Quickstart Guide for BackupPC 4 in a jail on FreeNAS

[blanchet]

BackupPC is an agent-less backup software that retrieves files from Windows or Linux computer with smbclient or rsync.
Since FreeNAS 11.2, there is an official plugin for BackupPC but it is broken (the web management interface is missing),
therefore I propose this is step-by-step guide to install BackupPC on FreeNAS to have an all-in-one backup solution.

This guide has been tested on

• Hardware: VirtualBox virtual machine
• FreeNAS 11.3u5 (hostname: freenas)
• pool name: tank1

1/ Create a dataset for the backup data
I prefer to save the backup files outside the jail in a separated dataset (but it is not mandatory)
So create a new dataset

Code:

root@freenas:~ # zfs create tank1/backuppc

2/ Create the jail with the web interface
In this tutortial, I use a jail without VNET.
(If you need VNET (for example for DHCP) with a virtualized FreeNAS do not forget to activate promiscuous mode on the Ethernet interface)

• Go to ui/jail
• Activate pool tank1 for jails
• Click ADD
• 1- Name Jail and Choose FreeBSD Release
  Jail Name: backuppc4
  Release: 11.4-RELEASE
  NEXT
  
  
• 2- Configure Networking
  IPv4 Interface: vtnet0 (the exact name depends on your hardware)
  IPv4 Address: 192.168.0.144
  IPv4 Netmask: 24
  NEXT
  
  
• 3- Confirm Options
  Jail Summary
  Jail Name : backuppc4
  Release : 11.4-RELEASE
  DHCP Autoconfigure IPv4 : No
  VNET Virtual Networking : No
  IPv4 Address : vtnet0|192.168.0.144/24
  Confirm these settings.
  SUBMIT

3/ Edit Jail properties
The jail needs auto-start and allow.raw_sockets (for ping)

• Select the Jail 'backuppc4'
  EDIT
  Basic Properties
  [x] Auto-start
  
  Jail Properties
  [x] allow.raw_sockets
  SAVE
  
  
• Select the Jail 'backuppc4'
  MOUNT POINT
  ACTION | Add Mount Point
  Source: /mnt/tank1/backuppc
  Destination: /var/db/BackupPC

4/ Start the Jail with the web interface

• Select the Jail 'backuppc4'
  START

5/ Connect to the jail shell

You can use the shell jail from the web interface but it is more convenient to login with SSH to freenas first and then connect with iocage

Code:

root@freenas:~ # iocage console backuppc4
root@backuppc4:~ # 

6/ Check the ping in the jail

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # ping freenas.org 

7/ Check the mount point

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # df -h /var/db/BackupPC/
Filesystem             Size    Used   Avail Capacity  Mounted on
/mnt/tank1/backuppc     20G     88K     20G     0%    [restricted]

8/ Install the packages

Code:

root@backuppc4:~# pkg install samba412 rsync rsync-bpc rrdtool par2cmdline p5-XML-RSS backuppc4 apache24

9/ Setup Samba
Create the file /usr/local/etc/smb4.conf

Code:

[global]
  client min protocol = SMB2
  client max protocol = SMB3

Check configuration

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # testparm -s
Load smb config files from /usr/local/etc/smb4.conf
Loaded services file OK.
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE

# Global parameters
[global]
    client max protocol = SMB3
    client min protocol = SMB2
    idmap config * : backend = tdb
root@backuppc4:~ #

10/ Configure backuppc

Run the update.sh script to create the configuration file (Press Enter everytime to accept the default)

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # /usr/local/etc/backuppc/update.sh

Is this a new installation or upgrade for BackupPC?  If this is
an upgrade please tell me the full path of the existing BackupPC
configuration file (eg: /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl).  Otherwise, just
hit return.

--> Full path to existing main config.pl []?

