crashplan - where does the data go?

[pirateghost]

Please read this. Read it until it makes sense.

http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas_jails.html#add-storage

 

[Walter Gunter]

Please read this. Read it until it makes sense.

http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas_jails.html#add-storage

ha...ok ok....that might take a while though.
So, the instructions said to pick a directory or dataset. I did that when setting up crashplan, but didn't realize what I was doing or that I could create additional datasets within the Volumes I had already created.

The result of setting up crashplan plugin is that the dataset chosen for source is then backed up to the cloud?

 

[Walter Gunter]

Pick a dataset you want BACKED UP to the cloud.

Set that dataset as SOURCE for your jail/plugin storage

Set the DESTINATION to be something like: /media/crashplan

In crashplan, connected to your server, you select /media/crashplan as the directory you want backed up to their cloud.

You are making this more complicated than it is.

Very true on the making it more complicated that it is. But I will prevail with the help of you and this forum. Keep it coming...

Also, the /media/crashplan directory should appear in the Crashplan GUI? I don't think I am seeing my crashplan directory right now...I will check to verify.

 

[Walter Gunter]

ha...ok ok....that might take a while though.
So, the instructions said to pick a directory or dataset. I did that when setting up crashplan, but didn't realize what I was doing or that I could create additional datasets within the Volumes I had already created.

The result of setting up crashplan plugin is that the dataset chosen for source is then backed up to the cloud?

just answered my own question in reading this. Disregard.

 

[pirateghost]

The result is whatever you tell Crashplan to back up to the cloud gets backed up to the cloud. With the exception of Crashplan backups that go from your clients to your server.

Just like in my screenshots, you can mount as many directories/datasets as you wish, and back them all up to Crashplan cloud. The only stipulation is that you cannot backup the client backups (done in Crashplan installed on the clients).

Inside Crashplan on the server, you should see your 'storage' as whatever directory you told it to mount to. My example was /media/crashplan. This directory is actually storage on your FreeNAS box, outside of the crashplan jail. It could be a CIFS/SMB, NFS, whatever share... I use datasets for each of my client machines that I am backing up. Rsync backs up data to these datasets, these datasets are mounted in Crashplan jail, and subsequently, Crashplan jail sees them as 'local' storage and I can back them up to the cloud. So my backups are 2 fold. I utilize snapshots for that 'oops I deleted a file I shouldnt have' and anyone in my family can browse to the share, right click and get Windows previous versions (this is due to the snapshots and SMB integration, nothing to do with Crashplan at all). Then the profiles are mounted in Crashplan and uploaded to the cloud.

 

[Walter Gunter]

The result is whatever you tell Crashplan to back up to the cloud gets backed up to the cloud. With the exception of Crashplan backups that go from your clients to your server.

Just like in my screenshots, you can mount as many directories/datasets as you wish, and back them all up to Crashplan cloud. The only stipulation is that you cannot backup the client backups (done in Crashplan installed on the clients).

Inside Crashplan on the server, you should see your 'storage' as whatever directory you told it to mount to. My example was /media/crashplan. This directory is actually storage on your FreeNAS box, outside of the crashplan jail. It could be a CIFS/SMB, NFS, whatever share... I use datasets for each of my client machines that I am backing up. Rsync backs up data to these datasets, these datasets are mounted in Crashplan jail, and subsequently, Crashplan jail sees them as 'local' storage and I can back them up to the cloud. So my backups are 2 fold. I utilize snapshots for that 'oops I deleted a file I shouldnt have' and anyone in my family can browse to the share, right click and get Windows previous versions (this is due to the snapshots and SMB integration, nothing to do with Crashplan at all). Then the profiles are mounted in Crashplan and uploaded to the cloud.

Excellent! I will work on my datasets, and setting them up with the jail is getting clearer.

Now, for this statement:

The result is whatever you tell Crashplan to back up to the cloud gets backed up to the cloud. With the exception of Crashplan backups that go from your clients to your server.

