This guide collects various how-tos for both simple and complex tasks using primarily the TrueNAS web interface.
Tutorials are organized parallel to the TrueNAS web interface structure and grouped by topic.
Tutorials are living articles and continually updated with new content or additional in-depth tutorials that guide in unlocking the full potential of TrueNAS.
To display all tutorials in a linear HTML format, export it to PDF, or physically print it, please select ⎙ Download or Print.
TrueNAS SCALE Tutorials
⎙ Download or Print: View all TrueNAS SCALE Tutorials as a single page for download or print.
Main Dashboard: Tutorials related to using the TrueNAS SCALE Dashboard.
Synchronizing System and SCALE Time: Provides instructions on synchronizing the system server and TrueNAS SCALE time when both are out of alignment with each other.
Top Toolbar: Tutorials about options available from the TrueNAS SCALE top toolbar.
Managing API Keys: This tutorial shows how to add, create, or edit an API key in TrueNAS SCALE.
Configuring Static Routes: Provides instructions on configuring a static route using the SCALE web UI.
Setting Up IPMI: Guides you through setting up Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) on TrueNAS SCALE.
Storage: Tutorials for configuring the various features contained within the Storage area of the TrueNAS SCALE web interface.
Pools: Tutorials for creating and managing storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE.
Datasets: Tutorials for creating and managing datasets in TrueNAS SCALE.
Installing and Managing Self-Encrypting Drives: Covers self-encrypting drives including supported specifications, implementing and managing SEDs in TrueNAS, and managing SED passwords and data.
Data Protection: Tutorials related to configuring data backup features in TrueNAS SCALE.
Cloud Sync Tasks: Tutorials for configuring and managing data backups to from TrueNAS to various 3rd party Cloud Service Providers.
Configuring Rsync Tasks: Provides instructions on adding rsync tasks using either of two methods, one using an rsync module created in TrueNAS and the other using an SSH connection.
Creating VMWare Snapshots: Provides instructions for creating ZFS snapshots when using TrueNAS as a VMWare datastore.
Managing S.M.A.R.T. Tests: Provides instructions on running S.M.A.R.T. tests manually or automatically, using Shell to view the list of tests, and configuring the S.M.A.R.T. test service.
Replication Tasks: Tutorials for configuring ZFS snapshot replication tasks in TrueNAS SCALE.
Credentials: Tutorials for configuring the different credentials needed for TrueNAS SCALE features.
Using Rootless Login: Explains rootless login and related functions. Provides instructions on properly configuring SSH and working with the admin and root user passwords.
Managing Users: Provides instructions on adding and managing the administrator and local user accounts.
Accessing NAS From a VM: Provides instructions on how to create a bridge interface for the VM and provides Linux and Windows examples.
Apps: Expanding TrueNAS SCALE functionality with additional applications.
Reporting: Provides information on changing settings that control how TrueNAS displays report graphs, interacting with graphs, and the TrueCommand Enhancement option.
Shares: Tutorials for configuring the various data sharing features in TrueNAS SCALE.
AFP Migration: Provides information on migrating AFP shares from CORE to SCALE.
Block Shares (iSCSI): Describes the iSCSI protocol and has tutorials for various configuration scenarios.
Adding NFS Shares: Provides instructions on adding NFS shares, starting NFS service, and accessing the share.
Multiprotocol Shares: Provides instructions on setting up SMB and NFSv4 mixed-mode shares.
Windows Shares (SMB): Tutorials for creating and managing various specific configurations of SMB share.
System Settings: Tutorials for configuring the system management options in the System Settings area of the TrueNAS SCALE web interface.
Updating SCALE: Provides instructions on updating SCALE releases in the UI.
Using Shell: Provides information on using the TrueNAS SCALE Shell.
1 - Main Dashboard
Tutorials related to using the TrueNAS SCALE Dashboard.
Synchronizing System and SCALE Time: Provides instructions on synchronizing the system server and TrueNAS SCALE time when both are out of alignment with each other.
1.1 - Synchronizing System and SCALE Time
Provides instructions on synchronizing the system server and TrueNAS SCALE time when both are out of alignment with each other.
TrueNAS SCALE allows users to synchronize SCALE and system server time when they get out of sync.
This function does not correct time differences over 30 days out of alignment.
The System Information widget on the Dashboard displays a message and provides an icon button that executes the time-synchronization operation only when SCALE detects a discrepancy between SCALE and system server time.
Click the Synchronize Timeloop icon button to initiate the time-synchronization operation.
If your time is off by more than 30 days, TrueNAS SCALE does not allow you to sync since the system probably has one of the following underlying issues:
The BIOS timezone is incorrect
The motherboard CMOS battery is failing
To check the BIOS timezone, reboot your system. During boot, press the indicated key that takes you to the BIOS setup screen. The key varies by manufacturer (F2, Delete, Esc, etc.). If you do not know which key to use, check the manufacturer documentation for your server.
After you enter the BIOS setup, ensure the timezone is UTC. If not, set it to UTC, save the configuration changes, and reboot the system.
