Splitting 3TB backup, internal Desktop HD, across 2 x 2TB portables for laptop travel

[NickJB]

Desktop Mac Pro in the studio, MacBook Pro for travel.
3TB Working drive in the Desktop that has just RAW and PSD's. For travel I have 2 x 2TB portable HD's
Looking for a good solution to split the backup of the 3TB internal Working drive in the desktop computer across the 2 x 2TB drives so I can do Lightroom room while traveling.
I have SuperDuper and just downloaded a trial of Chronosync, which seems like it should be able to do this, but I'm having trouble wading through it and I can't find a Chronosync forum to ask on.

Thanks!

[JenPoMas]

Hi NickJB --
We'd be more than happy to answer any setup/support questions you have on ChronoSync. We can either converse via this forum post or you can send a direct email to Ryan, our Support Specialist, at support@econtechnologies.com. He'll be able to get you up and running.
Jennifer Mason
Econ Technologies

[NickJB]

Hi Jennifer,

Great that you keep an eye on these forums! I'll send an email to Ryan for sure. Much appreciated!

Nick

[deejjjaaaa]

Desktop Mac Pro in the studio, MacBook Pro for travel.
3TB Working drive in the Desktop that has just RAW and PSD's. For travel I have 2 x 2TB portable HD's
Looking for a good solution to split the backup of the 3TB internal Working drive in the desktop computer across the 2 x 2TB drives so I can do Lightroom room while traveling.
I have SuperDuper and just downloaded a trial of Chronosync, which seems like it should be able to do this, but I'm having trouble wading through it and I can't find a Chronosync forum to ask on.

Thanks!

i will be easier just to buy a 3gb portable HDD to match your home office 1:1... the only issue you might have that 3gb drives require (as of today) power adapter, while up to 2Gb you can live with just USB power...

[NickJB]

I agree, a 3GB would be easier, but they are harder to find, expensive and have other issues, such as needing power adapters. I'd love a 3TB Thunderbolt portable option! If I can make it work across 2 x 2TB portables, it will fit in with my budget right now.
Thanks for your response!

[deejjjaaaa]

I agree, a 3GB would be easier, but they are harder to find, expensive and have other issues, such as needing power adapters. I'd love a 3TB Thunderbolt portable option! If I can make it work across 2 x 2TB portables, it will fit in with my budget right now.
Thanks for your response!

$100 for external 3TB is a regular price... minus $40 chronosync - you might be able to sell 2 x 2TB for some money...

[Schewe]

I agree, a 3GB would be easier, but they are harder to find, expensive and have other issues, such as needing power adapters.

Splitting your images across 2 drives will cause you problems in Lightroom. Lightroom needs that actual directory path of the images so the images on the 2nd drive will be missing from the catalog unless you re-link them. There are things you could do to make the process easier...but it'll take a detailed approach if you hope to simply move the catalog back and forth from the desktop to the laptop. Getting a 3TB drive would be much simpler...

[mdelrossi]

@ nickjb,

I don't know what or how you shoot , so please take this advice with that in mind.

Do you really need access too all 3TB? That is an awful lot of files.
You might benefit from splitting your catalog up into 3 different type of photos, hot, warm, cold as in storage.
The hot, for current projects, warm for recent projects, and cold for archive .

Baring that could you use smart previews?

Or you could setup a VPN and have access to your photos, provided of course you have an Internet connection.

Or a mixture of the above.

Best of luck.
mdr