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Need advice on setting up a new iMac
- Thread starter simonclivehughes
- Start date
Godfrey
Well-known member
I recently bought a new Mac Mini (upgrade from my ancient PowerMac G5 tower system). Here's how I have it configured, which is very similar to how I configured my PowerMac G5.
hardware storage config:
internal: 500G contains OS + applications + User accounts*
approximately 50% free space
* User accounts contain all incidental daily use files like my personal accounting spreadsheets, writing, email, iTunes music to listen to, etc. Lightroom catalog files are also on this volume in my user account.
external drive 1: 1T data drive, contains my working photography/video/sound files of all types.
approximately 30% free space (soon to be upgraded to 2T volume)
external drive 2: 500G Time Machine backup volume
external drive 3: 2T archive1 volume ...
external drive 4: 2T archive2 volume ...
external drive 5: 500G internal drive clone (off line)
data flow:
- photo files are added to external 1 in the approprate locations and imported to LR catalogs on internal drive.
- Time Machine incrementally backs up internal 1 to external 2, excluding LR catalogs.
- ChronoSync synchronizes LR catalogs to external 1, then synchronizes external 1 to external 3, then mirrors external 3 onto external 4.
- SuperDuper! is used to clone internal to external 5 as a bootable clone any time I change or add anything to the system configuration.
This makes best use of the different backup schemas of Time Machine and ChronoSync, leaves tons of free space on working drives, and keeps an appropriate amount of backup data duplication to minimize data loss risks. The cloner disk is to allow fast system recovery in the event of a catastrophic failure of the internal startup drive. The Time Machine backup can then restore back to that anything which might have changed incrementally since the last clone operation.
Regards scratch disks, I don't bother to set Photoshop CSx or Camera Raw scratch files to alternative volumes because in my use I measured no practical performance gains from doing so. I only saw performance gains when working with files over 300Mbytes ... I don't work with 300Mbyte files, I work with 60-100Mbyte files.
There's also little point to partitioning a hard drive and putting working files in one partition and scratch in another. If the same mechanism has to travel back and forth to handle both working files and scratch files, any performance gain is lost in the noise.
hardware storage config:
internal: 500G contains OS + applications + User accounts*
approximately 50% free space
* User accounts contain all incidental daily use files like my personal accounting spreadsheets, writing, email, iTunes music to listen to, etc. Lightroom catalog files are also on this volume in my user account.
external drive 1: 1T data drive, contains my working photography/video/sound files of all types.
approximately 30% free space (soon to be upgraded to 2T volume)
external drive 2: 500G Time Machine backup volume
external drive 3: 2T archive1 volume ...
external drive 4: 2T archive2 volume ...
external drive 5: 500G internal drive clone (off line)
data flow:
- photo files are added to external 1 in the approprate locations and imported to LR catalogs on internal drive.
- Time Machine incrementally backs up internal 1 to external 2, excluding LR catalogs.
- ChronoSync synchronizes LR catalogs to external 1, then synchronizes external 1 to external 3, then mirrors external 3 onto external 4.
- SuperDuper! is used to clone internal to external 5 as a bootable clone any time I change or add anything to the system configuration.
This makes best use of the different backup schemas of Time Machine and ChronoSync, leaves tons of free space on working drives, and keeps an appropriate amount of backup data duplication to minimize data loss risks. The cloner disk is to allow fast system recovery in the event of a catastrophic failure of the internal startup drive. The Time Machine backup can then restore back to that anything which might have changed incrementally since the last clone operation.
Regards scratch disks, I don't bother to set Photoshop CSx or Camera Raw scratch files to alternative volumes because in my use I measured no practical performance gains from doing so. I only saw performance gains when working with files over 300Mbytes ... I don't work with 300Mbyte files, I work with 60-100Mbyte files.
There's also little point to partitioning a hard drive and putting working files in one partition and scratch in another. If the same mechanism has to travel back and forth to handle both working files and scratch files, any performance gain is lost in the noise.
simonclivehughes
Active member
Godfrey,
Thanks for the the detailed reply. Very interesting data flow details... makes good sense to me. Also, I was staring to question partitioning the drive for the same reasons.