A dying motherboard CMOS battery can also cause the system clock to be incorrect. If you intend to replace your CMOS, be sure to follow electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety measures.
If you corrected your system time issues (changed BIOS time, replaced CMOS, etc.) and your apps do not start, ensure all apps have their timezones set to ‘UTC’ timezone.
Tutorials about options available from the TrueNAS SCALE top toolbar.
The icon buttons in the top toolbar menu link to the iXsystems site, display the status of TrueCommand and directory servers, and show system processes and configuration menus. You can also collapse and expand the main function menu on the left side of the screen.
The SCALE top navigation top toolbar provides access to functional areas of the UI that you might want to directly access while on other screens in the UI.
Icon buttons provide quick access to dropdown lists of options, dropdown panels with information on system alerts or tasks, and can include access to other information or configuration screens.
The iXsystems logo opens the iXsystems home page. There, users can find information about storage and server systems.
Users can also use the iXsystems home page to access their customer portal and the community section for support.
The How would you rate this page? icon opens a feedback window.
Use this window to submit a star rating and comments or suggestions for the current page.
The feedback window allows users to submit their general user-experience feedback.
Submit bug tickets through the File Ticket link that opens the File Ticket form, also accessed from the System Settings > General screen File Ticket button. See Filing an Issue Ticket in SCALE for further instructions.
The Take screenshot of the current page toggle is on by default. When on, TrueNAS SCALE automatically creates and attaches a screenshot.
Turn off the toggle to submit feedback without an image.
When off, the window displays Attach image (optional) as an alternative.
Click Choose File to attach an existing screenshot.
The Status of TrueCommand icon lets users sign up with and connect to TrueCommand Cloud.
Click the History button to open the Tasks screen.
Tasks lists all successful, active, and failed jobs.
Users can also click View next to a task to view its log information and error message.
The Alertsnotifications icon displays a list of current alert notifications.
To remove an alert notification click Dismiss below it or use Dismiss All Alerts to remove all notifications from the list.
Use the settings icon to display the Alerts dropdown list with two options: Alert Settings and Email.
Select Alert Settings to add or edit existing system alert services and configure alert options such as the warning level and frequency and how the system notifies you.
See Alerts Settings Screens for more information.
TrueNAS Enterprise
The Alert Settings Screens article includes information about the SCALE Enterprise high availability (HA) alert settings.
Select Email to configure the method for the system to send email reports and alerts.
See Setting Up System Email for information about configuring the system email service and alert emails.
The Settingsaccount_circle icon opens a dropdown list of options for passwords, API keys, and TrueNAS information.
Click on the Change Passworddialpad icon button to display the change password dialog where you can enter a new password for the currently logged-in user.
Click on the visibility_off icon to display entered passwords.
To stop displaying the password, click on the visibility icon.
Click on API Keyslaptop to add an API key. API keys identify an outside resource or application without a principal.
For example, when adding a new system to TrueCommand you are required to add an API key to authenticate the system. Use this function to create an API key for this purpose.
Click API Docs to access the API documentation portal with information on TrueNAS SCALE API commands.
See API Keys for more information on adding or managing API keys.
Click on Guidelibrary_books to open the TrueNAS Documentation Hub in a new tab.
Click on About to display the information window with links to the TrueNAS Documentation Hub, TrueNAS Community Forums, FreeNAS Open Source Storage Appliance GitHub repository, and iXsystems home page.
Click the Powerpower_settings_new button to open the dropdown list of power options. Options are Log Out which logs you out of the SCALE UI but does not power off the system, Restart which logs you out of the SCALE UI and restarts the server, or Shut Down which logs you out of the SCALE UI and powers off the system as though you pressed the power button on the physical server.
Content
Managing API Keys: This tutorial shows how to add, create, or edit an API key in TrueNAS SCALE.
This tutorial shows how to add, create, or edit an API key in TrueNAS SCALE.
The API Keys option on the top right toolbar Settings (user icon) dropdown menu displays the API Keys screen.
This screen displays a list of TrueNAS SCALE API keys on your system and allows you to add, edit, or delete keys.
API keys identify outside resources and applications without a principal.
Select the Reset to remove the existing API key and generate a new random key. The dialog displays the new key and the Copy to Clipboard option to copy the key to the clipboard.
Always back up and secure keys. The key string displays only one time, at creation!
To delete, select Confirm on the delete dialog to activate the Delete button.
Tutorials for configuring network interfaces and connections in TrueNAS SCALE.
The Network menu option has several screens that enable configuring network interfaces and general system-level network settings.
The tutorials in this section guide with the various screens and configuration forms contained within this menu item.
Contents
Interface Configurations: Tutorials about configuring the various types of network interfaces available in TrueNAS SCALE.
Managing Interfaces: Describes how to add, edit, and delete a network interface and how to add an alias to an interface.
Configuring Static Routes: Provides instructions on configuring a static route using the SCALE web UI.
Setting Up IPMI: Guides you through setting up Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) on TrueNAS SCALE.
