Automated Rsync Backup Questions

[Zythyr]

I plan on doing daily automated backup from my laptop to my FreeNAS server. My laptop is running Windows 8. I am planning to use DeltaCopy server on my Windows 8 machine, and I'll setup the Rsync Task in my freenas to automate the rsync backup.

Because I don't have gigabit Ethernet, nor a fast Wireless AC connection, I plan on first moving all my desired files to an external hard drive, then transferring those files to my FreeNAS server. Thus my first backup with will be assisted with an external hard drive, while the remaining will be using rsync.

How I can take advantage of the following commands on FreeNAS:
- v or -h or --porgress
--partial
--log-file

If FreeNAS is automatically executing my rsync task, how do I check it's status? Where do I go to read the verbose output of a task that is currently being executed? Is there a way I can see any error messages or if my daily rysnc task successfully executed/completed? Where is the log file stored?

Also, is it possible to use the snapshot backups as discussed in this article?

 

[saurav]

I think you are going about it backwards. I don't know what DeltaCopy is, but rsync requires you to run a UNIX'y daemon like rsh, ssh or rsyncd on machines it is going to connect to. Typically, those run on a UNIX machine, like FreeNAS. And typically you run a rsync client on the laptop.

So you should find a decent rsync implementation for Windows (like cygwin), and schedule a job on your laptop to run it when appropriate conditions are met, e.g. your FreeNAS box is accessible from your laptop, or at a certain hour, etc.

As to the rest of your questions, I assume you are using the GUI to set up the rsync tasks? It has an Extra Options box at the bottom of the Add Rsync Task window. You could add those flags there. If the --log-file option needs you to specify a filepath. You'd need to check that file for the status.

Some of the flags you mentioned don't make sense for _automated_ backups, like --progress. Before you try to automate your backups using rsync, be sure to read the rsync manpage carefully, and run it a few times by hand (using the --dry-run option) to see it'd do what you think.

 

[pirateghost]

I think you are going about it backwards. I don't know what DeltaCopy is, but rsync requires you to run a UNIX'y daemon like rsh, ssh or rsyncd on machines it is going to connect to. Typically, those run on a UNIX machine, like FreeNAS. And typically you run a rsync client on the laptop.

So you should find a decent rsync implementation for Windows (like cygwin), and schedule a job on your laptop to run it when appropriate conditions are met, e.g. your FreeNAS box is accessible from your laptop, or at a certain hour, etc.

As to the rest of your questions, I assume you are using the GUI to set up the rsync tasks? It has an Extra Options box at the bottom of the Add Rsync Task window. You could add those flags there. If the --log-file option needs you to specify a filepath. You'd need to check that file for the status.

Some of the flags you mentioned don't make sense for _automated_ backups, like --progress. Before you try to automate your backups using rsync, be sure to read the rsync manpage carefully, and run it a few times by hand (using the --dry-run option) to see it'd do what you think.

DeltaCopy is rsync with a GUI for Windows. It will work just as he explained. It is a similar setup to what I have at home on a couple of pcs

 

[Zythyr]

If I were to use the -v flag for verbose output, is there any way I can see the output even though it is an automated backup (Rsync Task)?

If I am using the --log-file command, how do I specify the path? Is it absolute path or relative?

I am curious to know what other Windows users use instead of DeltaCopy? Is DeltaCopy the best method?

 

[pirateghost]

If I were to use the -v flag for verbose output, is there any way I can see the output even though it is an automated backup (Rsync Task)?

If I am using the --log-file command, how do I specify the path? Is it absolute path or relative?

I am curious to know what other Windows users use instead of DeltaCopy? Is DeltaCopy the best method?

I would think log is absolute path.

I don't know of any way to see the progress unless you run it manually.

I find delta copy to be the best option for Windows.

 

[DifferentStrokes]

I am curious to know what other Windows users use instead of DeltaCopy? Is DeltaCopy the best method?

Back when I was running Windows (I'm on Linux Mint now) I used robocopy. It worked nicely.

 

[saurav]

For manual backups (say of photos, videos, etc), I liked Microsoft SyncToy. It even handled file renames/moves intelligently.

 

[Zythyr]

Is it possible to do a snapshot backup like system with rsync using FreeNAS?

 

[saurav]

You mean like zfs snapshots? No.

rsync operates at a higher level than zfs. It can't see or make changes with finer granularity than a file.