If you fit the profile of someone with more storage in iCloud than on your local Mac, this is mission-critical stuff. How MacOS represents iCloud 'optimized' files on disk The theory is that if you have one Mac, iCloud Drive, and Time Machine backing up to a server or spare external drive, you have a fully valid 3-2-1 backup strategy and your files are safe.Įxcept… not so much. Time Machine is a backup program that runs in the background of your Mac and backs up your drive to either an external drive or a drive located on the network - whether that's another Mac or a centrally located file server like a NAS. If you have a second Mac, you get a third copy, because iCloud syncs down to that Mac.īut there's more. With iCloud Drive and one Mac, you ostensibly get two copies: one is on your local machine and one is in iCloud. We selected a handful of devices that passed our reliability torture tests and offer superior usability and feature sets. If cloud-based servers don't meet all of your storage needs, consider a NAS solution. The best network-attached storage devices If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

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