Why do I need to define datasets?

[Michael Armstrong]

For now, I'm just using FreeNAS to back up 2 Windows PCs. I've defined one storage pool /mnt/zfspool, with 2 folders: /mnt/zfspool/PC1backup, and /mnt/zfspool/PC2backup. I map these folders to the Windows machines, and use Macrium Reflect to do the scheduled backups targeting those folders. Reflect then creates its own dataset names every time it adds something in its backup hierarchy.

On the Windows machines, I see things proceeding as I would expect - Reflect has done its thing, and the mapped drives show the Reflect data being added -- an initial ~50GB backup, and smaller ones as we progress along the grandfather-father-son backup strategy.

So do I need to define other datasets? What do they give me that I don't have now?

 

[m0nkey_]

Datasets allow you to define properties such as record size, compression, etc. Control permissions. It also allows you be able to snapshot datasets so you can rollback any changes. Datasets are very useful in this regard.

 

[DrKK]

To be more verbose, datasets allow granularity for the things that m0nkey_ said, to be controlled differently for different groups of files.

If you had absolutely no need to, for example, snapshot some files more frequently than others, or compress files in ZFS differently than others, or have permissions differently than others, then you would not benefit from creating additional datasets.

98% of my files are in a single dataset called "media" under my main pool "tank".

 

[Michael Armstrong]

DrKK, I'm thinking along those lines myself so far; thanks. Now, when I look at my FreeNAS data in Windows, I see each new file as the backup program adds them to the FreeNAS folders. But there's no sign of them when I look at the FreeNAS volumes, although the space used figure reflects them. I can sort-of understand why FreeNAS wouldn't care about individual files, but is there any way to see them?

 

[diedrichg]

but is there any way to see them?

Using the FreeNAS GUI shell or ssh in using Putty.

 

[sretalla]

With the additional clue to use mc (midnight commander) in the shell to browse a tree structure.

 

[Michael Armstrong]

I was afraid you were going to say that, but thanks anyway :).

 

[sretalla]

If you really want a Web-browsable view of your files, consider using the nextcloud plugin and adding the external files app to it, then connect to any of your shares to browse, download or sync.

 

[diedrichg]

WinSCP could work too.