[SOLVED] Backup and restore of configuration

[Vortigern]

Dear All,
I am using TrueNAS CORE 13.0 and I did a backup of my configuration by following the documentation and stored it in my Dropbox (after encryption). I still have some questions with respect to restoring the backup. Here below a list:

1. Do I need to copy also SSH in /root/.ssh keys? I'm not accessing my NAS via ssh.
2. If I copy also the secret seed will I be able to restore the backup and have the same username and passwords as before?
3. Is the backup file also including the pool and services configuration?
   1. Is there anything else I should do after restoring the backup?

Question 3 and 3.1 are the most important. What I would like to make sure of is that if I, somehow, lose my boot drive (e.g. broken SSD) I can just replace the drive, reinstall the OS on the SSD and restore the pool and services. I'm really afraid of loosing the pool information if I lose the boot drive.

Thanks in advance,
Vortigern

 

[sretalla]

Pool data is entirely separate from the config.

Losing the boot pool drive(s) isn't harmful to the pool itself and the data contained on/in it.

Restoring config to a fresh install will put back:

Users
Pools (just the importing of them on boot... the data isn't in the config backup)
Shares
Services settings

Do I need to copy also SSH in /root/.ssh keys? I'm not accessing my NAS via ssh.

Sounds like you don't

If I copy also the secret seed will I be able to restore the backup and have the same username and passwords as before?

Yes

Is the backup file also including the pool and services configuration?

Yes

Is there anything else I should do after restoring the backup?

It will cause a couple of reboots to happen, but after that, no.

 

[Vortigern]

Dear @sretalla,
thanks a lot for your quick reply! It's way more clear now! I know that the data is contained only in the pool itself, but the pool configuration (drive assigned to the pool, dataset, etc.) are saved on the configuration backup, right? In other words: I won't be able to restore my pool if I lose the config backup and the boot drives fail, correct?

Cheers,
Vortigern

 

[sretalla]

but the pool configuration (drive assigned to the pool, dataset, etc.) are saved on the configuration backup, right?

No. That's stored in the pool disks themselves. The config only stores that it wants to import a pool of that name/ID and then the system looks for disks that are part of that pool... if it finds them, you have your pool.

I won't be able to restore my pool if I lose the config backup and the boot drives fail, correct?

You can import a pool from any ZFS system with the right ZFS version on any System... you don't need the TrueNAS config for that (see explanation above).

 

[winnielinnie]

In other words: I won't be able to restore my pool if I lose the config backup and the boot drives fail, correct?

+1 to what @sretalla said, and I'll add an analogy.

You've packed up everything into a truck, as you will be driving across the country to move into a new home. All your belongings are in this truck. Labeled, sorted, organized, placed into different boxes, and so forth. This stuff is very important to you.

You've laid out a plan on what routes to take, where to make pit stops, contingency plans if there are certain traffic or weather conditions, etc. You don't have this memorized, but if you had to plan it out from scratch, it wouldn't be too hard to do. However, it's way more convenient to keep your notepad in a safe place so you can review it any time you want.

Whoops! You've lost the notepad with the routes, instructions, contingency plans, etc!

Does this mean you've lost all of your belongings? Nope. They're still in the truck. They're still labeled. They're still organized into specific boxes.

Truck = pool
Notepad = config

 

[Vortigern]

Dear @winnielinnie and @sretalla,
thanks a lot for your clarification! I can now close the thread.

Cheers,
Vortigern