Question for Apple/LR users regarding storage/bu

[John Bennett]

I guess this is open to windows users as well, but Im mac so looking for what others might be doing.

Lightroom from everything Ive read is not shared/network drive friendly. So that presents the problem with regards to storage/bu configs if/when you want to run two devices, yet maintain LR continuity.

Specifically how to configure things such that you can utilise LR off both a Mac and MacBook. Best quasi solution Im hearing/finding is utilising a portable hd to hold the image library/catalogue folders. Then plug that via firewire into which ever device is being used.

Then back the portable up by daising chaining an ext anytime it (the portable) is back on the desktop/Mac.

Im sure Im not the only person who has tried to find a good solution and am just wondering if anyone does that, has and discovered problems and then opted for another solution? I know some use externals however they are big/bulky, require a power source and aren’t really designed to be moved around willy/nilly which really just raises the odds of disk failure shoult it get dinged and rattled around.

[kurt budliger]

What you’ve described is exactly how I have my system configured.

[John Bennett]

Thanks Kurt, Im really wracking my brain trying to figure what should work best. Id rather not go through the expense of experimenting too much.

The issue for me is wanting and needing to be portable. There are going to be times and occassions when plugging an external into the MBP is either inconvenient (say while in the backyard watching the kids in the pool) or simply not possible…On a back woods trip where theres little/no power. For example Ill be up in northern Ontario not far from hudsons bay later this year for a week or more where theres no power at all .

So at this point the most reliable config I can think of is a 1tb LaCie 3 way rugged portable.

iMac > portable (most often). Dasied to ext when in office
MPB > portable when needed

2TB Time Capsule running Time Machine on all devices for continious redundancy.

The other option is
iMac > 2TB external
MPB > Lacie 1tb portable
copy current library/catalogue folder each and every time I want the MBP and then reverse the process afterwards.
Time Capsule in the background doing its thing on all devices

[kurt budliger]

Copying the catalog from device to device can be a pain in the arse, plus the images won’t be accessible to LR so you won’t be able to use the develop module, sliders will be grayed out.

I guess for me there is no “best” solution.

[J A Y M O R R]

JB, I also do the same!

[John Bennett]

So its sounds like Im on the right track.

I bought the Lacie 1TB 3 way portable today so I can connect via firewire to either machine. My 2TB Time Capsule Im going to redirect to run time machine on my OS and software applications on both and the library just for redundancy.

1TB external and 1 TB portable. Only thing left to do is figure out if I want to have the library/catalogue on the external and just use the portable on my MPB/backup or use the portable to house the library/catalogue and daisy the external for b/u

Thanks much guys.

[Eric DeWitt]

Anyone use Dropbox?

[John Bennett]

Eric I use drop box with a couple Art directors to quickly move full res files, folders. I find it as good, better than ftp or “you send it”.

[Author]

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