To get a compatible version of the Server app though, you must already have it in your purchase history. If the Mac you have in mind for this task cannot run Sierra, you can use an even older machine with El Capitan 10.11.6 on it. These machines (and newer) will be able to run macOS Sierra and the latest Server app. I wouldn’t use anything older than the following for a Time Machine server: Older Core 2 Duo processors can get the job done, but make sure the RAM is maxed out and the Mac is used strictly for Time Machine server purposes. This means, at the very least, you need 4 GB of RAM and a Core i5 or i7 processor. For best compatibility, your Mac will need to be able to run macOS Sierra comfortably. System Requirements for a Time Machine serverĪ Mac mini or Mac Pro are ideal candidates for server use, but you can run Apple’s server app on any Mac - so if you have an old MacBook Pro or iMac, you can use that too. This article covers how to set up your own Time Machine server on a Mac.

Well, if you have a spare Mac around, you can set up your own Time Machine server for just $19.99 plus the cost of whatever size hard drive you want to use. But what if a Time Capsule isn’t big enough? What if you don’t want to spend $300 or $400 on a backup solution you can’t expand over time?

If you prefer a more centralized approach, you can use one of Apple’s Time Capsules and your backups will run so long as you’re on the same network as your Time Capsule. You simply connect an external drive to your Mac and you will be up and running with Time Machine in a matter of minutes.

Time Machine is a generally quick and convenient way to back up your data and has come a long way in terms of reliability since its inception in 2007. Apple + How To + Recommended How to Set up Your Own Time Machine Server

Setting up apple os x server