Best way of backing up a FreeNAS server to another FreeNAS server

[MockY]

I have 2 servers I'm thinking of installing FreeNAS on. However, they both have different sized hard drives, though fairly similar total storage available. I would like to know what the best way is to back up the main FreeNAS server to the backup FreeNAS server.

Is rsync the best way to go. And if so, do I have to have visible shares on both?

 

[matthewowen01]

rsync over ssh is great. as long as you have ssh enabled, as long as the user you use has access, you're good, no need to have file shares or anything.

rsync --partial --stats --progress -r -avz -e ssh SOURCE DESTINATION

 

[ProtoSD]

SSH isn't really necessary if you're just backing up to another server on your local network, it's really only necessary for encryption if you're backing up off-site.

UPDATE: If you don't use SSH, you need to have shares setup on a local network...

 

[MockY]

But how would rsync be able to push files to another server without connecting to a location on another server without either sharing that location or using SSH?

 

[ProtoSD]

Sorry MockY, you are correct, in that situation you would need to have shares setup, like nfs, or cifs.

 

[matthewowen01]

doing it through ssh will slow things down, but it removes a lot of work.

 

[SoftDux-Rudi]

I agree, rsync over SSH is the easiest way todo it. OR, NFS mount the backup NAS to the main NAS and rsync to the mounted folder :)