3.1 - Interface Configurations
Tutorials about configuring the various types of network interfaces available in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS SCALE supports configuring different types of network interfaces as part of the various backup, sharing, and virtualization features in the software.
The tutorials in this section guide with each of these types of configurations.
Contents
Managing Interfaces: Describes how to add, edit, and delete a network interface and how to add an alias to an interface.
Setting Up Static IPs: Provides instructions on setting up a network interface static IP address.
3.1.1 - Managing Interfaces
Describes how to add, edit, and delete a network interface and how to add an alias to an interface.
You can add new or edit existing network interfaces on the Network screen.
LAGG (Link Aggregation)
You should use LAGG if you want to optimize multi-user performance, balance network traffic, or have network failover protection.
For example, Failover LAGG prevents a network outage by dynamically reassigning traffic to another interface when one physical link (a cable or NIC) fails.
Network Bridge
You should use a Bridge if you want to enable communication between two networks and provide a way for them to work as a single network.
For example, bridges can serve IPs to multiple VMs on one interface, which allows your VMs to be on the same network as the host.
One Static IP Address or Multiple Aliases?
Static IP addresses are used to set a fixed address for an interface that external devices or websites need to access or remember, such as for VPN access.
Use aliases to add multiple internal IP addresses, representing containers or applications hosted in a VM, to an existing network interface without having to define a separate network interface.
In the UI, you can add aliases when you add an interface or edit an existing interface. Use the Add button in the Aliases widget to add a static IP address. Press Add again to add each additional alias.
From the Console Setup Menu, select option 1 to configure network settings and add alias IP addresses.
Adding an Interface
You can only use DHCP to provide the IP address for one network interface and this is most likely for your primary network interface configured during the installation process.
To add another network interface leave the DHCP checkbox clear and click the Add button near the bottom of the Add Interface configuration panel so you can enter a static IP address for the interface.
Click Add on the Interfaces widget to display the Add Interface panel.
You must specify the type of interface you want to create. The Type field provides three options: Bridge, Link Aggregation or LAGG, and VLAN or virtual LAN. You cannot edit the interface type after you click Save.
Each interface type displays new fields on the Add Interface panel. Links with more information on adding these specific types of interfaces are at the bottom of this article.
Editing an Interface
Click on an existing interface in the Interfaces widget to display the Edit Interface configuration panel.
The fields on the Edit Interface and Add Interface configuration panel fields are identical except for the Type and Name fields.
Both of these fields are editable only on the Add Interface panel before you click Save. The Type field only appears on the Add Interface configuration panel.
Because you cannot edit the interface type or name after you click Save, if you make a mistake with either field you can only delete that interface and create a new one with the desired type.
If you want to change from DHCP to a static IP, you must also add the new default gateway and DNS nameservers that work with the new IP address. See Setting Up a Static IP for more information.
If you delete the primary network interface you can lose your TrueNAS connection and the ability to communicate with the TrueNAS through the web interface!
You might need command line knowledge or physical access to the TrueNAS system to fix misconfigured network settings.
Deleting an Interface
Click the delete icon next to the interface. The delete interface confirmation dialog displays.
Do not delete the primary network interface!
If you delete the primary network interface you lose your TrueNAS connection and the ability to communicate with the TrueNAS through the web interface!
You might need command line knowledge or physical access to the TrueNAS system to fix misconfigured network settings.
Adding Alias IP Addresses
Multiple interfaces connected to a single TrueNAS system cannot be members of the same subnet.
You can combine multiple interfaces with Link Aggregation (LAGG) or a Network Bridge.
Alternatively, you can assign multiple static IP addresses to a single interface by configuring aliases.
When multiple Network Interface Cards (NICs) connect to the same subnet, users might incorrectly assume that the interfaces load balance automatically.
However, ethernet network topology allows only one interface to communicate at a time.
Additionally, both interfaces must handle broadcast messages since they are listening on the same network.
This configuration adds complexity and significantly reduces network throughput.
If you require multiple NICs on a single network for performance optimization, you can use a Link Aggregation (LAGG) configured for Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP).
A single LAGG interface with multiple NICs appears as a single connection to the network.
While LACP is beneficial for larger deployments with many active clients, it might not be practical for smaller setups.
It provides additional bandwidth or redundancy for critical networking situations.
However LACP has limitations as it does not load balance packets.
On the other hand, if you need multiple IP addresses on a single subnet, you can configure one or more static IP aliases for a single NIC.
In summary, it is recommended to use LACP if you need multiple interfaces on a network.
If you need multiple IP addresses, you can define aliases. Deviation from these practices might result in unexpected behavior.
For a detailed explanation of ethernet networking concepts and best practices for networking multiple NICs, you can refer to this discussion from National Instruments.
If you want to configure alias IPs for access to internal portions of the network, from the Network screen:
Click on the interface to open the Edit Interface screen for the selected interface.
Provides instructions on setting up a network bridge interface.
In general, a bridge refers to various methods of combining (aggregating) multiple network connections into a single aggregate network.
TrueNAS uses bridge(4) as the kernel bridge driver.