I found the following locations for these programs:

    bzip2        => /usr/bin/bzip2
    cat          => /bin/cat
    df           => /bin/df
    gtar/tar     => /usr/bin/tar
    gzip         => /usr/bin/gzip
    hostname     => /bin/hostname
    nmblookup    => /usr/local/bin/nmblookup
    par2         => /usr/local/bin/par2
    perl         => /usr/local/bin/perl
    ping         => /sbin/ping
    ping6        => /sbin/ping6
    rrdtool      => /usr/local/bin/rrdtool
    rsync        => /usr/local/bin/rsync
    rsync_bpc    => /usr/local/bin/rsync_bpc
    sendmail     => /usr/sbin/sendmail
    smbclient    => /usr/local/bin/smbclient
    split        => /usr/bin/split
    ssh/ssh2     => /usr/bin/ssh

--> Are these paths correct? [y]?

Please tell me the hostname of the machine that BackupPC will run on.

--> BackupPC will run on host [backuppc4]?

BackupPC should run as a dedicated user with limited privileges.  You
need to create a user.  This user will need read/write permission on
the main data directory and read/execute permission on the install
directory (these directories will be setup shortly).

The primary group for this user should also be chosen carefully.
The data directories and files will have group read permission,
so group members can access backup files.

--> BackupPC should run as user [backuppc]?

Please specify an install directory for BackupPC.  This is where the
BackupPC scripts, library and documentation will be installed.

--> Install directory (full path) [/usr/local]?

Please specify a data directory for BackupPC.  This is where all the
PC backup data is stored.  This file system needs to be big enough to
accommodate all the PCs you expect to backup (eg: at least several GB
per machine).

--> Data directory (full path) [/var/db/BackupPC]?

BackupPC has SCGI and CGI perl interfaces that run under Apache.  You need
to pick which one to run.

For SCGI, Apache uses the scgi_mod module to communicate with BackupPC_Admin_SCGI,
which handles the requests.  This allows Apache to run as a different user as
backuppc.  To use SCGI you need to set SCGIServerPort to any spare
non-privileged TCP port number.  A negative value disables SCGI.

Important security warning!!  The SCGIServerPort must not be accessible by
anyone untrusted.  That means you can't allow untrusted users access to the
BackupPC server, and you should block the SCGIServerPort TCP port from
network access.

The traditional alternative is to use CGI.  In this case, an executable needs
to be installed Apache's cgi-bin directory.  This executable needs to run as
set-uid backuppc, or it can be run under mod_perl with Apache
running as user backuppc.

--> SCGI port (-1 to disable) [-1]?
--> CGI bin directory (full path, or empty for no CGI) [/usr/local/www/cgi-bin]?

BackupPC's CGI and SCGI script need to display various PNG/GIF
images that should be stored where Apache can serve them.  They
should be placed somewhere under Apache's DocumentRoot.  BackupPC
also needs to know the URL to access these images.  Example:

    Apache image directory:  /var/www/htdocs/BackupPC
    URL for image directory: /BackupPC

The URL for the image directory should start with a slash.

--> Apache image directory (full path, or empty for no S/CGI) [/usr/local/www/backuppc]?
--> URL for image directory (omit http://host; starts with '/', or empty for no S/CGI) [/backuppc]?

Ok, we're about to:

  - create/update the config.pl file /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl

--> Do you want to continue? [y]?
Installing config.pl and hosts in /usr/local/etc/backuppc

Ok, it looks like we are finished.  There are several more things you
will need to do:

  - Browse through the config file, /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl,
    and make sure all the settings are correct.  In particular,
    you will need to set $Conf{CgiAdminUsers} so you have
    administration privileges in the CGI interface.

  - Edit the list of hosts to backup in /usr/local/etc/backuppc/hosts.

  - Read the documentation in /usr/local/doc/BackupPC.html.
    Please pay special attention to the security section.

  - Verify that the CGI script BackupPC_Admin runs correctly.  You might
    need to change the permissions or group ownership of BackupPC_Admin.
    If this is an upgrade and you are using mod_perl, you will need
    to restart Apache.  Otherwise it will have stale code.

  - BackupPC should be ready to start.  Don't forget to run it
    as user backuppc!  The installation also contains
    a systemd/backuppc.service script that can be installed so
    that BackupPC can auto-start on boot.  This will also enable
    administrative users to start the server from the CGI interface.
    See systemd/README.

