Caysnowman Loc: MN & SC

OWC has advertised a new-to-me raid backup device called a Guardian MAXImus Mini. It is bus powered and comes with SSD's or either 5400 or 7200 rpm drives in capacities up to 2 TB using a Raid 1 configuration. Complete device weighs under 1.5 lbs and is bus powered. Planning on using this on my MBP. I currentlly use SuperDuper to create an off - site backup; how would I continue to use it to create an off - site BU?

http://eshop.macsales.com/search/guardian+maximus+mini

This is appealing and the price seems reasonable. I have used OWC products in the past with great results and hope I can get some 1st hand knowledge from some hoggers on their personal experience.

Thanks, Bill

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Read the manual carefully regarding the power requirements - it requires the external power supply if USB or eSATA connected. Only the FireWire connection can support bus-powered.

"➁ USB mini Port - Connect one of your computer’s USB ports to the Newer Technology Guardian MAXimus mini using the included cable. Using the USB port requires the external power supply to be used"

Caysnowman Loc: MN & SC

Thanks, might have missed that. Would you cast your vote for or against this product?

Bill

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

No opinion - just wanted to make sure you were not expecting it to be powered via USB or eSATA. Could make a difference if you were planning on using it in the field with no access to AC power.

Good luck,
Chris

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

If you look at "What's Included" it shows the AC Power Supply as one of the items included in the box.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Yes, it is included. The issue I was alluding to is that it's necessary to use it if USB or eSATA connected. The OP mentioned that it was in-line powered, and that would be a problem if he had intended to power it from a laptop in the field where no AC was available.

warrenvon Loc: Ellicott City, MD

Even if it were USB powered, it would eat up battery energy very rapidly. Less so if ESSD and not a spinning HD.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Agreed - that (and the current limit on USB ports) is what caused me to check the manual initially. I'm wondering if the drive(s) spins up intermittently when accessed like a laptop drive, or runs continuously.

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

Bill, you're really asking two things here ... if the OWC drive is good and should you still use Superduper to make off-site backups ( by which I assume you mean a complete copy of the drive on external drive that you remove from your place and store elsewhere ).

That said, my answer is yes to both questions. I have an OWC Maximus RAID drive ( in fact, I outgrew my original 2 TB drive and replaced it with a 6 TB, now use the first one for Time Machine). It is on this external drive that I store all of my image files for use with Lightroom.

However, that drive stays on my desktop-I do not move it out of the house. I use Superduper with other (non-RAID) drives to copy my desktop machine and take those copies to the bank vault. If you are contemplating using the RAID drive with Superduper to then take it offsite for safety, I do not believe you will find any benefit to using RAID. You would probably be better served by using a standard external drive, portable or not, with superduper - better still, use two of them in rotation so that wild one sits in the bank vault the other is on your desk getting the latest back up.

jmarshall206

I've been using the NewerTech Guardian MAXimus with my iMac for a month now. Previous to this purchase, I backed up my externally stored photos with the free version of SuperDuper. I found the SD software to be too slow. So after much deliberation, I decided to purchase this RAID enclosure. I bought an open box version and two Hitachi 1TB drives, formatted the drives, and created a new version of Photos on the RAID drive. I'm using RAID1 mirrored setup, with a Thunderbolt to Firewire 800 adapter. It works like a regular external hard drive. I open Photos, which is installed on the "NewerTech raid 1 drive set" icon on my desktop, download and work with my photos; and the installed software automatically saves to both drives. Even though (with Firewire 800) it is unnecessary, I am using the external power supply. I've had no problems with this device and the setup. Apologies for the length of this reply.
Jim Marshall

Caysnowman Loc: MN & SC

Thanks, I was thinking of using the QWC Maximus to do Time Machine backups of my MBP since I recently had a SD card go bad - could see pictures in camera but could not import them to MBP on either of the two MBP I have access too - and I know it is more likely that an external drive would fail than a SD card. I intended to replace my external Time Machine drive with the Maximus. I use Super Duper to make mirrored images of the HD in my MBP and store one off site, periodically switching it with the one I have at home.

I think the Maximus / Time Machine option will give me the security I'm looking for. Keep LR files on the MBP so I should have at least 2 unique copies even if one external drive fails, depending on which drive fails.

Bill

Caysnowman Loc: MN & SC

Thanks Jim, no need to apologize for the length of your reply; this was exactly the information I was hoping to get when I posed my question. As I mentioned to Bob, I'm going to connect a Maximus to Time Machine and do a mirrored Super Duper BU to external hard drive, storing one of them off site and using the other for a more current BU.

Bill