Bridge(8) is a command for configuring the kernal bridge in Linux.
While the examples focus on the deprecated brctl(8) from the bridge-utilities package, we use ip(8) and bridge(8) from iproute2 instead. Refer to the FAQ section that covers bridging topics more generally.
To set up a bridge interface, from the Network screen:
Click Add in the Interfaces widget.
The Add Interface configuration screen displays.
Select Bridge from the Type dropdown list.
You cannot change the Type field value after you click Save.
Enter a name for the interface.
Use the format bondX, vlanX, or brX where X is a number representing a non-parent interface.
Read-only when editing an interface.
You cannot change the Name of the interface after you click Save.
(Optional but recommended) Enter any notes or reminders about this particular bridge in the Description field.
Select the interfaces on the Bridge Members dropdown list.
Next to Aliases click Add to enter the IP address for this bridge interface.
(Optional) click Add to display an additional IP address field for each additional IP address you want to add.
Click Save when finished.
The created bridge shows in Interfaces with its associated IP address information.
Provides instructions on setting up a network link aggregation (LAGG) interface.
In general, a link aggregation (LAGG) is a method of combining (aggregating) multiple network connections in parallel to provide additional bandwidth or redundancy for critical networking situations.
TrueNAS uses lagg(4) to manage LAGGs.
To set up a LAGG, from the Network screen:
Click Add in the Interfaces widget. The Add Interface configuration screen displays.
Select Link Aggregation from the Type dropdown list. You cannot change the Type field value after you click Apply.
Enter a name for the interface using the format bondX, where X is a number representing a non-parent interface.
You cannot change the Name of the interface after you click Apply.
(Optional but recommended) Enter any notes or reminders about this particular LAGG interface in the Description field.
Select the Link Aggregation Settings for this interface.
In LACP mode, the interfaces negotiate with the network switch to form a group of ports that are all active once. The network switch must support LACP for this option to function.
Select the Transmit Hash Policy option from the dropdown list. LAYER2+3 is the default selection.
Select the LACPDU Rate to use.
Select SLOW (default) to set the heartbeat request to every second and the timeout to a three-consecutive heartbeat loss that is three seconds.
Select FAST to set the timeout rate at one per second even after synchronization. Using FAST allows for rapid detection of faults.
Select the interfaces to use in the aggregation.
Select FAILOVER to have traffic sent through the primary interface of the group. If the primary interface fails, traffic diverts to the next available interface in the LAGG.
Select the interfaces to use in the aggregation.
Select LOADBALANCE to accept traffic on any port of the LAGG group and balance the outgoing traffic on the active ports in the LAGG group.
LOADBALANCE is a static setup that does not monitor the link state or negotiate with the switch.
Select the Transmit Hash Policy option from the dropdown list. LAYER2+3 is the default selection.
Select the interfaces to use in the aggregation.
(Optional) Click Add to enter another IP address if desired for this LAGG interface. Click Add to display an IP address field for each IP address you want to add.
Provides instructions on setting up a network VLAN interface.
A virtual LAN (VLAN) is a partitioned and isolated domain in a computer network at the data link layer (OSI layer 2). Click here for more information on VLANs.
TrueNAS uses vlan(4) to manage VLANs.
Before you begin, make sure you have an Ethernet card connected to a switch port and already configured for your VLAN.
Also that you have preconfigured the VLAN tag in the switched network.
To set up a VLAN interface, from the Network screen:
Click Add in the Interfaces widget. The Add Interface configuration screen displays.
Select VLAN from the Type dropdown list. You cannot change the Type field value after you click Apply.
Enter a name for the interface using the format vlanX where X is a number representing a non-parent interface.
You cannot change the Name of the interface after you click Apply.
(Optional but recommended) Enter any notes or reminders about this particular VLAN in the Description field.
Select the interface in the Parent Interface dropdown list. This is typically an Ethernet card connected to a switch port already configured for the VLAN.
Enter the numeric tag for the interface in the Vlan Tag field. This is typically preconfigured in the switched network.
Select the VLAN Class of Service from the Priority Code Point dropdown list.
(Optional) Click AliasesAdd next to Aliases to enter another IP address if desired for this bridge interface. Click Add to display an IP address field for each IP address you want to add.
Provides instructions on setting up a network interface static IP address.
This article provides instructions on setting up a network interface with a static IP address or changing the main interface from a DHCP-assigned to a manually-entered static IP address. You must know the DNS name server and default gateway addresses for your IP address.
Disruptive Change!
You can lose your TrueNAS connection if you change the network interface that the web interface uses! Command line knowledge and physical access to the TrueNAS system are often required to fix misconfigured network settings.
Multiple interfaces connected to a single TrueNAS system cannot be members of the same subnet.
You can combine multiple interfaces with Link Aggregation (LAGG) or a Network Bridge.
Alternatively, you can assign multiple static IP addresses to a single interface by configuring aliases.
When multiple Network Interface Cards (NICs) connect to the same subnet, users might incorrectly assume that the interfaces load balance automatically.
