Backups and Redundancy (for professionals)

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Backups and Redundancy (for professionals)
Posted on: 21.09.2013 by Ervin Calvery
Hi Everyone,

I'm unfortunately very tough on electronics. I assume that a lot of these things break for reasons that are entirely my fault. I'm not entirely sure what behaviour causes this - I keep everything clean and covered with decksavers, invisible shields, and use common sense. (Some of you have seen my setup http://bit.ly/1adrar0 and pointed out that some of it's close to water, but that isn't what happened here).

I'm writing from my phone because my laptop (MacBook Pro, Retina, latest model, maximum options, latest OS, latest, legal copies of all software) absolutely died in the middle of a Traktor/turntablism routine on Thursday evening . Apple evidently needs five days to repair the thing, and now I'm an electronic artist without a computer for the immediate future.

Luckily, I have a smartphone, analog vinyl records and turntables, analog, brass trumpets, pen and paper, and analog, real-life friends.

Eventually, I still need to be able to run Traktpr, Maschine, and Reaktor, though. I have at least three backups of everything, some of which are bootable, several trumpets, multiple stable versions of both commercial software and my own, and duplicates of most of my gear, but none of that helps here.

So, what is the solution to THIS problem? My best response is to purchase a second laptop. I believe I'll wait until the next rMBP update to do so, and just keep my current one. Really, I can't believe of too many other options, seeing as I rely on software. I could do a gig on CDJs, or on vinyl (though it sort of sucks the fun of of a DVS if you're bringing all of your crates), or on Traktor DJ, but why about after the gig? Five or more days downtime is a huge deficit - it'll put me behind in school and work for sure, and I'm bound to miss a deadline.

Do you guys run multiple computers? What is your solution, not just for a gig, but for a week without your system?
Tera Baragan
23.09.2013
Originally Posted by botstein
No way.

Your cheap-but-capable backup mac is a good idea, though, but I believe it's probably worth the investment to have next-gen hardware and top-of-the-line (what I was running) as a backup.
What makes mac next gen compared to a pc laptop? They are the same lmao.

I have a 600$ laptop that seems to be running better then your 2000$ MBP? Something seems wrong with your ideology. I personally own a mac now because I was sick of running gamebooster and a script to turn off background processses but besides that they work the exact same.
Cassie Sangermano
23.09.2013
I actually don't have a backup computer... but I always bring enough CD's with me to a gig that if my laptop ever went down I can always finish out the evening on cd's. If my laptop did die, I could pretty quickly get another, and everything is backed up in multiple locations so would be easy enough to restore. I run windows though, so a replacement laptop would be nowhere near as expensive as a mac.

/ot Nice to see another brass player here!!
Ervin Calvery
21.09.2013
Originally Posted by Student
cheap windows laptop
No way.

Your cheap-but-capable backup mac is a good idea, though, but I believe it's probably worth the investment to have next-gen hardware and top-of-the-line (what I was running) as a backup.
Ervin Calvery
21.09.2013
Originally Posted by deevey
Carbon Copy Clone or Super Duper once a week and you can run your entire back up from an external USB drive or Firewire from any Mac
Right! I do this already - have it covered - but I don't have the girlfriend-with-a-mac part down.
Doreen Schurle
21.09.2013
Originally Posted by botstein
What is your solution, not just for a gig, but for a week without your system?
Learn how to fix stuff yourself. No waiting around for the Apple "geniuses" ('tards).
Rolanda Clodfelder
21.09.2013
Ableton makes it easy with their free trial, but NI apps are a little tougher.
Carbon Copy Clone or Super Duper once a week and you can run your entire back up from an external USB drive or Firewire from any Mac
Ervin Calvery
21.09.2013
Originally Posted by deevey
Find yourself a Girlfriend
Oh god - that's easier said than done.

Seriously, though, this a pretty good idea. I ran into a producer earlier today, who was working on his girlfriends Mbp because his own had a bad logic board.

Ableton makes it easy with their free trial, but NI apps are a little tougher.
Rolanda Clodfelder
21.09.2013
Find yourself a Girlfriend/Boyfriend who has all mac gear as well - Redundancy Sorted !
Alma Bernadotte
21.09.2013
Apple laptops are consumer gear. Consider buying something a little more rugged. Like a Lenovo T or X series, a Panasonic Toughbook, or a Dell Latitude ATG. Needless to say, no OS X on those.
Alphonso Deitchman
21.09.2013
I got a white Macbook for
Trula Willadsen
21.09.2013
Good question. Recently my old Mac died so I also bought a rMBP. After a month I'd already drop it to the extent of it probably needing new housing. It then hit me that if this one died as well I wouldn't have the money to buy another one just yet..

To solve this I'm actually believeing about buying a cheap windows laptop or an used macbook to run Traktor during all gigs. Carrying around and using a €1730 rMBP for gigs that pay

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