Appreciate your input!
Cheers,
Thanks for the the detailed reply. Very interesting data flow details... makes good sense to me. Also, I was staring to question partitioning the drive for the same reasons.
Appreciate your input!
Cheers,
ustein
Contributing Editor
>Lightroom catalog files are also on this volume in my user account.
I have the Lightroom Catalog on the same drive (2TB) with the main current images. Why? If I make a backup copy of this disk (and I have multiple) then I can open the backup catalog and it will find all these main images. How? LR also stores a relative path and this path is the same for the backup disk.
I have the Lightroom Catalog on the same drive (2TB) with the main current images. Why? If I make a backup copy of this disk (and I have multiple) then I can open the backup catalog and it will find all these main images. How? LR also stores a relative path and this path is the same for the backup disk.
Godfrey
Well-known member
As you might note from my post above, I synchronize the LR catalog folder(s) to the data drive as part of my backup/synchronization process. So if I were to need to run to a different location and needed all my current work files, in a hurry, all I need to do is nab the external data drive and everything is there as of the last backup ... which is done at the end of every day's work and/or whenever I feel the need (such as after importing a ton of new work).
The reason for keeping the working catalog on the internal drive is two-fold: the read/write IO is more efficient. LR only reads from the external drive for the original image files and reads/writes the CR cache, previews and catalog on the internal drive. Plus it's one more level of backup ... I know that no matter what happens to the working catalog during the course of a day's editing, there's always the last version of it safely tucked away on the external drive. That has occasionally proven to be very handy.
Guy Mancuso
Administrator, Instructor
I partition only for a Backup OS and Image data and this is on the second drive. I don't use scratch either since I am on a SSD with CS5 it makes no sense to use a spinner for scratch
Georg Baumann
Subscriber Member
Hi Simon,
+1 on Super Duper and CCC, it is your Mac life insurance in deed and works perfect.
Like to add something, and congrats on your iMac, fine maschine you got there!
Also, soon there will be a new OSX 10.6.5 coming, make it a habit to always run super duper or CCC before you perform the update.
As for the update itself, avoid to use the software update for major overhauls and download the full package instead, really is best practise.
So order of events would be 1. Super duper 2. donwload the entire update to your harddrive 3. run repair permissions 4. perform update.
Best
Georg
+1 on Super Duper and CCC, it is your Mac life insurance in deed and works perfect.
Like to add something, and congrats on your iMac, fine maschine you got there!
Also, soon there will be a new OSX 10.6.5 coming, make it a habit to always run super duper or CCC before you perform the update.
As for the update itself, avoid to use the software update for major overhauls and download the full package instead, really is best practise.
So order of events would be 1. Super duper 2. donwload the entire update to your harddrive 3. run repair permissions 4. perform update.
Best
Georg
simonclivehughes
Active member
Georg,
Thanks for the advice re the update etc.
I have used SuperDuper for a long time, but then switched to Time Machine (which has worked well for me).
Thanks for the advice re the update etc.
I have used SuperDuper for a long time, but then switched to Time Machine (which has worked well for me).
simonclivehughes
Active member
Many thanks to all who responded to this thread. I finally got my iMac and all the bits and bobs to get it all set up. Here's a pdf I made (with OmniGraffle) of my network storage strategy. Comments are welcome.
Notes:
1. Yes, I know, I used a Mac mini symbol for the HDDs. (Looked better).
2. I already had the FW400 and USB drives.
3. I use SuperDuper for the OS Clone and ChronoSync for the incremental backups.
View attachment 35295
Here's a shot of the system set up. (Most drives are on a shelf above the desk). (Taken with the Sony NEX & 16mm kit lens.)
View attachment 35294
Hope this may help others.
Notes:
1. Yes, I know, I used a Mac mini symbol for the HDDs. (Looked better).
2. I already had the FW400 and USB drives.
3. I use SuperDuper for the OS Clone and ChronoSync for the incremental backups.
View attachment 35295
Here's a shot of the system set up. (Most drives are on a shelf above the desk). (Taken with the Sony NEX & 16mm kit lens.)
View attachment 35294
Hope this may help others.
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simonclivehughes
Active member
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