However, ethernet network topology allows only one interface to communicate at a time.
Additionally, both interfaces must handle broadcast messages since they are listening on the same network.
This configuration adds complexity and significantly reduces network throughput.
If you require multiple NICs on a single network for performance optimization, you can use a Link Aggregation (LAGG) configured for Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP).
A single LAGG interface with multiple NICs appears as a single connection to the network.
While LACP is beneficial for larger deployments with many active clients, it might not be practical for smaller setups.
It provides additional bandwidth or redundancy for critical networking situations.
However LACP has limitations as it does not load balance packets.
On the other hand, if you need multiple IP addresses on a single subnet, you can configure one or more static IP aliases for a single NIC.
In summary, it is recommended to use LACP if you need multiple interfaces on a network.
If you need multiple IP addresses, you can define aliases. Deviation from these practices might result in unexpected behavior.
For a detailed explanation of ethernet networking concepts and best practices for networking multiple NICs, you can refer to this discussion from National Instruments.
DHCP or Static IP?
By default, during installation, TrueNAS SCALE configures the primary network interface for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) IP address management.
However, some administrators might choose to assign a static IP address to the primary network interface.
This choice may be made if TrueNAS is deployed on a system that does not allow DHCP for security, stability, or other reasons.
In all deployments, only one interface can be set up for DHCP, which is typically the primary network interface configured during the installation process.
Any additional interfaces must be manually configured with one or more static IP addresses.
One Static IP Address or Multiple Aliases?
Static IP addresses are used to set a fixed address for an interface that external devices or websites need to access or remember, such as for VPN access.
Use aliases to add multiple internal IP addresses, representing containers or applications hosted in a VM, to an existing network interface without having to define a separate network interface.
In the UI, you can add aliases when you add an interface or edit an existing interface. Use the Add button in the Aliases widget to add a static IP address. Press Add again to add each additional alias.
From the Console Setup Menu, select option 1 to configure network settings and add alias IP addresses.
Before you Begin
Have the DNS name server addresses, the default gateway for the new IP address, and any static IP addresses on hand to prevent lost communication with the server.
You have only 60 seconds to change and test these network settings before they revert back to the current settings, for example back to DHCP assigned if moving from DHCP to a static IP.
Back up your system to preserve your data and system settings.
As a precaution, grab a screenshot of your current settings in the Global Configuration widget.
If your network changes result in lost communication with the network and you need to return to the DHCP configuration, you can refer to this information to restore communication with your server.
Lost communication could require you to reconfigure your network settings using the Console setup menu.
Multiple interfaces cannot be members of the same subnet.
If an error displays or the Save button is inactive when setting the IP addresses on multiple interfaces, check the subnet and ensure the CIDR numbers differ.
Click Save.
The Network screen displays a new widget where you can select to either Test Changes or Revert Changes.
If you have only one active network interface the system protects your connection to the interface by displaying the Test Changes dialog.
You have 60 seconds to test and save the change before the system discards the change and reverts back to the DHCP-configured IP address.
Check the name servers and default router information in the Global Information card.
If the current settings are not on the same network, click Settings and modify each as needed to allow the static IP to communicate over the network.
Add the IP addresses for the DNS name servers in the Nameserver 1, Nameserver 2, and Nameserver 3 fields.
For home users, use 8.8.8.8 for a DNS name server address so you can communicate with external networks.
Add the IP address for the default gateway in the appropriate field.
If the static network is IPv4 enter the gateway in IPv4 Default Gateway, if the static network is IPv6 use IPv6 Default Gateway.
Click Save.
Test the network changes. Click Test Changes. Select Confirm to activate Test Changes button.
Click Save Changes to make the change to the static IP address permanent or click Revert Changes to discard changes and return to previous settings.
The Save Changes confirmation dialog displays. Click SAVE. The system displays a final confirmation that the change is in effect.
Only one interface can use DHCP to assign the IP address and that is likely the primary network interface. If you do not have a existing network interface set to use DHCP you can convert an interface from static IP to DHCP.
To return to using DHCP:
Click Settings on the Global Configuration widget.
Clear the name server fields and the default gateway, and then click Save.
Click on the interface to display the Edit Interface screen.
Select DHCP.
Remove the static IP address from the IP Address field.
Click Apply.
Click Settings to display the Global Configuration configuration form and enter name server and default gateway addresses for the new DHCP-provided IP address.
Home users can enter 8.8.8.8 in the Nameserver 1 field.
Click Test Change. If the network settings are correct, the screen displays the Save Changes widget. Click Save Changes.
If the test network operation fails or the system times out, your system returns to the network settings before you attempted the change. Verify the name server and default gateway information to try again.
Provides instructions on adding network settings during initial SCALE installation or after a clean install of SCALE.
Use the Global Configuration Settings screen to add general network settings like the default gateway, DNS name servers to allow external communication.
You can lose your TrueNAS connection if you change the network interface that the web interface uses! You might need command line knowledge or physical access to the TrueNAS system to fix misconfigured network settings.
