How do you backup your FreeNAS data?

[jgreco]

I take a spare ethernet cable, connect one end to the NAS, and stick the other end in a large plastic baggie, let it fill up with bits, and then seal it up and sleep with it under my pillow at night.

 

[HoneyBadger]

I take a spare ethernet cable, connect one end to the NAS, and stick the other end in a large plastic baggie, let it fill up with bits, and then seal it up and sleep with it under my pillow at night.

I'm guessing either "not enough coffee" or "too much."

 

[AliceWonderMiscreations]

Does something like this exist?

Various clients around network back data up to FreeNAS

FreeNAS in turn backs data up to a cloud service, applying AES-128 on the fly to files as it sends them to cloud service, so that dishonest cloud service can not see contents of files. FreeNAS admin backs up the key and keeps it somewhere safe.

Freak accident happens and the pool goes bye bye. Like maybe an earthquake or the power supply explodes frying the drives in the process or whatever.

Admin creates new FreeNAS and installs the same key, and FreeNAS then fetches encrypted files from cloud, decrypting them to restore the data on new NAS.

That's what I want, does it exist? From what I have read so far, FreeNAS can use encrypted filesystem, but that doesn't look like it protects files backed up to a cloud service.

Ideally the new FreeNAS would allow various systems on the network to do a full backup first, and be able to determine which encrypted files it needs to grab (via checksum manifest file also on cloud) from cloud to be complete so it doesn't have to fetch files that still existed on local PCs and were already restored when they ran a full backup to the new FreeNAS box.

 

[AliceWonderMiscreations]

Okay looks like crashplan does this -

The second line of defense appears before your data ever leaves your machine. Backup data is encrypted with a 128-bit key for free users with 448-bit encryption available for CrashPlan Central subscribers. Backup transmission is then scrambled using 128-bit encryption. Keys are created using a secure random number generator and are escrowed with your archive at each destination so you can restore your files should you lose your computer. Archive encryption keys can be secured with your account password or a private password. For the ultimate level of protection, you can replace the CrashPlan-generated key with your own data key.

 

[pirateghost]

Okay looks like crashplan does this -

You can't back up your clients to the cloud from the server. When you back up to your server, your client backups are not allowed to in turn backup to the cloud

 

[AliceWonderMiscreations]

You can't back up your clients to the cloud from the server. When you back up to your server, your client backups are not allowed to in turn backup to the cloud

But when a FreeNAS server is the backup server for the LAN, the files backed up to the NAS can themselves be backed up with crashplan, can they not?

My philosophy is always restore from local backup. If local backup has failed, restore local backup from remote and then restore clients from the local backup (if they need to be)

 

[pirateghost]

But when a FreeNAS server is the backup server for the LAN, the files backed up to the NAS can themselves be backed up with crashplan, can they not?

My philosophy is always restore from local backup. If local backup has failed, restore local backup from remote and then restore clients from the local backup (if they need to be)

Yes. They can back up to the server, but you can't back that backup to their cloud service

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

when a FreeNAS server is the backup server for the LAN, the files backed up to the NAS can themselves be backed up with crashplan, can they not?

CrashPlan will not backup CrashPlan archives. In your scenario, the individual clients would have to use something other than CrashPlan to backup to FreeNAS.

 

[AliceWonderMiscreations]

CrashPlan will not backup CrashPlan archives. In your scenario, the individual clients would have to use something other than CrashPlan to backup to FreeNAS.

Yes, I was not thinking of using crashplan to archive the clients. I was thinking of using standard backup clients (like Windows Backup for Windows, Time Machine for OS X, and rsync over ssh for my Linux boxes - yes nicer than rsync exist but it works for me)

All I want out of a cloud backup is backup for my local backup, every OS has backup facilities that come with the OS already that can back a PC up to a local NAS.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

Caveats:

• using CrashPlan to backup Time Machine is not a good plan
• in my experience, Time Machine over AFP is unreliable anyway
• there are frequent reports in these forums of problems with CrashPlan on FreeNAS, typically spiking when an update to CrashPlan is released

 

[pirateghost]

Time machine is unreliable even on USB drives

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

What do you mean? It works fine until something goes wrong, then it sits there read-only until you wipe the drive and start over. You have a problem with that?
;)

 

[pirateghost]

Not at all.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

Here's something I don't remember seeing before in the CrashPlan EULA (my emphasis):

c. “CrashPlan+ Unlimited” has the same features as CrashPlan+ with no current limitation on the amount of User Data stored on the Public Cloud (subject to future data storage limits described below). While there is no current limitation for CrashPlan Unlimited subscribers on the amount of User Data backed up to the Public Cloud, Code 42 reserves the right in the future, in its sole discretion, to set commercially reasonable data storage limits (i.e. 10 TB) on all CrashPlan+ Unlimited accounts.

d. “CrashPlan+ Family” has the same features as CrashPlan+ Unlimited extended to include up to ten (10) Devices used by family members living under the same household (and offsite family members in college or that are military personnel) using the CrashPlan Products and Services. While there is no current limitation for CrashPlan Unlimited subscribers on the amount of User Data backed up to the Public Cloud, Code 42 reserves the right in the future, in its sole discretion, to set commercially reasonable data storage limits (i.e. 20 TB) on all CrashPlan+ Family accounts.

 

[jgreco]

What do you mean? It works fine until something goes wrong, then it sits there read-only until you wipe the drive and start over. You have a problem with that?
;)

Ah. Someone who's actually used the &@#(&*@#(*!) thing.

 

[anodos]

Ah. Someone who's actually used the &@#(&*@#(*!) thing.

That is my experience as well.

 

[AliceWonderMiscreations]

So if crashplan is not suitable for reliable backup of an NAS up to cloud storage, what does exists for that purpose? Anything?

Nice thing about crashplan is they will send you your data on a drive if things go horribly wrong, but if they break the interface with FreeNAS with their updates then they aren't an enterprise quality service.

 

[Ericloewe]

You know why it's called Time Machine? Because you'll need a time machine to get your data back.

 

[AliceWonderMiscreations]

Well then for OS X I suppose rsync over OS X would be better. I don't actually use OS X myself.

 

[jgreco]

"OS X is a fine bootstrap loader for something more real". (sees if he can bait any OS X fans)

Actually I don't have anything against OS X, it's just that it's traditionally been difficult to use it as a primary worksurface when working with x86/64 server gear.