File versioning for backups

[alan-bc]

Does FreeNAS support file versioning?

Specifically, I am done with cloud storage providers for my backups, and am considering simply building a little NAS and placing it at my next door neighbour's house. While there's a chance of a fire or flood that takes out both houses at once, I can live with the odds of that happening.

One thing my (sadly horribly unreliable) current cloud provider offers is "versioning". That is, while their BACKUP software blindly copies new and changed files to their system, the RESTORE function allows me to pick which of the various versions I want restored; today's, yesterday's, last month's, etc.

Also, if FreeNAS DOES support versioning, how does one access the "old" versions of the file(s).

 

[kdragon75]

All backup software that I have used does this. Look at Veeam Agent FREE for a solid free software.

 

[m0nkey_]

Also, if FreeNAS DOES support versioning, how does one access the "old" versions of the file(s).

With ZFS, you can make use of snapshots. If your data barely changes, snapshots are practically cost nothing in terms of disk space used. Snapshots typically only use up as much as the changed files allowing you to keep hundreds or maybe thousands of snapshots.

http://doc.freenas.org/11/storage.html#periodic-snapshot-tasks

Recovering files from snapshots is easy, you either roll back to a previous time in the UI, or go into the hidden .zfs directory and navigate to the snapshot to recover it manually.

 

[alan-bc]

Thanks for the pointer to VEEAM. I've done a whole lot of searching and tried many many options and somehow, VEEAM wasn't one of them. I'll give it a shot.

I'll also give snapshots a try .. I've used them on other servers and they might just be an option as well.

 

[kdragon75]

With ZFS, you can make use of snapshots. If your data barely changes, snapshots are practically cost nothing in terms of disk space used. Snapshots typically only use up as much as the changed files allowing you to keep hundreds or maybe thousands of snapshots.

http://doc.freenas.org/11/storage.html#periodic-snapshot-tasks

Recovering files from snapshots is easy, you either roll back to a previous time in the UI, or go into the hidden .zfs directory and navigate to the snapshot to recover it manually.

You can also use snapshots with "Previous versions in windows" as long as your working from a share.

 

[m0nkey_]

If you're interested in client backups, then I can strongly recommend UrBackup. It's a client/server backup model. The server pulls from the client opposed to the client pushing. It works very well, it's able to perform both file and image backups. Server component will run quite happily on a FreeNAS jail.

 

[kdragon75]

Veeam endpoint has no server and will backup to SMB or external. If neither are available, the backup is still taken and waits for the storage to come back, then uploads. No missed backups, no messing with jails (that are perpetually getting broken by update). Just setup a share that can only be accessed by a service account (can be any account but this is safer) and point Veeam to that.

 

[danb35]

Does FreeNAS support file versioning?

I don't think any of the discussion here has directly answered this question. No, FreeNAS, as such, does not support file versioning, as such. That is, the OS itself will not account for different (changed) versions of a file. Plenty of things that could be installed in jails (like Nextcloud, and quite a bit of backup software) do, and FreeNAS supports snapshots (which can provide a comparable benefit), but file versioning as such isn't part of FreeNAS.

To be clear on the distinction I'm making, file versioning (at least as I understand it) lets you access the last n changes to a file. Snapshots will let you access the file at given points of time, whether or not there were changes between those points of time.

 

[kdragon75]

To be clear on the distinction I'm making, file versioning (at least as I understand it) lets you access the last n changes to a file. Snapshots will let you access the file at given points of time, whether or not there were changes between those points of time.

I definitely appreciate the attention to detail here. I'm all about detail and nuance but in this case, I think he simply is looking for point in time restoration options.

RESTORE function allows me to pick which of the various versions I want restored; today's, yesterday's, last month's, etc.

For true versioning I would thing you need to hook into file system events or have it integrated into the application.

 

[Cocksy]

You can also use snapshots with "Previous versions in windows" as long as your working from a share.

Hi @kdragon75, please can you clarify on how this would work? I'm using windows 10 pro and am in the process of setting up my first FreeNAS box (actually I'm still in the "alpha" stage of various testing incarnations in a VM, not close to live yet!), so am curious how I could utilise previous versions with snapshots? TIA.

 

[kdragon75]

@Cocksy You would have to search the forum. I have never used it but have seen it brought up several times. Again this only works for SMB shares and is powered by the ZFS snapshots.

 

[Jailer]

Hi @kdragon75, please can you clarify on how this would work? I'm using windows 10 pro and am in the process of setting up my first FreeNAS box (actually I'm still in the "alpha" stage of various testing incarnations in a VM, not close to live yet!), so am curious how I could utilise previous versions with snapshots? TIA.

Its volume shadow copy on the windows end on an smb share as @kdragon75 mentioned. It’s available from a right click context menu labled previous versions. Due note that by default it only goes back 2 weeks. I dont know if that can be changed.

 

[Cocksy]

Its volume shadow copy on the windows end on an smb share as @kdragon75 mentioned. It’s available from a right click context menu labled previous versions. Due note that by default it only goes back 2 weeks. I don't know if that can be changed.

Thanks, I'll take a look at that and do some testing on my virtual test FreeNAS server!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Cocksy]

Its volume shadow copy on the windows end on an smb share as @kdragon75 mentioned. It’s available from a right click context menu labled previous versions. Due note that by default it only goes back 2 weeks. I don't know if that can be changed.

Just another thought, does it matter what the underlying "share type" is on the dataset? i.e. can I set "UNIX" in the share type box when creating a dataset, then share it using the "SMB" protocol, and still use volume shadows from within the windows client?

 

[lopr]

i have checked with my config and it does not matter what the underlying share type is. you just have to select in the smb share service which snapshot task should be made available for the shadow copies. I tested with windows and unix share types. the shadowcopies go as far back as your snapshot task is holding these snapshots. if you have multiple snapshot tasks (e.g.: 5 min snapshots for 1 day; 1 hour snapshots for one week; ..) you can only select one snapshot task that is available through shadow copies. It is not limited to 2 weeks but to your snapshot task that you choose.

 

[Jailer]

i.e. can I set "UNIX" in the share type box when creating a dataset, then share it using the "SMB" protocol, and still use volume shadows from within the windows client?

Yes.

 

[Jailer]

i have checked with my config and it does not matter what the underlying share type is. you just have to select in the smb share service which snapshot task should be made available for the shadow copies. I tested with windows and unix share types. the shadowcopies go as far back as your snapshot task is holding these snapshots. if you have multiple snapshot tasks (e.g.: 5 min snapshots for 1 day; 1 hour snapshots for one week; ..) you can only select one snapshot task that is available through shadow copies. It is not limited to 2 weeks but to your snapshot task that you choose.

I just checked and you are correct. I have my daily snapshots set to last 2 weeks so that explains the 2 week period for my previous versions.

 

[Cocksy]

thanks everyone.