SOLVED Backing Up Basic Local Freenas Server

[johns007]

Hi, Newbie to freenas set ups and enjoying benefits of zfs.

But i am stumped with 2 issues.

The first is that the gui, doesnt allow easy local backups, only to another machine.

My system consists of a basic server, with 2 x 6tb hdd mirrored and a small ssd with freenas on it.

I have installed a trayless removable insert, and have an 6tb hdd inserted in it.

The inserted hdd has zfs file system with eg. Backup_Pool1 and folders/vdevs setup like my main_pool on the mirrored always on server.

My goal is to create a backup onto Backup_pool1 of the contents of main_pool identically.

I am confused between rsync and replication, but replication seems the way to go.
I have one jail running plex and wish to simply get advice on how to go about doing this with shell command line.

The commands are confusing and i have child datasets, so I'd need to use recursive.

I know it's come up before, but most setups are never as basic as my home setup.

I also have the whole thing backed up onto another freenas server, easier to do and offsite via gui.

But i can't get a basic single non redundant pull out drive to store the contents locally and run regular on site backups, because the commands never work.

Could someone please help this newbie achieve something which you would expect should be easy via the gui.

Once done, the drive gets pulled out and placed in a fire proof safe, with weekly backups done. Offsite is done daily.

What commands do i use with zfs send zfs recv since i have the snapshots ready to go.

Thanks heaps if anyone can help.

 

[Chris Moore]

But i can't get a basic single non redundant pull out drive to store the contents locally and run regular on site backups, because the commands never work.

Could someone please help this newbie achieve something which you would expect should be easy via the gui.

If you want this to be a feature in the GUI, which it has never been, you should submit a feature request via the redmine system:
https://redmine.ixsystems.com/projects/freenas/

Part of the reason that the way to do this is not in the GUI is because there are so many different ways to build a FreeNAS system and the easy way to make a backup is significantly different from one type of system to another.

I am confused between rsync and replication, but replication seems the way to go.
I have one jail running plex and wish to simply get advice on how to go about doing this with shell command line.

The commands are confusing and i have child datasets, so I'd need to use recursive.

No, you need none of that. Discard all of those thoughts.

The thing you need to do is add that third drive to the existing mirror pool such that you have a three way mirror. Once the resliver is done, your third drive is an exact mirror of the other two drives, you can then separate that drive from the pool. Here is a reference to how to add an additional mirror drive to a mirror vdev.

Add a mirror drive to an existing single disk vdev:
https://www.ixsystems.com/community/threads/create-zfs-mirror-by-adding-a-drive.14880/post-453290

 

[Chris Moore]

PS. Those steps in the link are mainly about the FreeNAS appropriate way to format the drive before attaching the mirror. To detach the drive after the resilver is complete, you can detach the drive with a slight modification to the instructions found here:

https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19253-01/819-5461/gcfhe/index.html

 

[johns007]

Thank you very kindly, that seems logical. I will test and post my result no later than tomorrow.

 

[johns007]

Quick question before i go ahead, will it work with geli zfs encrypted disk since the main 2 hdd's are mirrored without encryption for performance.

 

[Chris Moore]

Quick question before i go ahead, will it work with geli zfs encrypted disk since the main 2 hdd's are mirrored without encryption for performance.

All drives would need to NOT be encrypted. Using encryption is a good way to ensure that you can't access the data later, when you need it. If you want it safe, put it in a safe.

 

[johns007]

I have had success with this method, it's working great and fantastic :)