Initial / experimental support for time machine over SMB

[NineFingers]

The problem, as I've experienced it, actually manifests after the full backup, and even a few incremental, have occurred successfully... then, "something" happens, and I can't get any further backups to complete. I've been running a test since yesterday, on a 2012 Synology, which has thus far successfully handled the backups of two machines that have been failing under FreeNAS. If they continue, I guess I'll have to look at a new Synology to handle my time machine needs... I hope they get this figured out soon!

 

[anodos]

The problem, as I've experienced it, actually manifests after the full backup, and even a few incremental, have occurred successfully... then, "something" happens, and I can't get any further backups to complete. I've been running a test since yesterday, on a 2012 Synology, which has thus far successfully handled the backups of two machines that have been failing under FreeNAS. If they continue, I guess I'll have to look at a new Synology to handle my time machine needs... I hope they get this figured out soon!

The actual code to add time machine over SMB will be in 11.2-U1. I've been running time machine backups over SMB on an experimental build with support for the past month.

 

[danb35]

The actual code to add time machine over SMB will be in 11.2-U1.

Do you mean -U2? Because -U1 is already out, of course.

 

[anodos]

Do you mean -U2? Because -U1 is already out, of course.

11.2-RELEASE-U1 is out. I'm not sure if 11.2-RELEASE-U1 == 11.2-U1. We can just settle on "the next release".

 

[adrianwi]

I've updated to 11.2-U1 and have tried to set this up for one of my Macs.

I can see the SMB shares and select one, but when I enter the username/password I get the 'operation could not be completed error 17' previously posted.

Any ideas what I might have got wrong?

 

[anodos]

I've updated to 11.2-U1 and have tried to set this up for one of my Macs.

I can see the SMB shares and select one, but when I enter the username/password I get the 'operation could not be completed error 17' previously posted.

Any ideas what I might have got wrong?

You need to wait for the next release. The code final code changes aren't in the version that you have.

 

[NineFingers]

When you say you can see the smb shares, is that when you’re trying to mount them, or when you’re trying to select a destination for time machine?

 

[NineFingers]

You need to wait for the next release. The code final code changes aren't in the version that you have.

What's the ETA for the next release?

 

[adrianwi]

When you say you can see the smb shares, is that when you’re trying to mount them, or when you’re trying to select a destination for time machine?

I can select it in the Time Machine preferences and then enter a user/pass. I’ll wait for 11.2-U2 and try again.

 

[NineFingers]

I'm more than a bit frustrated, too... especially when my old Synology box seems to do the task with no issues... at least for a day...

 

[anodos]

What's the ETA for the next release?

It should be around the end of the month or beginning of next month.

 

[eexodus]

Is anyone seeing SMB Time Machine backups becoming unverified on the macOS clients and Time Machine on the clients asking to be recreated?

 

[anodos]

Is anyone seeing SMB Time Machine backups becoming unverified on the macOS clients and Time Machine on the clients asking to be recreated?

I haven't seen that in my backups yet (but I'm running what will be in 11.2-U2). I've been running them stably for about a month or so. The version you're running lacks correct mdns advertisments, and so behavior might be somewhat undefined.

 

[eexodus]

Thanks I will have to upgrade to 11.2 then and see if that fixes it.

 

[anodos]

Thanks I will have to upgrade to 11.2 then and see if that fixes it.

Wait until after the next release. The current version of 11.2 does not have the fixes.

 

[keson]

I am on latest 11.2.U2 and wanted to use the TimeMachine over SMB as the AFP version does not work - whenever I make an initial backup, the next time the mac runs additional backup it verifies the backup and finds it corrupted and suggests a new backup. So I hoped for TM over SMB to resolve this. However, when I set the new Dataset, create share and set all needed details, I can see the share in the list of available TM storages, but I am unable to run the backup - whenever the TM wants to connect, it response while connecting to the share with: The srae does not exist or is not available. Check server name or IP address and try again. However I can map and access the share from within mac os through smb:
P.S. It does not ask for any username/password, so I am not sure which credentials it is using...

 

[anodos]

I am on latest 11.2.U2 and wanted to use the TimeMachine over SMB as the AFP version does not work - whenever I make an initial backup, the next time the mac runs additional backup it verifies the backup and finds it corrupted and suggests a new backup. So I hoped for TM over SMB to resolve this. However, when I set the new Dataset, create share and set all needed details, I can see the share in the list of available TM storages, but I am unable to run the backup - whenever the TM wants to connect, it response while connecting to the share with: The srae does not exist or is not available. Check server name or IP address and try again. However I can map and access the share from within mac os through smb:
P.S. It does not ask for any username/password, so I am not sure which credentials it is using...

Can you please PM me a debug file.

 

[keson]

Can you please PM me a debug file.

Sent the file in conversation as a Download link as I am unable to attach the tar file here

 

[anodos]

Postmortem on the PM:
It was most likely a permissions issue. Make sure that your time machine user is the owner of the dataset (or grant appropriate permissions). There is a possibility that there was a problem with advertising time machine of AFP and SMB simultaneously. I have introduced a new SMB auxiliary parameter in 11.2 zeroconf name = <string>. You can add this parameter to change the server name advertised over mdns for SMB-related items example: zeroconf name = freenas_smb

Do note that backups over SMB may be slower (possibly significantly slower). The MacOS client issues a SMB2 Flush for every write to the share. This gets translated to an fsync(), which turns into a zil write. In theory this should be less prone to corruption than AFP/netatalk-based time machine backups. A SLOG device would probably help performance (otherwise, you'll just have to wait it out - my first backup took quite a few hours - once the full backup is complete, incrementals are significantly less painful).

 

[NineFingers]

On one of my Macs, I’ve had success since upgrading to U2... on another, I got the dreaded “start new backup” message right after completing the first backup. So, it appears to be a mixed bag for me. And, yes, the backup over SMB is WAY slower.