Adding Network Settings
From the Network > Global Configuration screen click Settings to display the Global Configuration configuration form and then:
Enter the host name for your TrueNAS in Hostname. For example, host.
Enter the system domain name in Domain. For example, example.com.
Enter the IP addresses for your DNS name servers in the Nameserver 1, Nameserver 2, and/or Nameserver 3 fields.
For home users, enter 8.8.8.8 in the Nameserver 1 field so your TrueNAS SCALE can communicate externally with the Internet.
Enter the IP address for your default gateway into the IPv4 Defalut Gateway if you are using IPv4 IP addresses.
Enter the IP address in the IPv6 Default Gateway if you are using IPv6 addresses.
Select the Outbound Network radio button for outbound service capability.
Select Allow All to permit all TrueNAS SCALE services that need external communication to do that or select Deny All to prevent that external communication. Select Allow Specific and then use the dropdown list to pick the services you want to allow to communicate externally.
Click on as many services as you want to permit external communications for. Unchecked services cannot communication externally.
Click Save. The Global Configuration widget on the Network screen update to show the new settings.
Provides instructions on configuring or managing global configuration settings.
Use the Global Configuration Settings screen to manage existing general network settings like the default gateway, DNS servers, set DHCP to assign the IP address or to set a static IP address, add IP address aliases, and set up services to allow external communication.
Disruptive Change
You can lose your TrueNAS connection if you change the network interface that the web interface uses! You might need command line knowledge or physical access to the TrueNAS system to fix misconfigured network settings.
Users can configure many of these interface, DNS, and gateway options in the Console setup menu.
Be sure to check both locations when troubleshooting network connectivity issues.
Setting Up External Communication for Services
Use the Global Configuration Outbound Network radio buttons to set up services to have external communication capability.
Services that use external communication are:
ACME DNS-Authenticators
Anonymous usage statistics
Catalog(s) information exchanges
Cloud sync
KMIP
Mail (email service)
Replication
Rsync
Support
TrueCommand iX porta
Updates
VMWare snapshots
Select the Allow All to permit all the above services to externally communicate. This is the default setting.
Select the Deny All to prevent all the above services from externally communicating.
Select the Allow Specific to permit external communication for the services you specify. Selecting Allow Specific displays a dropdown list field with the list of services you can select from. Select all that apply. A checkmark displays next to each selected service. Selected services display in the field separated by a (,).
Click Save when finished.
Setting Up Netwait
Use Netwait to prevent starting all network services until the network is ready. Netwait sends a ping to each of the IP addresses you specify until one responds, and after receiving the response then services can start.
To set up Netwait, from the Network screen:
Click on Settings in the Global Configuration widget. The Global Configuration screen displays.
Select the Enable Netwait Feature checkbox. The Netwait IP List field displays.
Enter your list of IP addresses to ping. Press Enter after entering each IP address.
Provides instructions on how to make changes to network settings on SCALE Enterprise (HA) systems.
TrueNAS Enterprise
The instructions in the article only apply to SCALE Enterprise (HA) systems.
SCALE Enterprise (HA) systems use three static IP addresses for access to the UI:
VIP to provide UI access regardless of which controller is active.
If your system fails over from controller 1 to 2, then fails over back to controller 1 later you might not know which controller is active.
IP for controller 1. If enabled on your network, DHCP assigns only the Controller 1 IP address. If not enabled, you must change this to the static IP address your network administrator assigned to this controller.
IP for Controller 2. DHCP does not assign the second controller an IP address.
Have your list of network addresses, host, and domain names ready so you can complete the network configuration without disruption or system timeouts.
SCALE safeguards allow a default of 60 seconds to test and save changes to a network interface before reverting changes. This is to prevent users from breaking their network connection in SCALE.
Configuring Enterprise (HA) Network Settings
You must disable the failover before you can configure network settings!
To configure network settings:
Disable the failover service.
Go to System Settings > Failover.
Select Disable Failover and click Save.
Edit the Global Network settings to add or change the host and domain names, DNS name server and default gateway address.
If enabled on your network, TrueNAS uses DHCP to assign global network addresses as well as the SCALE UI access IP address. If not enabled in your network, you must enter these values yourself.
Review the Global Configuration settings to verify they match the information your network administrator provided.
Edit the primary network interface.
Go to Network and click on the primary interface eno1 to open the Edit Interface screen for this interface.
a. Turn DHCP off. Select DHCP to clear the checkbox.
b. Add the failover settings. Select Critical, and then select 1 on the Failover Group dropdown list.
c. Add the virtual IP (VIP) and controller 2 IP. Click Add for Aliases to display the additional IP address fields.
Type the IP address for controller 1 into IP Address (This Controller) and select the CIDR number from the dropdown list.
Type the controller 2 IP address into IP Address (TrueNAS Controller 2) field.
Type the VIP address into Virtual IP Address (Failover Address) field.
Click Save
After editing the interface settings, the Test Changes button displays. You have 60 seconds to test and then save changes before they revert. If this occurs, edit the interface again.
Turn failover back on.