Enjoy!
root@backuppc4:~ #

The configuration script has created directories in /var/db/BackupPC

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # ls /var/db/BackupPC/
cpool    pc    pool

Edit /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl to define backuppc as the administrator user on line 2023

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # ee /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl

$Conf{CgiAdminUsers}     = 'backuppc';

Allow backuppc user to edit configuration file

Code:

[root@backuppc4 ~]# chown -R backuppc:backuppc /usr/local/etc/backuppc/

Setup autostart for backuppc

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # echo 'backuppc_enable="YES"' >> /etc/rc.conf
root@backuppc4:~ # service backuppc start
Starting backuppc.
root@backuppc4:~ #

11/ Configure Apache for the web management interface

Create a password for apache access

Code:

[root@backuppc4 ~]# htpasswd -c /usr/local/etc/backuppc/htpasswd backuppc
New password: foobar
Re-type new password: foobar
Adding password for user backuppc

Create symbolic link for backuppc.pl

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # ln -s /usr/local/www/cgi-bin/BackupPC_Admin /usr/local/www/cgi-bin/backuppc.pl

Create the file /usr/local/etc/apache24/Includes/backuppc.conf
[CODE

Code:

############################### BEGIN ############################

# Set ServerName
ServerName backuppc4.localdomain:80

# Run Apache24 as 'backuppc:backuppc'
User backuppc
Group backuppc

# Load CGI modules
LoadModule cgid_module libexec/apache24/mod_cgid.so
LoadModule cgi_module libexec/apache24/mod_cgi.so

ScriptAlias /bpc /usr/local/www/cgi-bin/

<Directory /usr/local/www/cgi-bin/>
        AllowOverride None
        Allow from all

        # Uncomment the line below to ensure that nobody can sniff important
        # info from network traffic during editing of the BackupPC config or
        # when browsing/restoring backups.
        # Requires that you have your webserver set up for SSL (https) access.
        #SSLRequireSSL

        Options +ExecCGI -MultiViews +FollowSymlinks
        DirectoryIndex backuppc.pl

        AuthUserFile /usr/local/etc/backuppc/htpasswd
        AuthType basic
        AuthName "BackupPC admin"
        require valid-user

</Directory>


Alias /backuppc  /usr/local/www/backuppc/
<Directory /usr/local/www/backuppc/ >
    #
    # AllowOverride controls what directives may be placed in .htaccess files.
    # It can be "All", "None", or any combination of the keywords:
    #   AllowOverride FileInfo AuthConfig Limit
    #
    AllowOverride None

    #
    # Possible values for the Options directive are "None", "All",
    # or any combination of:
    #   Indexes Includes FollowSymLinks SymLinksifOwnerMatch ExecCGI MultiViews
    #
    # Note that "MultiViews" must be named *explicitly* --- "Options All"
    # doesn't give it to you.
    #
    # The Options directive is both complicated and important.  Please see
    # http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/core.html#options
    # for more information.
    #

    #
    # Controls who can get stuff from this server.
    #
    Require all granted

    DirectoryIndex BackupPC.html

</Directory>

############################### END ##############################

Start apache automatically

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # echo 'apache24_enable="YES"' >> /etc/rc.conf
root@backuppc4:~ # service apache24 start
Performing sanity check on apache24 configuration:
Syntax OK
Starting apache24.

Try to open http://192.168.0.144/bpc

Enter the login and password (see the htpasswd command before)
Login: backuppc
Passwd: foobar

OK we have the admin interface

12/ Setup email

In the page http://192.168.0.144/bpc/backuppc.pl?action=editConfig
In the Email tab setup

• EMailFromUserName = frommyname@example.com
• EMailAdminUserName = tomyothername@example.com

Now go back to the shell to setup sendmail

Edit /etc/mail/freebsd.mc to add at the bottom

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # ee /etc/mail/freebsd.mc

define(`SMART_HOST',`[smtp.example.com.]')

