Time Machine Service

I have attempted to setup my server to allow clients to backup to it via time machine. I have a single drive as a shared drive (with time machine backup enabled on it) and users have access to it (i.e can both read and write to this sharepoint - and ive confirmed this by writing to the sharepoint via AFP).
However, when I select the server "Backup" drive in time machine, authenticate with username + password and then try start the backup - it either says "Backup drive not available" or "The network backup disk could not be accessed because there was a problem with the network username or password".
I have tried using a network account and admin account to do this but still get the same result.
Can anyone please assist?

Having same issues:
Mac OSX Server with space dedicated for backups. (Snow Leopard)
Mac mini (snow leopard also.)
When I select the server from the client to start a backup, getting the same error messages.
Server does have firewall on.
Can cannot to server through screen sharing, but not through "connect as". I must be missing something. Any ideas out there?
NEVERMIND....it's the firewall. I turned it off and can connect. I'm still not sure what I missed, but I'll figure it out.
Message was edited by: Robin D.

Similar Messages

Time Machine Service, anyone using?

I'm a newb with this server, and just setting up a pair of new mac mini servers. I set one with Time Machine Service on, but some of my macs can't see it, or sometimes it can, but then can't. I also have one that is counting up like 3.78 GB of 3.78 GB --> 3.79 GB of 3.79GB with the progress bar at 100%. That's odd
Perhaps I've misconfigured something, or need Time Capsule ? Or is this just something that's not used (I never heard of it before, but it sure sounds like a great idea!)
thx

Tashduce2 wrote:
I want to upgrade to Lion but I want to back up my macbook pro first. Should I use time machine or should I use cloud service? Does anyone know the advantages of using Time Machine? I was thinking about using Carbonite. Thanks! Tashduce2
Time Machine and download CarbonCopyCloner (freeware) and make a full bootable clone of your HardDrive. Should be sufficient.
Pete
ps CCCis actually Donationware. If you find it usefull you can donate to the developers.

Time Machine Service backup it's self?

Ok I have the Time Machine service setup and running and my Client systems can see it and use it.
My server it's self however can not see the service.
I want to use TM to backup the server into the same Time Machine Backups folder and not the root level of another drive.
Is this posible? Seams like it should be as simple as doing the same setup as the clients...

In order to back up the configuration and state of some services the server needs them to termporarily be turned off. This includes the backing up of Time Machine.
So in order to back up the Time Machine configuration and details about what computers it is backing up where, the server would need to turn off the Time Machine backup service. But if it's turned off, it can't use it to back things up.
Similarly, imagine you needed to restore the backup. To view the backups you would need the Time Machine backup service to be working. But you can't overwrite the configuration and status information of a service which is turned on, because that would confuse the process doing the serving. But if the process is turned off, you can't use it to restore the backup.
So do what Linc said: use the System Preferences panel to back the computer up, and don't back it up to the same device you're backing up its Time Machine clients to.

How to allow Time Machine service to back up to a NAS?

I have Mavericks and OS Server 3 installed and working without too much trouble (slight Caching Server 2 question) but want to tweak the Time Machine service.
I have two private networks in my setup each with their own routers, but the server can see both to service Time Machine. I was previously using Time Machine on a Synology DiskStation but it was hard wired to one of the subnets only, so to get all the clients to back up theu had to switch networks.
I tried setting up the TM destination on the NAS, but the clients could not actually back up and the destination folder was "(null)" instead of "Time Machine" (that I created and pointed at). I would really like to use this setup to allow clients on both networks to use a single Time Machine setup, but would prefer that (at least) the sparsebundles are on the NAS for a little RAID 5 love.
Any solutions?

hello people ...
same scenario and problems here.
http://wp.me/aD60V-2Zk
I have a Mac Mini Server with the Mavericks and running, but I can not define how disk for TimeMachine folders in there NAS (/ Volume_1) here. They appear to "Zero KB"!
But I can effectively define an external drive (/ TM_Caparica) connected directly to the Mac Mini via USB port for TimeMachine.
Beginning to believe that not - in fact - we can use a mapped drive for the server on the local network as the destination for the backup TimeMachine.
What a shame ...

10.9 Server, you do not have the necessary read.write permissions for Time Machine Service

Setting up 10.9 Server's Time Machine service when I try to backup from a computer on my LAN I get "you do not have the necessary read,write and [sic] append privileges on the selected network backup disk."
I am logging in as the admin user for the OS X Server install.
Confused.

