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With a solid/easy backup system like Time Machine, don't even need a proper service plan: * Buy an external HD, set up Time Machine. * Keep an identical spare

With a solid/easy backup system like Time Machine, don't even need a proper service plan: * Buy an external HD, set up Time Machine. * Keep an identical spare Mac. * If you're paranoid, buy a second external HD; rotate it and the first drive for TM backup every week-ish (keep the inactive one next to your spare Mac) * When the Mac dies; toss it, get out the spare, plug in the TM drive and restore. Totally back in business in an hour or three. Buy another spare.

smithian 15y ago
So, uh, your backup strategy is "buy two computers for every employee?" INteresting, but hardly cost-effective.
- ConstantineXVI 15y ago
  Just as effective as leasing $600 machines for $150/mo
  - smithian 15y ago
    In other words, not effective at all? Yes.
  - brk 15y ago
    Over the course of the 2-year lease, they pay $3600 for a $600 machine (according to the OP). Let's assume his math is way off. It's a $1000 machine, and it's only $100/mo for 2 years. That is still $2400, 2.4 times the value of the hardware. I fail to see how the proposed solution could be any LESS cost-effective. This also is only discussing raw costs of equipment, and not employee downtime. You could likely recover an employees productivity in HOURS instead of DAYS. Seems like a great solution overall, which is most likely why it would never be implemented.
- protomyth 15y ago
  For an enterprise you can do time machine to a lion server connected to your big storage. Then just keep a few spare machines like you would for your PCs.
- pyre 15y ago
  You only need two computers for every employee if you expect an event where all employees will need to swap out their computers at once. On a personal level, you would need two, but on a company-wide level you don't need that absolute redundancy.
- ryannielsen 15y ago
  Nowhere did he claim "two computers for every employee". Like any company with centrally managed IT, it'd be wise to have hot spares of any and all hardware. That doesn't imply "buy 2x of everything!", it means to prepare for failure and minimize downtime (of any hardware) by having spares that can be quickly swapped.
  - smithian 15y ago
    Well, I certainly looks to me that that is what he was saying, and given the opportunity he did not back away from that position, he doubled down on it in his response. So, downvote away I guess. But the whole thrust of this argument seems ridiculous to me. There is nothing special about macs that enables this strategy, and it's a stupid and expensive strategy that gains no benefits over a standard backup routine.

smithian 15y ago

So, uh, your backup strategy is "buy two computers for every employee?" INteresting, but hardly cost-effective.

ConstantineXVI 15y ago
Just as effective as leasing $600 machines for $150/mo
- smithian 15y ago
  In other words, not effective at all? Yes.
- brk 15y ago
  Over the course of the 2-year lease, they pay $3600 for a $600 machine (according to the OP). Let's assume his math is way off. It's a $1000 machine, and it's only $100/mo for 2 years. That is still $2400, 2.4 times the value of the hardware. I fail to see how the proposed solution could be any LESS cost-effective. This also is only discussing raw costs of equipment, and not employee downtime. You could likely recover an employees productivity in HOURS instead of DAYS. Seems like a great solution overall, which is most likely why it would never be implemented.
protomyth 15y ago
For an enterprise you can do time machine to a lion server connected to your big storage. Then just keep a few spare machines like you would for your PCs.
pyre 15y ago
You only need two computers for every employee if you expect an event where all employees will need to swap out their computers at once. On a personal level, you would need two, but on a company-wide level you don't need that absolute redundancy.
ryannielsen 15y ago
Nowhere did he claim "two computers for every employee". Like any company with centrally managed IT, it'd be wise to have hot spares of any and all hardware. That doesn't imply "buy 2x of everything!", it means to prepare for failure and minimize downtime (of any hardware) by having spares that can be quickly swapped.
- smithian 15y ago
  Well, I certainly looks to me that that is what he was saying, and given the opportunity he did not back away from that position, he doubled down on it in his response. So, downvote away I guess. But the whole thrust of this argument seems ridiculous to me. There is nothing special about macs that enables this strategy, and it's a stupid and expensive strategy that gains no benefits over a standard backup routine.