Can iCloud be used to synchronize a very large Aperture library across machines effectively?

Question

Just purchased a new 27" iMac (3.5 GHz i7 with 8 GB and 3 TB fusion drive) for my home office to provide support.  Use a 15" MBPro (Retina) 90% of the time.  Have a number of Aperture libraries/files varying from 10 to 70 GB that are rapidly growing.  Have copied them to the iMac using a Thunderbolt cable starting the MBP in target mode. 
While this works I can see problems keeping the files in sync.  Thought briefly of putting the files in DropBox but when I tried that with a small test file the load time was unacceptable so I can imagine it really wouldn't be practical when the files get north of 100 GB.  What about iCloud?  Doesn't appear a way to do this but wonder if that's an option.
What are the rest of you doing when you need access to very large files across multiple machines?
David Voran

Answer 1

Hi David,
dvoran wrote:
Don't you have similar issues when the libraries exceed several thousand images? If not what's your secret to image management.
No, I don't  .
It's an open secret: database maintenance requires steady application of naming conventions, tagging, and backing-up.  With the digitization of records, losing records by mis-filing is no longer possible.  But proper, consistent labeling is all the more important, because every database functions as its own index -- and is only as useful as the index is uniform and holds content that is meaningful.
I use one, single, personal Library.  It is my master index of every digital photo I've recorded.
I import every shoot into its own Project.
I name my Projects with a verbal identifier, a date, and a location.
I apply a metadata pre-set to all the files I import.  This metadata includes my contact inf. and my copyright.
I re-name all the files I import.  The file name includes the date, the Project's verbal identifier and location, and the original file name given by the camera that recorded the data.
I assign a location to all the Images in each Project (easy, since "Project" = shoot; I just use the "Assign Location" button on the Project Inf. dialog).
I _always_ apply a keyword specifying the genre of the picture.  The genres I use are "Still-life; Portrait; Family; Friends; People; Rural; Urban; Birds; Insects; Flowers; Flora (not Flowers); Fauna; Test Shots; and Misc."  I give myself ready access to these by assigning them to a Keyword Button Set, which shows in the Control Bar.
That's the core part.  Should be "do-able".  (Search the forum for my naming conventions, if interested.)  Or course, there is much more, but the above should allow you to find most of your Images (you have assigned when, where, why, and what genre to every Image). The additional steps include using Color Labels, Project Descriptions, keywords, and a meaningful Folder structure.  NB: set up your Library to help YOU.  For example, I don't sell stock images, and so I have no need for anyone else's keyword list.  I created my own, and use the keywords that I think I will think of when I am searching for an Image.
One thing I found very helpful was separating my "input and storage" structure from my "output" structure.  All digicam files get put in Projects by shoot, and stay there.  I use Folders and Albums to group my outputs.  This works for me because my outputs come from many inputs (my inputs and outputs have a many-to-many relationship).  What works for you will depend on what you do with the picture data you record with your cameras.  (Note that "Project" is a misleading term for the core storage group in Aperture.  In my system they are shoots, and all my Images are stored by shoot.  For each output project I have (small "p"), I create a Folder in Aperture, and put Albums, populated with the Images I need, in the Folder.  When these projects are done, I move the whole Folder into another Folder, called "Completed".)
Sorry to be windy.  I don't have time right now for concision.
HTH,
--Kirby.