. Works well and every time for me... and has for many years. If you are not continuously flipping back & forth between the 2 Macs, this is a great option.
If you have big cloud with some other service, same.
If you have some budget, instead of renting cloud space from Apple or others, buy yourself a NAS with a cloud feature- such as those from Synology- set up your own rent-free cloud with any amount of space you need and expandable if you need a bigger cloud in the future. Then, you fully control your own cloud instead of hoping stranger caretakers will actually take care of your data forever-after. A NAS can do many other things besides just the one thing... but this one thing is very much like the classic own vs. rent concepts: you can own and fully control your own cloud... and charge yourself NO rent to use any amount of space in it.
I don't care for "trusting (complete strangers in) the cloud" so I use a terrific program called Chronosync to keep multiple Macs synched. It is a manual process that I run just before needing to switch to the other Mac. For example, the bulk of my Mac time is working on a desktop. However, when I need to hit the road, I run the sync job to sync anything different on the desktop to the laptop. When I get back, I run it again to sync anything new on the laptop back to desktop. Works well and every time for me... and has for many years. If you are not continuously flipping back & forth between the 2 Macs, this is a great option.
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