You need to mount the sharepoint as its owner.

Time Machine Service - Run scripts after backup

I am running Mavericks Server (10.9.5), server version 3.2.2
The server is used as a backup destination for a lot of Macs, and I am trying to create a complementary service that keeps track of all of the incoming backups and logs all backup events.
Is there any way to have a script execute whenever the Time Machine service completes a backup, or for that matter, and way to tell when a backup is running or has completed?
The options I have thought of so far are:
1. Script that monitors the logs to look for appropriate events
2. Run script on timer that scans the backup folder and looks for new backups
Neither of these seems ideal to mean, so I was hoping someone might have a better idea.
Thoughts?

In order to back up the configuration and state of some services the server needs them to termporarily be turned off. This includes the backing up of Time Machine.
So in order to back up the Time Machine configuration and details about what computers it is backing up where, the server would need to turn off the Time Machine backup service. But if it's turned off, it can't use it to back things up.
Similarly, imagine you needed to restore the backup. To view the backups you would need the Time Machine backup service to be working. But you can't overwrite the configuration and status information of a service which is turned on, because that would confuse the process doing the serving. But if the process is turned off, you can't use it to restore the backup.
So do what Linc said: use the System Preferences panel to back the computer up, and don't back it up to the same device you're backing up its Time Machine clients to.

Time Machine Service Page in Server App says "Error Reading Settings"

I have a Mac Mini running 10.8.3.
For some reason the Time Machine Page in the Server App refuses to work properly. If I reboot the server it looks fine for about 10 minutes. It displays the backup location and the list of individual backups. Then I get this message:
25/03/2013 14:37:51.673 Server[286]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing command of type: 'readSettings' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7fdc1b2445e0 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
Also the Time Machine page in Server Apps is blank apart from "Error Reading Settings" and the slider at the top says Time Machine is off.
However Time Machine does work for some clients.
Anyone got any idea?
I think it started having problems when I got a "The network confirguration has changed" alert.

Hi Linc Davis
here are the logs from reboot to failure to load:
26/03/2013 16:57:50.256 servermgrd[1379]: [1379] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 16:59:55.633 servermgrd[1527]: [1527] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 17:01:58.077 servermgrd[1546]: [1546] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 17:04:03.937 servermgrd[1561]: [1561] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 17:04:05.220 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'readSettings' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac4620f20 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
26/03/2013 17:06:07.359 servermgrd[1666]: [1666] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 17:06:07.829 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'getBackups' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac480f000 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
26/03/2013 19:18:51.737 servermgrd[1678]: [1678] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:18:51.777 servermgrd[1678]: [1678] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:20:55.346 servermgrd[2846]: [2846] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:20:55.381 servermgrd[2846]: [2846] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:22:57.682 servermgrd[2861]: [2861] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:22:57.683 servermgrd[2861]: [2861] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:22:58.114 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'readSettings' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac4836250 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
26/03/2013 19:25:00.016 servermgrd[2872]: [2872] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:25:00.135 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'readSettings' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac494c120 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
26/03/2013 19:26:02.690 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'getBackups' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac4826a80 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
26/03/2013 19:33:51.868 servermgrd[2886]: [2886] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:33:51.901 servermgrd[2886]: [2886] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:35:54.539 servermgrd[2932]: [2932] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:35:54.580 servermgrd[2932]: [2932] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:37:56.926 servermgrd[2947]: [2947] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:37:57.424 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'readSettings' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac472ad50 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
26/03/2013 19:39:59.284 servermgrd[2958]: [2958] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:40:01.135 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'getState' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac4657ce0 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
26/03/2013 19:42:04.286 servermgrd[2973]: [2973] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:42:04.322 servermgrd[2973]: [2973] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
26/03/2013 19:45:20.502 Server[1154]: Error: The server '127.0.0.1' reported an error while processing a command of type: 'getState' in plug-in: 'servermgr_timemachine'. Error: Error Domain=XSActionErrorDomain Code=1000 "An unknown error occurred" UserInfo=0x7ffac43f84a0 {NSLocalizedDescription=An unknown error occurred}
27/03/2013 11:56:52.191 servermgrd[110]: [110] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out
27/03/2013 11:58:54.217 servermgrd[371]: [371] error in getAndLockContext: flock(servermgr_timemachine) FATAL time out

