Suggestion for ZFS Replication / Building a Backup Server (Automatic Backup Required)

[FreeNAS_Lover]

Hi Champions in this forum,

I have a Supermicro system (3TB * 24 disk) configured in Raid Z2. (Three vdevs - each vdev comprising (8 disk * 3TB = 24 TB) . I have dumped lots of data in it (videos + files + docs + pics, movies etc.). Now my disks are getting almost full.

Existing system config:
Processor: Intel Xeon E5 - 2620 V2 (2.1 Ghz), RAM - 64 GB ECC, Hard drives 7200 RPM seagate 3 TB
FreeNAS version: 8.3.1 p2 - x64


I am planning to build another system, with similar config (but with more disk space) in such a way that the new system takes automatic backup from the Existing server (Primary). So in case of any hard disk failures in my Primary server, I have sufficient backups in my Secondary Server (Backup Server). Also, I may delete some old files from my primary Server, if it is backed up in my Secondary server.

Just a simple tweaking required here, I am just thinking - I want to bring this whole system in 10 Gigabit backbone, so that the backups between the Primary & Secondary server becomes faster using a 10G switch (May be a Layer 3 Managed Switch) which will have 24 x 1GbE (RJ45) ports and 2 x 10G (SFP+) ports.

One more query: As my Primary server has FreeNAS 8.3.1 p2 - x64; Do I need to keep the same version in my Secondary Server (Backup Server)?

OR

I can use a different version altogether like FreeNAS 9.2.0 or any recent release. Would different versions on servers (Primary & Secondary) affect their performance or create any problem? Please suggest.

Please guide me the process. Is it worth doing. Will it be successful. Did anyone have similar experiences. Your valuable suggestions will be appreciated and helpful.

What can be other ways of doing a Backup from a Primary Server (Daily use) to a Secondary Server (BackUp Server) automatically?

Regards,

 

[dlavigne]

What solution did you end up with?

 

[FreeNAS_Lover]

Thanks! Atleast some one responded. I thought nobody is interested to reply me. I was just thinking of a solution as described above. I am not sure as I am thinking the right way as I don't have experience as you do. Please guide me on my queries as described above Please, so that I may move ahead taking your valuable inputs!

Thanks again..

 

[jgreco]

Thanks! Atleast some one responded. I thought nobody is interested to reply me. I was just thinking of a solution as described above. I am not sure as I am thinking the right way as I don't have experience as you do. Please guide me on my queries as described above Please, so that I may move ahead taking your valuable inputs!

Thanks again..

Dru's the default autoresponder, I think she's just a fancy perl script. ;-)

Hi Champions in this forum,

I have a Supermicro system (3TB * 24 disk) configured in Raid Z2. (Three vdevs - each vdev comprising (8 disk * 3TB = 24 TB) . I have dumped lots of data in it (videos + files + docs + pics, movies etc.). Now my disks are getting almost full.

Existing system config:
Processor: Intel Xeon E5 - 2620 V2 (2.1 Ghz), RAM - 64 GB ECC, Hard drives 7200 RPM seagate 3 TB
FreeNAS version: 8.3.1 p2 - x64


I am planning to build another system, with similar config (but with more disk space) in such a way that the new system takes automatic backup from the Existing server (Primary). So in case of any hard disk failures in my Primary server, I have sufficient backups in my Secondary Server (Backup Server). Also, I may delete some old files from my primary Server, if it is backed up in my Secondary server.

Just a simple tweaking required here, I am just thinking - I want to bring this whole system in 10 Gigabit backbone, so that the backups between the Primary & Secondary server becomes faster using a 10G switch (May be a Layer 3 Managed Switch) which will have 24 x 1GbE (RJ45) ports and 2 x 10G (SFP+) ports.

One more query: As my Primary server has FreeNAS 8.3.1 p2 - x64; Do I need to keep the same version in my Secondary Server (Backup Server)?

OR

I can use a different version altogether like FreeNAS 9.2.0 or any recent release. Would different versions on servers (Primary & Secondary) affect their performance or create any problem? Please suggest.

Please guide me the process. Is it worth doing. Will it be successful. Did anyone have similar experiences. Your valuable suggestions will be appreciated and helpful.

What can be other ways of doing a Backup from a Primary Server (Daily use) to a Secondary Server (BackUp Server) automatically?

Regards,

You basically asked a big long question. I'm going to answer some shorter answers.

1) If you do ZFS replication, it's fine, but you won't have a way to delete things on the primary without them vanishing on the secondary. Any equal-or-newer version of FreeNAS is probably fine for the secondary.

2) If you do rsync, you can do whatever you want but it is less efficient and you may have to do some manual-reading to figure out how to get rsync to not delete things from the secondary. The FreeNAS versions are irrelevant.

3) What you describe isn't a 10G switch, it's a 1G switch with 10G uplinks.

4) The Intel X520/X540 cards may not work well with FreeNAS versions prior to 9.3. The Chelsio cards are thought to work better with older versions.

5) You might consider turning this around. Put new larger disks in your primary and when all the old disks are retired use them for the secondary. It's kind of a fiddly process to do it right though.

 

[FreeNAS_Lover]

Hi,

Trying to clarify my doubts considering your replies!

1) If you do ZFS replication, it's fine, but you won't have a way to delete things on the primary without them vanishing on the secondary. Any equal-or-newer version of FreeNAS is probably fine for the secondary.
Different version on Both Servers Primary & Secondary - It means they will talk perfectly between themselves. Between Resync & ZFS Replication - Which one I should go for according to you?

2) If you do rsync, you can do whatever you want but it is less efficient and you may have to do some manual-reading to figure out how to get rsync to not delete things from the secondary. The FreeNAS versions are irrelevant.
Why you said FreeNAS Versions are irrelevant? Can you please elaborate..

3) What you describe isn't a 10G switch, it's a 1G switch with 10G uplinks.
Yes the clients like me will be connected in 1G as my laptops & Desktops have 1G Capabilities. I just wanted that the Primary + Secondary have 10G uplinks..Isn't correct or you may kindly advise.

4) The Intel X520/X540 cards may not work well with FreeNAS versions prior to 9.3. The Chelsio cards are thought to work better with older versions.
Ok! I will take this advise and try to assemble it.

5) You might consider turning this around. Put new larger disks in your primary and when all the old disks are retired use them for the secondary. It's kind of a fiddly process to do it right though.
I have the data only in my primary server. And I fear if one pool goes bad..all my data will be gone forever. So I planning to build a secondary server at the earliest, so that I can have a Backup.

Thanks,

 

[jgreco]

1) It's up to you. Replication and rsync have different strengths and weaknesses.

2) The versions are irrelevant when using rsync because .... rsync. You can rsync from just about anything to anything, it is pretty agnostic.

5) You can do it either way, depending on which way works better for you.