Compile the file and overwrite sendmail configuration

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # cd /etc/mail
root@backuppc4:/etc/mail # make freebsd.cf
/usr/bin/m4 -D_CF_DIR_=/usr/share/sendmail/cf/   /usr/share/sendmail/cf/m4/cf.m4 freebsd.mc > freebsd.cf
root@backuppc4:/etc/mail # cp freebsd.cf sendmail.cf

Start sendmail automatically

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # echo 'sendmail_enable="YES"' >> /etc/rc.conf
root@backuppc4:~ # echo 'sendmail_msp_queue_enable="YES"' >> /etc/rc.conf
root@backuppc4:~ # service sendmail start
Starting sendmail.
Starting sendmail_msp_queue.
root@backuppc4:~ #

Test email configuration

If you want to test email configuration you have to enable the backuppc user first because it uses the nologin shell

Code:

root@backuppc4:~ # finger backuppc
Login: backuppc                   Name: BackupPC pseudo-user
Directory: /nonexistent                 Shell: /usr/sbin/nologin
No Mail.
No Plan.

root@backuppc4:~ # chsh -s /bin/csh backuppc
chsh: user information updated

root@backuppc4:~ # su backuppc
% /usr/local/bin/BackupPC_sendEmail -u tomyothername@example.com
% exit
exit

root@backuppc4:~ # chsh -s /usr/sbin/nologin backuppc
chsh: user information updated

root@backuppc4:~ # finger backuppc
Login: backuppc                   Name: BackupPC pseudo-user
Directory: /nonexistent                 Shell: /usr/sbin/nologin

No Mail.
No Plan.

Conclusion
Now you have a jail with BackupPC 4.
Enjoy!

To configure the software use the web interface at http://192.168.0.144/bpc
but BackupPC is pretty complex to setup, so you really need to read the documentation first.

 

[geoff.jukes]

If you install the BackupPC Plugin, you can use this script to get the Admin UI working, using scgi:

Code:

# Prepare the Apache config
config="
LoadModule scgi_module        libexec/apache24/mod_scgi.so
SCGIMount /admin 127.0.0.1:10268
<Location /admin>
    AuthUserFile /usr/local/etc/backuppc/htpasswd
    AuthType basic
    AuthName "access"
    require valid-user
</Location>
"

# Write the config to the Includes
echo "$config" > /usr/local/etc/apache24/Includes/backuppc.conf

# Installed the extra packages requirements
pkg install -y ap24-mod_scgi p5-SCGI rsync-bpc

# Enable the SCGI port, fix the image location, allow 'admin' user as an Admin
sed -i .bak 's|^$Conf{SCGIServerPort}.*|$Conf{SCGIServerPort} = 10268;|g' /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl
sed -i .bak 's|^$Conf{CgiAdminUsers}.*|$Conf{CgiAdminUsers}     = "*";|g' /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl
sed -i .bak 's|^$Conf{CgiImageDirURL}.*|\$Conf{CgiImageDirURL} = "";|g' /usr/local/etc/backuppc/config.pl

# Create the htpasswd file
htpasswd -b -c /usr/local/etc/backuppc/htpasswd admin password

# Allow backuppc user to modify the config
chown backuppc /usr/local/etc/backuppc

# Restart services to implement chnages
service backuppc restart
service apache24 restart

 

[Mauro De Candia]

Hi, I tried to use your script on a new backuppc installation, but I can't see anyway the server admin page

 

[geoff.jukes]

Hi @Mauro De Candia

http://ip.of.the.jail/admin

 

[Mauro De Candia]

thanks I solved it, I thought the plugin was ready to use, and instead I had to follow the complete guide of this page before it could work. apart from configuring it is not easy at all, I still haven't been able to make a backup. if someone has made a guide could you kindly post it?

 

[SAINT]

If you install the BackupPC Plugin, you can use this script to get the Admin UI working, using scgi:

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I've run that script, and logging into http://ip.of.the.jail/admin gives me the following error.

Code:

Internal Server Error
The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

Please contact the server administrator at you@example.com to inform them of the time this error occurred, and the actions you performed just before this error.

More information about this error may be available in the server error log.