Retrieving calendar and contacts data from OSX Server Time Machine

Due to a system failure I went out an brought a Macbook Air. My other Mac is away being assessed by a repair shop.
By plugging in the Time Machine drive from the other Mac I have managed to recover my files, videos, photos etc. Contacts and Calendars however are proving to to more difficult.
The old Mac was setup using Mavericks Server as a workaround for the removal of Calendar and Contacts iTunes sync in Mavericks.
The Contacts and Calendars are currectly synced with an iPad and an iPhone.
Is there anyway of recovering the Contacts and Calendars data from the Time Machine backup drive, My iPad or iPhone?
Any help appreciated with this complicated problem.
John

It sounds as if it is the same, or closely related, to this thread Time Machine Service Page in Server App says "Error Reading Settings"

After partitioning external drive network Time Machine instance can't back up

This is a re-post with additional background information requested by several responders:
I recently added a G-Speed Q RAID array to my MAC PRO to use exclusively for back-up with Time Machine. I purchased this RAID array from the Apple store, so assume that means it's acceptable to use for this purpose. Maybe that's a bad assumption on my part. In any event, it worked great with Time Machine on my MAC PRO. The G-speed array is connected to my Mac Pro via Firewire 800 port for now. I am awaiting delivery of an eSATA expansion card for the Mac Pro which I intend to switch to when it arrives. In any event, it is not configured or capable of acting as an NAS device. It is a shared external drive on the MAC PRO.
My next step was to share the external device over my hardwire gigabit LAN with my wife's iMAC so she could back-up with Time Machine as well. It also worked great. Both Macs are connected via hardwire gigabit, supported by an Actiontec Q1000Z router. The LAN performs flawlessly for all other purposes, including over 30 network devices connected via either hardwire or 802.11n. Both machines are running Lion 10.7.4. (not server)
I then started reading posts that suggested the two Time Machine instances would compete for space on the back-up array and eventually it would fill up and I'd have problems. The solution, everyone says, is to partition the external drive and assign one to each Time Machine back-up. It makes perfect sense to me. I did this following the step-by-step instructions (#22) from Pondini's site. Both partitions are formatted with MAC OS Extended (journaled). Everything seemed to be working great until the remote client tried to run back-up. The remote Time Machine instance fails with the "Disk does not support AFP featues" error message.
Current status is as follows, local time machine back-up works fine on its partition. Remote machine finds and connects to its assigned partition once I provide correct user name and password, but fails while Time Machine is "searching for backup device" with the AFP error message. The remote (sending) machine is connecting as a dedicated user and not as "Guest".
I can write test files directly to the remote back up partition from either mac and I can read, modify and save files directly to this partition from either mac.
Please let me know if any additional information related to configuration is needed. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

In my "dispute" with Pondini in the other thread, I came across some information that will certainly explain things, but not in a good way.
Apparently you cannot use an external drive as a Time Machine repository. People who use Snow Leopard and Lion Server to provide Time Machine services have already discovered this.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3327294
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2472139
It may work better when your eSATA card comes in. My theory is that a Thunderbolt RAID would show up as an internal drive and would be useable as a Time Machine repository. There is a chance that an eSATA card would do that too. You'll find out. Apparently, one of the things you get with Lion Server is a warning pop-up if you try to use an external drive with Time Machine.
While I'm a big fan of Time Machine, I still consider it Apple Black Magic. You can use it, but don't get too clever. I don't like to take chances with backups. Simple is usually better. Time Machine isn't simple, but it is so convenient that I like to ignore the incredible complexity of it.
If the other machine were a notebook with local snapshots I might say you could manually plug it in to do backups. With two iMacs, I would recommend just getting another external drive.
Perilous to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we possess ourselves.
- Gandalf

Why can I no longer backup to Time Machine on OS X Server?

We have a Windows Server and a Mac Server. The OS X Server is basically only for backups from workstations via Time Machine and as a Software Update Server.
I can no longer backup from my MacBook to the Server. If I try to add the location again in Time Machine Prefs, it asks for username and password. I try my AD account, but it fails. Guest doesn't work either. Any suguestions? When I set up the Time Machine service on the server, it was very easy. What did I miss?

You have to enter the name and password of an administrator on the server.