Go to System Settings > Failover
Select Disable Failover to clear the checkmark and turn failover back on, then click Save.
The system might reboot. Monitor the status of controller 2 and wait until the controller is back up and running, then click Sync To Peer.
Select Reboot standby TrueNAS controller and Confirm, then click Proceed to start the sync operation. The controller reboots, and SCALE syncs controller 2 with controller 1, which adds the network settings and pool to controller 2.
Related Failover Articles
Related Enterprise Articles
3.5 - Configuring Static Routes
Provides instructions on configuring a static route using the SCALE web UI.
TrueNAS does not have defined static routes by default but TrueNAS administrators can use the Static Routes widget on the Network screen to manually enter routes so a router can send packets to a destination network.
If you have a monitor and keyboard connected to the system you can use the Console setup menu to configure static routes during the installation process, but we recommend using the web UI for all configuration tasks.
If you need a static route to reach portions of the network, from the Network screen:
Click Add in the Static Routes widget to open the Add Static Route screen.
Guides you through setting up Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) on TrueNAS SCALE.
IPMI requires compatible hardware! Refer to your hardware documentation to determine if the TrueNAS web interface has IPMI options.
Many [TrueNAS Storage Arrays](https://www.truenas.com/docs/hardware/ have a built-in out-of-band management port that provides side-band management should the system become unavailable through the web interface.
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) allows users to check the log, access the BIOS setup, and boot the system without physical access. IPMI also enables users to remotely access the system to assist with configuration or troubleshooting issues.
Some IPMI implementations require updates to work with newer versions of Java. See here for more information.
IPMI is configured in Network > IPMI. The IPMI configuration screen provides a shortcut to the most basic IPMI configuration.
IPMI Options
We recommend setting a strong IPMI password. IPMI passwords must include at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, one digit, and one special character (punctuation, e.g. ! # $ %, etc.). It must also be 8-16 characters long. Document your password in a secure way!
After saving the configuration, users can access the IPMI interface using a web browser and the IP address specified in Network > IPMI. The management interface prompts for login credentials. Refer to your IPMI device documentation to learn the default administrator account credentials.
After logging in to the management interface, users can change the default administrative user name and create additional IPMI users. IPMI utility appearance and available functions vary by hardware.
Tutorials for configuring the various features contained within the Storage area of the TrueNAS SCALE web interface.
The SCALE Storage section has controls for pool, snapshot, and disk management.
The storage section also has options for datasets, zvols, and permissions.
The Import Pool button lets users reconnect pools exported/disconnected from the current system or created on another system.
This also reconnects pools after users reinstall or upgrade the TrueNAS system.
The Disks button lets users manage, wipe, and import storage disks that TrueNAS will use for ZFS data storage.
The Create Pool button creates ZFS data storage “pools” from physical disks to efficiently store and protect data.
The Storage screen displays all the pools that users have created on the system.
Statistics and status are shown for each pool, along with buttons to manage the different elements of the pool.
The articles in this section offer specific guidance for the different storage management options.
Storage Articles
Pools: Tutorials for creating and managing storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE.
Pool Creation Wizard: Background considerations and a simple tutorial on creating storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE.
Disks: Articles with instructions for managing, replacing, and wiping disks.
Managing Pools: Provides instructions on managing storage pools, VDEVS, and disks in TrueNAS SCALE.
Importing a Pool: Provides information on ZFS importing for storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE. It also addresses GELI-encrypted pools.
Fusion Pools: Provides information on setting up and using fusion pools.
SLOG Over-Provisioning: Provides information on the disk_resize command in TrueNAS SCALE.
Datasets: Tutorials for creating and managing datasets in TrueNAS SCALE.
Creating Snapshots: Provides instructions on creating ZFS snapshots in TrueNAS Scale.
Managing Snapshots: Provides instructions on managing ZFS snapshots in TrueNAS Scale.
Storage Encryption: Provides information on SCALE storage encryption for pools, root datasets, datasets, and Zvols.
Setting Up Permissions: Provides instructions on viewing and editing ACL permissions, using the ACL editor screens, and general information on ACLs.
Installing and Managing Self-Encrypting Drives: Covers self-encrypting drives including supported specifications, implementing and managing SEDs in TrueNAS, and managing SED passwords and data.
4.1 - Pools
Tutorials for creating and managing storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS uses ZFS data storage pools to efficiently store and protect data.
Storage pools are attached drives organized into virtual devices (vdevs).
ZFS and TrueNAS periodically review and heal when discovering a bad block in a pool.
Drives are arranged inside vdevs to provide varying amounts of redundancy and performance.
Combined, ZFS and vdevs combined create high-performance pools, pools that maximize data lifetime, and all situations in between.
We strongly recommend users review the available system resources and plan the storage use case before creating a storage pool.
Allocating more drives to a pool increases redundancy when storing critical information.
Maximizing total available storage at the expense of redundancy or performance entails allocating large-volume disks and configuring a pool for minimal redundancy.
Maximizing pool performance entails installing and allocating high-speed SSD drives to a pool.
