Crashplan From PC to Freenas

[Arvi LEFEVRE]

Hello!

I've seen a lot of topic and articles everywhere about crashplan, but I couldn't find anyone doing what I do.

From what I understand, people using crashplan with Freenas is to backup the NAS data on crashplan server, but I couldn't find anyone wanted to use the NAS as a backup server (Like, I have my folder I want to backup, I install crashplan on my PC and it's saved on the NAS).

So I just want to know if I did properly to make sure I didn't forget anything, I just edited /usr/pbi/crashplan-amd64/share/crashplan/conf/custom_sample.properties and put my login and password from Crashplan, and then I also edited /usr/pbi/crashplan-amd64/share/crashplan/conf/my.service.xml to change manifestpath at <manifestPath>/mnt/backup/</manifestPath> (or whervere you want to store).

And then when I launch the crashplan app on my computer, I have crashplan_1 that appeared as abackup destination, and I could start the process. Is everything OK?

Thx :)

PS: I have a pretty decent transfer rate when I copy files usually, but here it's around 15 Mbps, it's pretty slow, is that normal?

edit: ok, the speed it's because it was many small files, much better with big file, still not max but I guess it can't be while using the software.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

And then when I launch the crashplan app on my computer, I have crashplan_1 that appeared as abackup destination, and I could start the process. Is everything OK?

That sounds like a good and correct setup. Much better to use CrashPlan's peer-to-peer backup capability than to try to mount the storage locally on the client.

 

[diedrichg]

BTSync or Syncthing (preferred for being open source) could also be considered as they provide folder-level backup.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

BTSync or Syncthing (preferred for being open source) could also be considered as they provide folder-level backup.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but those are both folder synchronization tools. While I consider such tools to be very useful (I use AeroFS), I don't think of them as backup tools.

 

[pirateghost]

Just note that you can't backup peer backups to the online crashplan. It will not allow them.

 

[Arvi LEFEVRE]

So, I tried with my home folder, 320 GB and 150k files. Was fine, but somehow my computer crashed (other reasons) before it was done (estimated time was more than 2 days), and now it's starting the backup from scratch, but I still have 220 GB of the old backup that I can't use... So not a good first impression ^^

 

[SweetAndLow]

I doubt it's starting from scratch. It firsts verified the remote server then will do an incremental.

 

[pirateghost]

Crashplan doesn't start over from scratch after a disconnect. It is verifying the current backup and then it will pick up where it left off.

If you have a problem with how crashplan works you should alert crashplan and not complain in a forum that has nothing to do with crashplan. ;)

 

[Arvi LEFEVRE]

No, it started from scratch (10k files on 150k, 2,1 days remaining, I can read, also in "restore" there was almost nothing left).

Anyway, not complaining, just giving my feedback as I started this if some people read this in the future, I might contact crashplan yes :)

 

[pirateghost]

I know what it says in the console. But usually it says that while it is validating. It doesn't say that it's validating.

I've been a crashplan customer for 3 years and never seen it start over on a disconnect.

 

[diedrichg]

I'm not trying to start an argument, but those are both folder synchronization tools. While I consider such tools to be very useful (I use AeroFS), I don't think of them as backup tools.

I was offering a different solution since I read that the OP mentioned folder backup rather than full PC backup.

From what I understand, people using crashplan with Freenas is to backup the NAS data on crashplan server, but I couldn't find anyone wanted to use the NAS as a backup server (Like, I have my folder I want to backup, I install crashplan on my PC and it's saved on the NAS).

 

[SirMaster]

Yeah CrashPlan won't start over. It also won't delete your data unless you tell it to.

How do you tell it to delete your data? You deselect the directories from the backup selection screen.


When migrating crashplan from one PC to another PC or from simply one install to another install what you do is adopt a previous backup which will show up when you log into your crashplan account on the new computer/install.

After you adopt the previous backup, you will see that in the backup selection screen your old directories will still be selected. Even if this is a new machine and the old paths make no sense anymore you still NEED to leave them selected.

Simply select your new directories to backup wherever your data is now, and crashplan will scan through and remap all your data to the new paths at a very high speed, like 100-300mbps or so. It will simply look like it's backing up from 0%, but at a very high rate of speed. If your backup was incomplete before you did this migration, then it's possible crashplan will backup some new files first before syncing/remapping the old data.

Only once the backup progress is back to 100% is it now safe to deselect the old backup selections that are no longer valid as the new backup selection directories are now holding a reference to all your backed up data and so deselecting the old obsolete directories won't cause crashplan to delete any of your data from its archive.