Time Machine (OS X)

Time Machine (german time machine ) is a data backup software from Apple, which has Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard ) built into the operating system. The program can be used for automatic backup of all computer data and settings.

For data backup an HFS formatted disk or partition is required, which is connected to the computer. From this volume the Mac may not have been booted in order to store data on it in the same operation can. These can be internal hard drives or external storage media connected via USB, FireWire, Thunderbolt or network with the computer.

The favored by Apple hardware solution for Time Machine backup on the Apple Time Capsule ( with built-in hard drive), or something simple about Apple AirPort with attached USB hard drive.

Operation of Time Machine for Data Loss

The user interface of Time Machine is very innovative, so that the description is given here step by step. This should be a better insight will be given, how it works and what over the conventional data backup software to Time Machine so different on other platforms.

If data is damaged or lost, the user can restore the "Time Machine". First, the user must call the corresponding program in which he is missing data. This can be a file in the Finder, for example, but, for example, an e -mail to " Apple Mail " or a contact card in the Apple Address Book. In the second step the user clicks on the Time Machine icon in the Dock.

Now all the windows except for the window in which the user misses his data ( Finder, Mail ... ), hidden. The background changes to a visually elaborately designed 3D universe with a chronological order behind the other window with a time line on which all backup time points are shown. By selecting a timing of the respective former data state can be viewed. If the missing data or the correct version was found again, all or only a part of the past with a single click in the current ( new ) version can be retrieved.

Which window is displayed in the 3D space, depends on the Time Machine integration of the software. In " Apple Mail ", " Apple address book " or " Apple iPhoto " you can for example look at the program with the then existing data (existing mails, notes, contacts, photos, etc. as it was then ). Other programs - even partially Apple applications such as iTunes or Apple Aperture - do not offer such deep Time Machine integration. Here it appears the Finder window, and you have to bring out the correct information based on the file name. In Office programs, in which the user is constantly working with filenames and stores all aware of the Finder, the representation of the Finder occurs task-oriented. In applications where the software for the user takes the tedious file management and the user is working dateinamenlos (such as iTunes, Aperture, or VMware), the recovery designed then a little more difficult. The software manufacturers build the integration of Time Machine compatibility over the years from more and more. A current example is about VMware Fusion 4.0, for easy retrieval of the correct version of the past, a real GUI now displays after several years (instead of a Finder window ).

Use concept of Time Machine

Time Machine performs data backup only for drives that are connected directly to the Mac. The backup can be so in addition to the built-in hard disk on which the operating system is running, even more directly connected to the Mac external drives or even USB flash drives include. Conversely, this means that a device connected to the Time Capsule USB external hard drive can not be secured with Time Machine, because here is the link about the Time Capsule is produced and this plate is not directly dependent on the Mac.

This does not erroneously received each only temporarily connected USB drive or any external hard drive in the Time Machine backup and so the backup storage volume is filled prematurely attached external disk by default by the operating system Mac OS on the Time Machine option directly to the Mac " following Objects not secure, " excluded from the backup. The user wishes to convert an external drive consciously in the backup of the Time Machine, so he must remove these blocking entry through the Control Panel "Time Machine".

Fixed points of criticism

The following criticisms have been remedied through several generations of new Mac OS versions step by step:

  • Prior to version 10.7, simultaneous use of Time Machine and FileVault was not so readily possible because before the backup could be performed only by users logged out. This problem was corrected with Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion ), by now the entire hard drive is encrypted ( at 10.4, 10.5 or 10.6 was only the home directory ). The backed up data is also encrypted.
  • Prior to version 10.7, it was not possible to synchronize two backup sets. This means that if you're traveling creates backups on a USB hard drive, you could not before this update into the local Time Capsule. Even this flaw has been fixed.
  • Since version 10.8, more than one hard drive can serve as a backup disk. If more than two hard drives configured as backup media, distributed Time Machine backups evenly across the hard drives connected. This option is useful to obtain a longer history or to go also to be able to take a backup disk while still at home a plate to have a certain relapse protection.

Errors

A widely held misconception is based on the data stored with Time Machine can only be accessed with the Mac, from which the data was collected, or from a newly implemented system, and it is not possible to drive from another Mac from individual data, without the data in this computer would be overwritten, which is why Time Machine was not suitable for data backup when the Mac had to be put in repair and need to be accessed in the meantime by a second Mac from his data. Properly, however, is that "third party " backed up data can even be accessed in two ways:

On one hand, foreign backed up data can be opened with Time Machine. This feature is somewhat hidden: do this, first the Time Machine icon must be placed in the dock. Right clicking on this icon will open the necessary menu.

On the other hand, the backup volume can also with no Time Machine simply activated directly in the Finder ( " mounted" ) are. This is possible because Time Machine at each incremental backup stores not only the changed files, but also for unmodified files sets a new hard link. Thus, each "backup set" as a fully mirrored database without unnecessary memory consumption appears in the Finder. This mechanism also eliminates the need for a separate catalog file, which via the backup directory. A small drawback of this method is that each backup action must be preceded by a relatively complex file comparison (which was not disturbing because it runs in the background ).

The major disadvantage of this strategy is that when any change getting the whole file is re- saved. Therefore, Time Machine is for example less well suited for securing virtual machines that consist of a single large file. Package files such as iPhoto and Aperture libraries are, however, partially secured.

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