py-libzfs for SSH+Netcat replication: Recommended method of installation on 11.3-RELEASE?

[Anon93873]

What is the recommended method for compiling and installing py-libzfs? I am attempting to implement replication via Netcat to increase replication speed.

From the 11.3-RELEASE manual (8.6.2, Advanced Replication):

• SSH+NETCAT uses SSH to establish a connection to the destination system, then uses py-libzfs to send an unencrypted data stream for higher transfer transfer speeds. This only works when replicating to a FreeNAS, TrueNAS, or other system with py-libzfs installed.

The FreeNAS installation does not have a compiler that py-libzfs can find. I am also aware of the risks of modifying the FreeNAS installation from the command line, so I would like to install py-libzfs in a way that survives upgrades.

Has anyone successfully implemented the SSH+NETCAT replication method using this method on 11.3?

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

Why would you want to "install" a feature that is already present in 11.3 according to the release notes? Just pick "SSH+NETCAT" when configuring a replication task.

HTH,
Patrick

 

[Anon93873]

Patrick,

The feature is present in 11.3, but the supporting tool py-libzfs appears not to be. If my understanding is incorrect, please correct me. The barrier isn't with configuration of SSH+Netcat, but with the existence of the underlying tool that FreeNAS relies on to execute SSH+Netcat in an automated manner.

I would be happy if you were to show me I'm incorrect.

Why would you want to "install" a feature that is already present in 11.3 according to the release notes? Just pick "SSH+NETCAT" when configuring a replication task.

HTH,
Patrick

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

Code:

root@freenas01[~]# uname -a           
FreeBSD freenas01.intern.punkt.de 11.3-RELEASE-p5 FreeBSD 11.3-RELEASE-p5 #0 r325575+8ed1cd24b60(HEAD): Mon Jan 27 18:07:23 UTC 2020     root@tnbuild02.tn.ixsystems.com:/freenas-releng/freenas/_BE/objs/freenas-releng/freenas/_BE/os/sys/FreeNAS.amd64  amd64
root@freenas01[~]# pkg info -l py37-libzfs
py37-libzfs-1.0.20200115:
    /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/libzfs-1.0-py3.7.egg-info/PKG-INFO
    /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/libzfs-1.0-py3.7.egg-info/SOURCES.txt
    /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/libzfs-1.0-py3.7.egg-info/dependency_links.txt
    /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/libzfs-1.0-py3.7.egg-info/top_level.txt
    /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/libzfs.so

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

The documentation simply states that your target system for replication needs to be either

• another current FreeNAS
• another current TrueNAS
• a completely different system as long as it has got py-libzfs installed

HTH,
Patrick

 

[Anon93873]

Thanks Patrick. I think this part of the documentation is poorly written. I think this section might benefit from clarifying which versions of FreeNAS already contain the py-libzfs package. I appreciate your help.

The documentation simply states that your target system for replication needs to be either

• another current FreeNAS
• another current TrueNAS
• a completely different system as long as it has got py-libzfs installed

HTH,
Patrick

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

There's an Oxford comma, so ... ;)

 

[Anon93873]

Point taken! Do you have influence over the documentation?

There's an Oxford comma, so ... ;)

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

No, but you could file a request. https://jira.ixsystems.com/