Remove snapshots?

[BlazeStar]

Hi guys,

Using FreeNAS 9.2.1.3 at work.

I love the snapshot feature.

I want to make remote backups too now...

I have a server home and I was thinking about installing FreeNAS.

I would like to know if there is a simple way for the remote FreeNAS (at my home) to backup the local FreeNAS (at work).

Thanks !

 

[fracai]

I presume you want to get your snapshots from one machine to the other in order to have offsite backups?

This is called replication and is an option in the FreeNAS configuration. See: http://doc.freenas.org/index.php/Replication_Tasks

 

[BlazeStar]

Awesome this is precisely what I needed!

Thanks!!!

One question though, about the BEGIN and END fields.

If I want it to start at 10PM and end at 7AM, will the system understand since the range is over two different days?

 

[dlavigne]

If I want it to start at 10PM and end at 7AM, will the system understand since the range is over two different days?

It should. If it doesn't, it's a bug.

 

[panz]

Awesome this is precisely what I needed!

Thanks!!!

One question though, about the BEGIN and END fields.

If I want it to start at 10PM and end at 7AM, will the system understand since the range is over two different days?

Start / End don't work as you expect. First of all, read the documentation. When a replication task is set, End and Start depend on snapshot schedule: if you set - for example - the replication from 10 pm to 7 am, every snapshot that is scheduled to happen in that "time window" will be replicated. If the replication process is started, it will go until is finished.

 

[BlazeStar]

The documentation is unclear on that topic.

Given a snapshot is a much like a RSYNC incremental backup...
(FYI - Before FreeNAS snapshots I was using RIBS - RSync Incremental Backups Script - which worked pretty damn well!!)

And let's say on the PUSH i take SNAPSHOTS every 1 hour.

Finally let's say I want the PULL to replicate only between 10PM and 7AM

Therefore it means that several SNAPSHOTS won't be replicated !

So my concern is: will the snapshots be okay and usable at all, on the PULL?
(given the fact that they are INCREMENTAL backups and that we skip a few ones)

Maybe there's something I didn't understand though...

 

[BlazeStar]

Other question, is there any kind of monitoring available, along with SNAPSHOTS and REPLICATION?

What I mean by that is that: is it possible to be "notified" (ex : email) if a SNAPSHOT did not work, or a REPLICATION failed?

 

[fracai]

Given a snapshot is a RSYNC incremental backup...

It isn't. Snapshots are part of the ZFS filesystem. They can be considered incremental, though that's not entirely accurate.

And let's say on the PUSH i take SNAPSHOTS every 1 hour.
Finally let's say I want to PULL to replicate only between 10PM and 7AM

I have no idea how replication configured with both push and pull would interact. Usually, you would just pick one direction and it's conceptually simpler in my mind to go with push.

Therefore it means that several SNAPSHOTS won't be replicated!

If there's a discontinuity in the snapshots on the source and remote filesystem you won't be able to send an incremental snapshot, you'll need to start over by sending all the data held in the dataset.

I haven't personally used replication, but I can't help but feel you're overthinking this. Replication works; try it. Configure your system with the snapshot and replication settings that you want. Leave it to run for whatever time period you're concerned about. Any problems? Post back with them here or in a new topic.

 

[BlazeStar]

You're right, that's what I'll do.

When I was referring to PUSH and PULL, I was just using the same terminology from the documentation.

I understand that you don't want both ends to PUSH and PULL.

 

[panz]

I have some datasets that snapshot every hour, but my replication tasks are setup to start only at night (at 03:00 am). To trigger a replication you have to setup a snapshot during the hours in which replication is allowed; then, the replication job takes care of all the snapshots that didn't replicate (in my situation the replication task will replicate - at 03:00 am - all the snapshots that the system took during the day). But, to trigger the 03:00 am replication, you have to setup a snapshot, for example, at 03:05 am. and setup the replication to be allowed from 03:00 am to 03:15 am (or whatever time is going to cover the 03:05 snapshot moment).

 

[BlazeStar]

Very interesting.

And as you previously said, the replication will complete, whatever the "END" field is set to !

THANKS !


Any thoughts on my other questions?

Other question, is there any kind of monitoring available, along with SNAPSHOTS and REPLICATION?

What I mean by that is that: is it possible to be "notified" (ex : email) if a SNAPSHOT did not work, or a REPLICATION failed?

 

[panz]

Very interesting.

And as you previously said, the replication will complete, whatever the "END" field is set to !

THANKS !


Any thoughts on my other questions?

Other question, is there any kind of monitoring available, along with SNAPSHOTS and REPLICATION?

What I mean by that is that: is it possible to be "notified" (ex : email) if a SNAPSHOT did not work, or a REPLICATION failed?

Did you try one replication task?

If you setup one, you're going to:

1) see that during a replication job, the replication window under Storage -- > Replication shows you the percentage;

2) get an alert via email if a replication fails (for example, due to the fact that the destination pool is unavailable, etc...).