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HFS+ or APFS for networked Time Machine target?

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:56 pm
by dabrahams
So I am setting up a zvol on my pool to act as Time Machine storage for a number of network clients. I'm using the second method described at https://openzfsonosx.org/wiki/Time_Machine_Backups, with one possible exception: it turns out I can format the zvol as either HFS+ or APFS—either one will work as a networked TM target—and I don't know how to choose. Does anyone have insight into this question?

Thanks in advance,
Dave

Re: HFS+ or APFS for networked Time Machine target?

PostPosted: Wed Jan 01, 2020 2:30 pm
by frank
My experience with APFS formatted spinning rust? It is slow as molasses.

That's on an external USB3 capable drive -- unfortunately connected to the USB2 port on my MBPro-mid2012 laptop. While it *could* be the USB2 connection, I actually used the exact same disk and connection when it was formatted as HFS+, and got subjectively far superior performance.

I'm staying away from APFS as much as possible now. YMMV...

Re: HFS+ or APFS for networked Time Machine target?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:13 am
by glessard
I had the same choice to make last month, and I went with HFS+. The reason is not particularly smart: it seems to me that until APFS becomes the preferred filesystem to host a new Time Machine backup, there is no downside to using HFS+ as a TM host.