[DominikHoffmann]

Mac OS X Server 10.5 (Leopard Server) allows the configuration of Time Machine shares on volumes attached to the server. Client machines can choose to use such a Time Machine share to back up to, instead of the more typical external hard drive.

It is not clear to me what strategy to use in such a backup configuration, when the client machine also gets its home folders from that Leopard Server machine.

Option 1: Set up a backup of the client computer to the Time Machine share.

Option 2: On the server have the users' home folders back up to the Time Machine share.

Option 3: Do both.

It does seem to me that Option 1 does nothing to back up the logged-in user's home folder. Option 2 does, but does Time Machine allow the user, when he is logged in on the client, to restore files from backup? It seems to me that he would have to be logged in on the server to do so, which is not possible, because the server is headless. Option 3 merely guarantees that everything is backed up, without really making it very accessible.

I'd love to hear people's opionions.

Dominik Hoffmann

[Big Mac]

I say option 2. A local backup sounds like a fine idea but unless it can be easily restored to the server is it really going to matter to the user?

[besson3c]

I can't see a way to provide your clients with access to the TM interface when their home directories are not stored locally. If you are going to skip the TM interface, you can use a backup tool of your choosing to perform option #2.