Mac users can use the device not just as a file repository, but also as a Time Machine drive, with incremental backups possible over the internet as well. Initial hardware setup is simple. Plug it into power, plug an Ethernet cable into it —and it turns on. Promise, and AppleInsider recommend hanging it directly off the router, which for most setups may be the only network switch available, but that's more for traffic localization and management. It's then synchronized to the iOS app for setup using an account creation and QR code scan —and that's it.
After that, it's ready to go on iOS, allowing for full Files integration with stored data on the device, as well as camera roll backup to it through the iOS app. Access on the Mac isn't quite as simple as logging into the device from the Finder, at least at first.
That all said, if the power is unexpectedly cut to the Apollo Cloud 2 Duo, macOS doesn't deal with it all that well. Every time we've tried it, we've had to reboot the Mac to restore network share access to every other device on the network. This isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but something to keep in mind. We might be under-selling the integration with the Files app a bit, because that's where we think the device will shine as we roll on with our testing.
As a network attached storage device that integrates very well with iOS devices, the Apollo Cloud 2 Duo does what it says on the tin with a bit of style. For the tech savvy, it also has an easy mirroring procedure to another one across the internet, perhaps allowing for some easy backup solutions for people you get sucked into supporting, without turning to a subscription service like Backblaze. Network attached storage isn't new, nor are network-accessible Time Capsule drives.
However, there is a barrier to entry to setup and configuration for most of the products that will provide that for users. Promise's Apollo Cloud 2 Duo has very few hurdles to jump given the guided iPhone setup. It is intended as an appliance after you set it up, set and forget, and isn't really intended to be a multi-purpose device with lots of options, like some of the mid- and high-end Synology products. We'll be testing it more, including the ability to set up to 20 unique users for the device, in the coming days. The Apollo Cloud 2 Duo hardware was released in August. 499 for a unit with a pair of 4-terabyte hard drives.
And when this service is enabled, backups start whenever your iPhone or iPad is plugged into power, the Lock screen is showing (or the display is off), and you're connected to Wi-Fi. Under the iCloud section in the Settings app in iOS, there is a spot just for Backup. This is where you disable/enable the backups, force a backup to occur immediately, and can see when your last backup occurred (with the date and timestamp).
It also shows whether or not the last attempt was successful. Failed iCloud backups are usually caused by two or three things: an unreliable Wi-Fi connection, an outage in Apple's iCloud service, or a lack of iCloud storage space. If you're having issues maintaining a consistent Wi-Fi connection, troubleshoot the specific router you're using.
Sometimes, iCloud services fail. While this used to happen more often, technology outages do occur. If any of the iCloud services aren't working as they should, you can check to see if there is a failure on Apple's Services status page. Cloud storage is used for backups as well as storage of data and photos. Failed iCloud backups due to lack of space are an easy fix, but the fix isn't free. As already noted, your iCloud account comes standard with 5GB of storage, which is fine when you're starting out, but it's easy to fill.
When that happens, iCloud Backups do not complete, and an iCloud error displays on the Lock screen stating that storage is full. For most people, the 50GB storage plan for 99 cents a month is fine, and it won't break the bank. Personally, I think the cost is worth the peace of mind for iCloud backups alone; being able to pick up where I left off if I lose my iPhone or iPad is worth a dollar a month.
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