/media/crashplan is where you are backing up your client machines. They are seen as local storage and the profiles are within that folder and backed up to the cloud (through/with/because of the plugin on FreeNAS)

Crashplan Backups that go from your clients to your server?
Can you expound on this? From Crashplan Clients on other machines to the Crashplan Cloud? You said that other machines don't have Crashplan GUI, so that can't be it.

 

[pirateghost]

Excellent! I will work on my datasets, and setting them up with the jail is getting clearer.

Now, for this statement:

The result is whatever you tell Crashplan to back up to the cloud gets backed up to the cloud. With the exception of Crashplan backups that go from your clients to your server.

/media/crashplan is where you are backing up your client machines. They are seen as local storage and the profiles are within that folder and backed up to the cloud (through/with/because of the plugin on FreeNAS)

Crashplan Backups that go from your clients to your server?
Can you expound on this? From Crashplan Clients on other machines to the Crashplan Cloud? You said that other machines don't have Crashplan GUI, so that can't be it.

I have said SEVERAL times in this thread that I use RSYNC on the clients to push the data to the FreeNAS server to their respective datasets. There is only the Crashplan jail installed on the OS and a single client (on my desktop) to manage it. That is it. That is the extent of Crashplan in my home. ONE actual install that backs up stuff to the cloud (or anywhere for that matter). I do not use Crashplan on ANY client to push ANY backups to the server at all. Period.

 

[Walter Gunter]

The result is whatever you tell Crashplan to back up to the cloud gets backed up to the cloud. With the exception of Crashplan backups that go from your clients to your server

Right. I get that about the RSYNC. I just read this and it made me think I was overlooking something:
"The result is whatever you tell Crashplan to back up to the cloud gets backed up to the cloud. With the exception of Crashplan backups that go from your clients to your server."

I at this point think:
1. I need to look at the users and datasets that I think I might need (ie, one dataset for each client, ...).
2. I need to figure out how to RSYNC data from each of the clients to that dataset
3. The crashplan jail needs to Source the dataset that I plan to backup to the cloud
4. Am I missing something?

 

[pirateghost]

1. I need to look at the users and datasets that I think I might need (ie, one dataset for each client, ...).

This is simply a preference on your part. It is my preferred method, so that I can also share those datasets out to those users and they can get their own 'windows previous versions' ;)

2. I need to figure out how to RSYNC data from each of the clients to that dataset

Linux has this functionality built in, but you can use any number of tools to manage this (grsync, backintime, luckybackup, etc)
For Windows, you can use DeltaCopy
OSX should have this built in, you could script it or I am sure there is software available to 'GUI' it.

3. The crashplan jail needs to Source the dataset that I plan to backup to the cloud

Yes. You can 'source' as many directories/datasets as you wish. In the crashplan GUI for the server, you simply point it to that mounted path

4. Am I missing something?

I think you are getting it now. :D

 

[danb35]

2. I need to figure out how to RSYNC data from each of the clients to that dataset

Keep in mind that @pirateghost is using rsync as an example. You can use anything you want, other than CrashPlan, to back up your client machines to your FreeNAS box.

 

[RichTJ99]

The benefit of the plugin in a 5 windows PC network would be that instead of installing crashplan on 5 PC's you install it only on the freenas box?

 

[pirateghost]

The benefit of the plugin in a 5 windows PC network would be that instead of installing crashplan on 5 PC's you install it only on the freenas box?

Doesn't matter how many PCs you have. The benefit is that you are backing up your NAS data.

Good habit is to have a local backup of your client data (send to freenas in some fashion and use snapshots), then a secondary backup offsite (crashplan cloud or a friend's crashplan instance)

 

[depasseg]

The benefit of the plugin in a 5 windows PC network would be that instead of installing crashplan on 5 PC's you install it only on the freenas box?

No. You will need to install it on the 5 machines that you want to backup. The benefit of the plugin is that it gives you a backup destination that likely has a lot of (hopefully) protected data storage.

 

[danb35]

To be clear, you can use the CrashPlan plugin on FreeNAS as a backup destination for CrashPlan on any of your (or your friends', for that matter) client machines. You can also use it to back up data on your FreeNAS server to the cloud. But you cannot use it to back up CrashPlan backup data (i.e., from your, or your friends', client machines) to the cloud.