Time machine on server doesn't show correct amount of free space

Hi
I have a mac mini server running 10.9.3, with a drobo raid connected via usb (I wouldn't have chosen the drobo, but not my decision..). The server has Time Machine service enabled, pointing to a folder on the drobo.
When users connect to it (various mavericks clients) they can choose to use it for Time Machine, but when the clients starts to back up, they all quits quite fast, because it states that there is only from around 3-400 MB to around 80-90 GB free space.
There is, however, around 1.5 TB free space on the disk, and this registers also fine in the server app on the server.
I have tried to use another drive as the backup target, which leads to the same issue.
I have also tried to remove the backup and initiate a new on the client, but still the same. It is not consistent how far the client backup gets - the one that have gone furthest is around 45 GB.
Any idea on what it might be?
A few more details:
- the drobo is hfs+ journaled
- I have checked the size restriction in the time machine settings on the server and have tried with both a 500 GB restriction and no restriction
- the clients are all set up to do unencrypted backup
- the clients have both been cabled connections and wifi connections
- the clients have no problem backing up to a local connected drive
TIA,
Peter

I haven't got access to the server right now (so I can't provide the complete details), but something like 6-700 GB (which is more than it shows in the client time machine windows, but less than what is true (which was around 1,5 TB))

Server Time Machine vs Client Time Machine

I have been running Time Machine on my iMac since I got it. I installed server and now I notice that the server app has Time Machine as well but its turned off. My oringinal Time Machine in system preferences seems to be running like it always has. What is the difference between the two?
Thanks, Steve

Server can provide Time Machine services to clients, much like a Time Capsule does. Unlike a Time Capsule, you can easily swap out the drive used to provide those backup services.

Time Machine is broken

Since I upgraded to Mavericks, Time Machine won't work. It took a whole day to backup about 16 GB over a wired ethernet connection. At 29 GB, my Mac crashed; totally unresponsive; it wouldn't even respond to a ping from another computer. I've tried this several times, once using the Mac booted in "safe mode" and it's crashed every time and at different points in the backup.
Some details about my environment:
I'm using a Macbook Air.
I'm using the USB Ethernet adaptor.
The ethernet is a 10G switch.
I'm backing up to a QNAP, Network Attached Storage (NAS) server using the Time Machine service provided by the NAS.
I've used the QNAP to backup this Mac before upgrading to Mavericks and other Macs on the network are using it and it's working.
I've run a verify disk with Disk Utility and no problems are reported.
Has anybody else seen similar problems since upgrading to Mavericks?

After upgrading two macs to OSX 10.9.3 (from 10.9.2) not only are time machine backups no longer working for these macs (backing up to a Synology NAS drive) but it also appears that time machine has "fixed" the issue by deleting the previous backups. Not happy !
Its clearly a Mavericks 10.9.3 problem as I have one mac still running 10.8.5 and time machine backups for this mac are running flawlessly to the same NAS unit.
Prior to the upgrades all three Macs had regular time machine backups to the NAS with no problems.
Apple please fix this issue. Its not acceptable to have such flaky backup software,
Im so glad I have one stable Mac running mountain Lion.
Rob

Time Machine - Need central reporting for several macs.

several mac's on a network all backing up to a network Hard drive, now I need centralized reporting to make everyone happy.

Install OS X Server and activate the Time Machine service.

Time Machine OSX Server Help

i recently had a imac in the office crash which backs up to the OSX server using the Time Machine Service.
When i try to restore the backup i get the following message.
"backup cannot be opened if this is a password protected backup you may have entered an incorrect password or the backup may be damaged."
We have employees come and go at the office so user accounts are created and deleted frequently both on the server level and the local level
Thanks in Advance

Look folks I am seriously desperate. I've progressed from hanging up to Time machine remebering that a backup was created on March 10th but not remebering that it has backed up afterewards. This is the first time since I purchased my First Mac a SE/30 I am Rady to throw my Computer as far as I can throw it. And Jump on it.
One time it will get through and remember the last update. and next time. But then the next time it may update normally or may forget and go back to square one again. I can't find anymore USB2 Drives and the last USP 3 Drive I had burnt the cable or the drive out. I need a FireWire or thunderbolt Drive. I feel the problem with the GoFlex Drive is because it depends up wifi. Frankly My Comcast Cable connection is not dependable.
I thought this Forum people knew how time machine works.
Is there anywhere I can Go

Time Machine Service

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