Apple's Time Machine now works as advertised
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Apple has finally opened OS X Leopard's Time Machine wireless backup capability to disk drives lacking the glossy plastic anointment of Cupertino.
With a Wednesday release of software updates, Time Machine can now recognize a USB hard drive connected to a wireless network as valid backup disk. That is — assuming the drive is hooked up to Apple's latest Airport Extreme 802.11n Base Station.
After installing Time Machine and AirPort updates version 1.0 (and updating the Airport firmware), USB drives will have equal access to Time Machine's wireless backup skills as Apple's own Time Capsule appliance.
Before Leopard was released to the public, Apple advertised a wireless backup option for Time Machine from the get-go. Last Oct., however, Apple not only mysteriously killed the feature but (if you don't mind us getting historical) rubbed out every past reference of the feature like it was Hatshepsut's name on an obelisk. In cruder terms, Apple went 18th Dynasty Egypt on its ass.
Apple later began shipping Time Capsule as the only practical way to use Time Machine without physically plugging a hard disk into a computer.
It's nice to see Apple programmers getting back to Leopard after lavishing so much attention on the iPhone. The update is available via the Software Update application, or as a download at the Apple Support web site. ®
Bootnote
In order to update the Airport firmware, launch Airport Utility (Applications->Utilities->Airport Utility) after installing the update. This will prompt the user to apply the 7.3.1 firmware update to the base station.
COMMENTS
@Webster
Move on, find someone who cares - or is that the main issue? There is no-one?
You haven't a clue, criticism implies that you have a knowledge of the product/resource you criticise, whereas you clearly demonstrate no meaningful knowledge of anything other than blinkered views, a vengeful hatred of Apple, personal abuse and clearly no knowledge of anything outside of your own sheltered world.
Hopefully, one day the Reg will understand this and ban you... but probably not.
@Bob Bobson
VSS is a completely different, whilst very useful technology.
Time Machine is incremental backup using a fancy interface, file and directory linking and some meta data.
VSS allows disk writes to be buffered and managed so consistent disk images can be taken.
To all the OS warring people, you should be happy that any of this technology works at all. Marvel at the fact that hundreds of thousands of electrical wiggles a second allow you to blow smoke up each others arses constantly on this tired and boring debate. Then go outside and get some fresh air.
Cant get Time Machine to work on Home Server share
Well I still cant get time machine to work on my Homer Server network share. It see's it now I've got iTime Machine installed but it fails when it tries to do the backup.
Probably something to due with the fact that I'm a bit of a newb and Luddite when it comes to Apple and networking but it sure is frustrating. Just like Paris :)
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