Please sanity check my plan for backups.

[avpullano]

I've been trying to expand my understanding of FreeNAS lately, so I hope this will spark some discussion.

I'm currently running 2x 2TB HDDs in a RAID1 configuration. I just bought a 3rd 2TB HDD so I can keep an offline backup. All 3 HDDs are of the exact same make and model. Now, since I bought the original 2 HDDs at the same time, they are likely from the same lot with similar manufacturing imperfections, etc. Therefore, deploying my backup plan will have 2 phases: (1) replacing one of the currently working HDDs with the new HDD & (2) regularly backing up the data from the RAID1 pool on FreeNAS to the offline HDD.

1. Seems simple enough. I plan on following the instructions for replacing a failed drive from the manual. I.e. taking one drive HDD, physically replacing it with the new HDD and resilvering. This will take a while for my ~800GB of data, but this is a home server so downtime is not a problem.
2. This one seems a little trickier since there are more options for backing up. I think rsync will fit my needs, but all of the documentation in the FreeNAS manual refers to setting up a scheduled rsync. This is a home server, so I really only need to make a backup ~every 6 months and I plan on keeping the backup HDD completely offline (i.e. in a closet away from the FreeNAS box). Can I trigger an rsync manually or do I just have to enable an rsync each time I use it and then disable it when I'm done?

So, are there any major problems with my plan? Should I do some sort of regular maintenance on the offline backup (e.g. scrubs)? My desktop has an external 3.5" SATA bay, so adding and removing the HDD for backup or maintenance is not a problem, I just really like the idea of keeping a copy of my data completely inaccessible from anyone outside of my house (I've helped a friend through a Cryptolocker attack and you never know what sort of scams will come up in the future!).

 

[DrKK]

OK.

I think part 1 of your plan is unorthodox, but reasonable.

As for part 2, where will the backup hard drive be? I mean, you can do what I do---I have exactly this kind of setup, the "backup" harddrive is connected via USB to a windows machine. I use "syncbackfree" by 2brightsparks software to make the backups to it, via the network, pulling from the CIFS sharing of the FreeNAS, if you follow.

 

[avpullano]

I think part 1 of your plan is unorthodox, but reasonable.

Hah, I'm not all that surprised at this reaction. I know that resilvering a working drive is a strange idea, I guess I should have just thought ahead and bought the original two HDDs from different stores.

As for part 2, where will the backup hard drive be? I mean, you can do what I do---I have exactly this kind of setup, the "backup" harddrive is connected via USB to a windows machine. I use "syncbackfree" by 2brightsparks software to make the backups to it, via the network, pulling from the CIFS sharing of the FreeNAS, if you follow.

My "backup" harddrive will be in a closet, disconnected from all computers. A friend of mine lost hundreds of GB of data to a Cryptolocker scam recently, so I want to protect myself from that horror. I share the FreeNAS server with 3 roommates who are not terribly computer savvy, so I want to be prepared with an offline backup, should one of our computers become compromised.

Your plan definitely sounds like a good solution. Do you keep that backup connected at all times? Like I mentioned above, I'd like my backup to be able to stay disconnected from all computers to keep it safe from malicious attacks. Of course, then there's the question of protecting against bit rot without regular scrubs (a conundrum that drove me to post this discussion in the first place).