Networking and Backup Advice

[DookSucks]

I'm an attorney with a satellite office for our firm. We run 3-4 macs, and we are the only group in our firm who works on Mac. Our firm management and file storage is cloud based. However, we have a lot of local stuff we need for day to day operations. As such, I need to run a local network with Time Machine backup capabilities for each mac on one storage unit.

Given the space size and layout, one router is sufficient. Which router should I purchase, and what type of SSD should I buy to connect to said router?

 

[techwarrior]

Not clear, do you need local storage for files, and\or just Time Machine? I assume you already have routers for the network, or are you considering replacing a router with one that also has storage? Does the router need VPN capabilties for secure connections to the corporate LAN?

If your routing needs are already adequately covered, consider a Network Accessible Storage (NAS) solution like Synology. It can scale quite large, or remain small, with redundant disks. And, it can do both Time Machine, and file storage. It may even be able to join the corporate domain and use domain authentication for file access.

SSD is generally not critical need for network shares. The network is likely going to be considerably slower than disk access, so regular HDD will generally do the trick.

 

[sman789]

Ever think about getting a Time Capsule? https://www.apple.com/shop/product/FE177LL/A/refurbished-airport-time-capsule-2tb


Either buy a refurb or get it used. I have the generation before the one I linked to and you can open it up and place in larger HDDS (or put in an SSD if you really need it, which you probably don't).

How many TBs of storage do you need? You can pair a NAS with a router, which would probably be the best thing. You would put 2+ drives into the NAS and you'll get the benefit of speed and redundancy.

 

[hobowankenobi]

I would leave the router out of the equation, and consider a NAS by Synology.

Fairly easy to set up, and lots of advantages. File sharing, file syncing, and lots of space potential for backups. Trumps sharing via a router.

Something like this allows for lots of storage for growth and backups.

They can do loads of other things, but you can keep it simple too.