There's not much in the logs, and I can't see anything that looks like it would be causing the problem

Code:

2020-10-23 13:09:58 Reading hosts file
2020-10-23 13:09:58 BackupPC 4.4.0 (Perl v5.32.0) started, pid 52251
2020-10-23 13:09:58 Next wakeup is 2020-10-23 14:00:00
2020-10-23 13:45:53 Got signal TERM... cleaning up (exit code = 0)
2020-10-23 13:45:53 Reading hosts file
2020-10-23 13:45:53 BackupPC 4.4.0 (Perl v5.32.0) started, pid 53498
2020-10-23 13:45:53 Running BackupPC_Admin_SCGI (pid=53499)
2020-10-23 13:45:53 Next wakeup is 2020-10-23 14:00:00
Variable "%poolMapper" will not stay shared at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 98.
"my" variable $hostState masks earlier declaration in same scope at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 226.
"my" variable $hostLastAttempt masks earlier declaration in same scope at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 227.
"my" variable $hostDisabled masks earlier declaration in same scope at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 228.
2020-10-23 13:49:04 Got signal TERM... cleaning up (exit code = 0)
2020-10-23 13:49:11 Reading hosts file
2020-10-23 13:49:11 BackupPC 4.4.0 (Perl v5.32.0) started, pid 54001
2020-10-23 13:49:11 Running BackupPC_Admin_SCGI (pid=54003)
2020-10-23 13:49:11 Next wakeup is 2020-10-23 14:00:00
Variable "%poolMapper" will not stay shared at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 98.
"my" variable $hostState masks earlier declaration in same scope at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 226.
"my" variable $hostLastAttempt masks earlier declaration in same scope at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 227.
"my" variable $hostDisabled masks earlier declaration in same scope at /usr/local/lib/BackupPC/CGI/Metrics.pm line 228.

Any idea what might be wrong here?

Thanks!

 

[singlemalt8]

@blanchet - I really appreciated your write-up as I had issues with the plugin. I wanted to install a backup system on my TrueNAS system, that did not remotely install additional software on the clients. I have a mixed windows and linux home network and wanted a simple backup solution for all machines that I would centrally manage. Anyway... I have tried multiple times to get Backuppc to run in a jail, but keep getting "tree connect failed: NT_STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED".

I am beginning to suspect an issue with Samba (as that is how I am sharing across the network. I am reading the FreeBSD / TrueNAS Core can only mount using SMBv1, and that is disabled in Windows (and I think my linux setups to). Do you know if your Backuppc install can work with SMBv2, 3, or 4?

Seems quite hard to find an opensource free backup solution that does not required installing software on each client. If anyone has any advice, insights, or alternatives, I am all ears!

 

[blanchet]

You have to configure in your jail the file /usr/local/etc/smb4.conf

Code:

[global]
  client min protocol = SMB2
  client max protocol = SMB3

Then check with smbclient that you can connect to the C$ share.

If you have a mixed of Windows and Linux clients, it would be easier to have two BackupPC instances, in two jails (one for Linux and another for Windows), to maintain only two backup configurations instead of a fleet of individual settings for each host. (Unfortunately BackupPC has no group management features).

 

[singlemalt8]

You have to configure in your jail the file /usr/local/etc/smb4.conf

Code:

[global]
  client min protocol = SMB2
  client max protocol = SMB3

Then check with smbclient that you can connect to the C$ share.

If you have a mixed of Windows and Linux clients, it would be easier to have two BackupPC instances, in two jails (one for Linux and another for Windows), to maintain only two backup configurations instead of a fleet of individual settings for each host. (Unfortunately BackupPC has no group management features).

Thanks for the hint. A bit messy with mixed network. Will give it a shot and see if I can get it running. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[pdugas]

I followed these instructions on a recently updated TrueNAS-12.0-U1 machine. Needed to change `samba48` to `samba413` when installing packages. Also, in "12/ Setup Email", I think the second property should be `EMailAdminUserName`, not `EMailAdminDestDomain`, but I'm not entirely certain of that.

I also suggest making the homepage redirect to `/bpc`. Edit `/usr/local/www/apache24/data/index.html` to contain something like below.

<html><head><meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; URL=/bpc"/></head><body></body></html>

 

[blanchet]

@pdugas I have updated the instructions to include your suggestions.

The homepage redirection is a good idea but I wanted to keep this guide as short as possible.

 

[pdugas]

FreeBSD & Sendmail noob here... I was console'd into the BPC jail today and noticed a bunch of "daily security run output" emails queued up for root. Looking for guidance on disabling these (remove the crontab entries?) or specifying a forwarding email address for root (likely the better option).

