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Encryption and Time Machine
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philm
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Apr 13, 2011, 11:03 AM
 
At work, I'm going to be required to encrypt the drive on my MacBook Pro. I'm concerned that this will affect my carefully honed backup routine. I use Time Machine to a local hard drive and also online backup with Backblaze.

Some issues: if I use Filevault, I believe that I will only back up when I log out, and I think (but I'm not sure) that as all my files will end up as one Sparseimage file, this entire file will get backed up which presumably takes many hours.

Also, whilst I love Backblaze, the first back up took many weeks and I'd rather avoid doing this.

So, given that many people want to encrypt and also back up data, I'd appreciate any insights or advice anyone might have. Is there a way I can encrypt without disrupting my back-up processes too much?
     
Person Man
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Apr 13, 2011, 12:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by philm View Post
At work, I'm going to be required to encrypt the drive on my MacBook Pro. I'm concerned that this will affect my carefully honed backup routine. I use Time Machine to a local hard drive and also online backup with Backblaze.

Some issues: if I use Filevault, I believe that I will only back up when I log out, and I think (but I'm not sure) that as all my files will end up as one Sparseimage file, this entire file will get backed up which presumably takes many hours.

Also, whilst I love Backblaze, the first back up took many weeks and I'd rather avoid doing this.

So, given that many people want to encrypt and also back up data, I'd appreciate any insights or advice anyone might have. Is there a way I can encrypt without disrupting my back-up processes too much?
Are you going to be using your personally owned computer with company data? If so, why not create a separate user just for that data and encrypt that with FileVault and your non-work-related files and accounts don't need to be encrypted.

Or, create an encrypted disk image and use that for the sensitive data. Keeping your sensitive data in it's own encrypted workspace would allow minimal disruption to your personal backup strategy.

I personally store patient information on my personal laptop computer and I secure it in an encrypted disk image, which allows me to back that image up on a USB stick and have it stay encrypted there, too.
     
turtle777
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Apr 13, 2011, 01:45 PM
 
What backup routines does the company use for other users in your situation ?
Is every user on his own to figure out how to make backups and encryption work ?

PersonMan's advice is on encrypted disk images is good, it's bascially what I'm doing as well.
I use TrueCrypt, since it's free, and cross-plattform.

-t
     
Athens
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Apr 15, 2011, 06:04 PM
 
I highly recommend TrueCrypt as well. Now if it was one of my users I wouldn't support the disk image option but would require a true full disk encryption like SecureDoc. Time Machine and encryption don't play well together. The other option I would allow is a dedicated user account with file vault as Person Man suggested. You might have to look at a different backup option for a dedicated user account for work because Time Machine wouldn't really meet the requirements for data protection either if the backup hard drive was stolen.
Blandine Bureau 1940 - 2011
Missed 2012 by 3 days, RIP Grandma :-(
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 15, 2011, 06:39 PM
 
( Last edited by Cold Warrior; May 7, 2011 at 11:26 PM. Reason: link spam)
     
Athens
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Apr 15, 2011, 07:53 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
I use Espionage and find it works very well.
bad link

Tao Effect :: Espionage :: Secure Folder Encryption for Mac OS X
Blandine Bureau 1940 - 2011
Missed 2012 by 3 days, RIP Grandma :-(
     
philm  (op)
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Apr 16, 2011, 12:34 PM
 
Thanks all. I'm going to look at those options. And yes, we are essentially supposed to work out our own back-up solutions where I work...
     
cgc
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Apr 16, 2011, 05:32 PM
 
I wish Apple would put something better in OSX Lion, something more like BitLocker (I know, hate to admit it but I like a MS product).
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 16, 2011, 06:21 PM
 
They are. Filevault will offer full disk encryption.
     
cgc
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Apr 17, 2011, 06:55 AM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
They are. Filevault will offer full disk encryption.
FileVault needs some work.
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 17, 2011, 10:43 AM
 
Hence the Lion upgrades.
     
cgc
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Apr 17, 2011, 01:47 PM
 
Gotcha...thought you were implying the current FileVault was adequate...thanks for the clarification.
     
   
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