FreeNAS Disaster Recovery

[bhnbhn]

Hello,

I am a student and I need to type up some steps of how to perform FreeNAS Disaster Recovery.
I am totally glueless, as I haven't done anything like that before and google hasn't been helpful.

So, I need someone to tell me the key points that summarizes how to restore full functionality and all data to the IT system after a complete failure of the FreeNAS storage server. Doesn't need to be very detailed - can be 1 or 2 sentences per point. I have already done the preparation steps, but I haven't got my recovery steps right yet.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Johnny Fartpants]

I am a student and I need to type up some steps of how to perform FreeNAS Disaster Recovery

Tell us the disaster scenario.

Is the pool shot? Have you lost your server head? Is this an all-in-one server or a JBOD attached to a head? Has a bomb dropped on one of your DCs?

I'm assuming you are talking about failing over between two replicated FreeNAS units?

 

[danb35]

What kind of disaster are you contemplating? And what have you done to prepare for it?

 

[bhnbhn]

This is the exact question;
Write a disaster recovery plan to deal with a complete failure of the FreeNAS storage server and the loss of all data on it. You must say what actions you will take to prepare for such an event and how you would restore full functionality and all data to the IT system.
And that's alI know. It's so confusing.

This is my answer so far:

• Have backup strategies in place, like having a separate server with a copy of all the data on HHD and cloud storage.
• Regularly syncing the data on FreeNAS to HHD and cloud.
• Appoint a DRT and have a backup team ready to deal with the incident.
• Having clear policies and procedures in place of who should be contacted and what should be done in the event of disaster.
• While recovering the data, notes should be taken on why the incident happened in order to prevent this from happening again.
• Data should be recovered by relevancy and restored to a point in time not affected by data corruption and malicious attacks.
• Documents need to be filled out describing the details of the incident and stored away safely.
• DRT ensures that the data recovery was successful and everything works as expected.

They are happy with my answer describing the preparations, but they want to know my solution for recovery itself.

I just found this on FreeNAS webpage:
In case of catastrophic damage to a local ZFS filesystem (such as disk failure in excess of parity protection or irrecoverable log device failure), any backed-up snapshot can be sent to a new ZFS filesystem, recovering all data up to that backup.

And I'm now wondering how to integrate this bit into my answer.

I guess I just need some general solutions, as the question does not describe any specific incident.

Thanks guys!

 

[sretalla]

a complete failure of the FreeNAS storage server and the loss of all data on it

That is the scenario presented in the question.

1. what actions you will take to prepare for such an event and
2. how you would restore full functionality and all data to the IT system

1. Have a backup server or tapes somewhere. I guess you would also detail the pool and disk layout in writing somewhere for reference during recovery without access to the original.
2. Build a new server with the same disk layout/sizes (or rebuild the OS on the existing one if it's not a hardware problem). Install FreeNAS on it. Re-create the pools as per the original. Restore the data and config to it. (config at the GUI, data with CLI: zfs send | zfs recv ...).

I have the feeling we're doing your homework here for you...

 

[danb35]

I have the feeling we're doing your homework here for you...

That's exactly what's going on.

 

[bhnbhn]

Thanks sretalla, i can definitely use some of your advice in my answer.

Yes, I'm stuck with my homework, if that hasn't been clear yet. And I thank everyone who's trying to help me!