 

[Tigersharke]

FreeBSD & Sendmail noob here... I was console'd into the BPC jail today and noticed a bunch of "daily security run output" emails queued up for root. Looking for guidance on disabling these (remove the crontab entries?) or specifying a forwarding email address for root (likely the better option).

I am not sure what mechanism FreeNAS (or other iX NAS software) would use but there is a system on FreeBSD called periodic which does permit configuring a file or account, root being default account I believe. This system gets handled by cron but is otherwise seperate from it, there are a LOT of things which can be setup mentioned in its config file. Look at man 8 periodic for thorough documentation, but copy /etc/defaults/periodic.conf to /etc/periodic.conf.local then edit that file in order to override any settings such as the one you describe. Exactly how this would work for an external account I cannot say, but if set as a file there would be no sent mail I think. Possibly sendmail might be set to forward mail from a specific new "periodic log output" account to the external one you desire but I have barely used mail or sendmail on my system so check its manpage I assume.

Look in your newly copied /etc/periodic.conf.local for lines that have _output="root" like below, there may be one for each frequency of run, ie, weekly, monthly.

Code:

#daily_output="root"                                    # user or /file

 

[pdugas]

setting "root: me@example.com" in /etc/mail/aliases and restarting sendmail did the trick for me.

 

[blanchet]

There is an issue with BackupPC and Samba 4.13

Samba 4.13.3 Breaks BackupPC SMB Backups · Issue #404 · backuppc/backuppc

It appears stdout from smbclient in tar mode has changed in Samba 4.13.3; long-running SMB backups are failing, I think at the very end, with some concluding output not expected by BackupPC_tarExtr...

github.com

To workaround this issue, install samba412 instead of samba413 to get Samba 4.12.

 

[endnot]

I am having an issue with the mail setup (step 12). I am using two gmail accounts, one for FromUser and one for AdminUser in the Email tab setup. The output email test indicates that mail was received by the mail service but I am not receiving any emails on the google account and I do not know how to get email forwarded to gmail.

• EMailFromUserName = frommyname@gmail.com
• EMailAdminUserName = tomyothername@gmail.com

The output of Test email configuration is:

Code:

root@backuppc4-win:~ # chsh -s /usr/sbin/nologin backuppc
chsh: user information updated
root@backuppc4-win:~ # finger backuppc
Login: backuppc                   Name: BackupPC pseudo-user
Directory: /nonexistent                 Shell: /usr/sbin/nologin
New mail received Mon Feb  8 01:00 2021 (CST)
     Unread since Sun Feb  7 12:01 2021 (CST)
No Plan.
root@backuppc4-win:~ #

 

[blanchet]

Indeed I run my own private mail server (postfix+dovecot in another jail) to receive the notifications from Backuppc.
So I do not depend on gmail.

 

[xldy]

@blanchet Thanks for your write up. I followed it sometime back to install backuppc, and it's been running great for a while.

TLDR:
upgraded to Truenas, backuppc still on 11.2-RELEASE as plugin, trying to update/upgrade backuppc to no avail; installed backuppc in a jail directly (on 12.2-RELEASE), is there a way to use this new backuppc to replace the old one, e.g. by switching the mount points?

Long version:
After upgrading to truenas, I failed to update backuppc (thru GUI - gives major ABI change, upgrade instead), then failed to upgrade (thru iocage - gives 12.2-RELEASE does not exist, using master branch instead, and gets stuck at version 12.1-RELEASE somehow; samba does not work with 12.1). Also, whatever version I chose at the iocage upgrade command, it tries gives the same "12.2-RELEASE does not exist, using master branch instead" error.
Q1: what is the best way to upgrade the old backuppc?

Separately, I followed your guide again to install backuppc in a jail directly (on 12.2-RELEASE).
Q2: is there a way to use this new backuppc installation to manage my old backups? Is there a way to swap the mount points say?

Cheers.

 

[blanchet]

Q1: Plugins are plagged with recurrent upgrading issue, on the other hand using regular jails is easy.

Q2: Yes you can mount any directory in your jail (edit the Mount Point menu of the jail), but you may encounter permissions issues if the UID/GID do not match. Therefore, if I were you, I will wait for few days: the new instance of BackupPC will rebuild new backup.

 

[xldy]

Thanks @blanchet ! Appreciate your help!