Determining your specific storage requirements is a critical step before creating a pool.
Contents
The articles in this section provide information on setting up system storage, which includes adding, importing or managing pools.
Pool Creation Wizard: Background considerations and a simple tutorial on creating storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE.
Disks: Articles with instructions for managing, replacing, and wiping disks.
Managing Disks: Provides information on managing disks, performing manual S.M.A.R.T. testing and viewing S.M.A.R.T. test results.
Replacing Disks: Provides disk replacement instructions that includes taking a failed disk offline and replacing a disk in an existing VDEV. It automatically triggers a pool resilver during the replacement process.
Wiping a Disk: Provides instructions for wiping a disk.
Managing Pools: Provides instructions on managing storage pools, VDEVS, and disks in TrueNAS SCALE.
Importing a Pool: Provides information on ZFS importing for storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE. It also addresses GELI-encrypted pools.
Fusion Pools: Provides information on setting up and using fusion pools.
SLOG Over-Provisioning: Provides information on the disk_resize command in TrueNAS SCALE.
4.1.1 - Pool Creation Wizard
Background considerations and a simple tutorial on creating storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS uses ZFS data storage pools to efficiently store and protect data.
Storage pools attach drives organized into virtual devices called VDEVs.
ZFS and TrueNAS periodically review and heal when discovering a bad block in a pool.
Drives arranged inside VDEVs provide varying amounts of redundancy and performance.
ZFS and VDEVs combined create high-performance pools that maximize data lifetime.
Review Storage Needs
We strongly recommend that you review your available system resources and plan your storage use case before creating a storage pool.
Allocating more drives to a pool increases redundancy when storing critical information.
Maximizing total available storage at the expense of redundancy or performance entails allocating large-volume disks and configuring a pool for minimal redundancy.
Maximizing pool performance entails installing and allocating high-speed SSD drives to a pool.
Security requirements can mean the pool must be created with ZFS encryption.
RAIDz pool layouts are well-suited for general use cases and especially smaller (<10) data VDEVS or storage scenarios that involve storing multitudes of small data blocks.
dRAID pool layouts are useful in specific situations where large disk count (>100) arrays need improved resilver times due to increased disk failure rates and the array is intended to store large data blocks.
TrueNAS recommends defaulting to a RAIDz layout generally and whenever a dRAID vdev would have fewer than 10 data storage devices.
Determining your specific storage requirements is a critical step before creating a pool.
The ZFS and dRAID primers provide a starting point to learn about the strengths and costs of different storage pool layouts.
Creating a Pool
To create a pool using the Pool Creation Wizard.
This wizard screen provides the option to configure a VDEV using the Automated Disk Selection fields.
To individually find and select disks for a VDEV, click Manual Disk Selection in the Advanced Options area.
Choosing a dRAID VDEV layout removes the Manual Disk Selection button and adds different options to the Automated Disk Selection area.
It also removes the Spare VDEV section from the pool creation wizard and replaces it with the Distributed Hot Spares option in the Data VDEV section.
VDEV Layouts
A Stripe designates that each disk is used sequentially in the VDEV.
Requires at least one disk and has no redundancy.
A data VDEV with a stripe layout irretrievably loses all stored data if a single disk in the VDEV fails.
Not recommended for data VDEVs storing critical data.
A Mirror denotes that each disk in the VDEV stores an exact data copy.
Requires at least 2 disks in the VDEV.
Storage capacity is the size of a single disk in the VDEV.
RAIDZ and dRAID layouts each have 1, 2, and 3 options.
These indicate the number of disks reserved for data parity and also the number of disks that can fail in the VDEV without data loss to the pool.
For example, a RAIDZ2 layout reserves two additional disks for parity and two disks can fail without data loss.
Automated Disk Selection - Stripe, Mirror, and RAIDZ layouts
Setting
Description
Disk Size
Select the disk size from the list that displays. The list shows disks by size in GiB and type (SSD or HDD).
Treat Disk Size as Minimum
Select to use disks of the size selected in Disk Size or larger. If not selected, only disks of the size selected in Disk Size are used.
Width
Select the number of disks from the options provided on the dropdown list.
Number of VDEVs
Select the number of VDEVs from the options provided on the dropdown list.
Automated Disk Selection - dRAID layouts
Similar to RAIDZ, dRAID layout numbers (1, 2, or 3) indicate the parity level and how many disks can fail without data loss to the pool.
TrueNAS defaults to allocating 10 disks minimum as dRAID VDEV in Children.
If creating a data VDEV with fewer than 10 disks, using a RAIDZ layout is strongly recommended for better performance and capacity optimization.
Setting
Description
Disk Size
Select the disk size from the list that displays. The list shows disks by size in GiB and type (SSD or HDD).
Treat Disk Size as Minimum
Select to use disks of the size selected in Disk Size or larger. If not selected, only disks of the size selected in Disk Size are used.
Data Devices
Data stripe width for the VDEV. Select the number of disks from the options provided on the dropdown list. TrueNAS recommends dRAID layouts have data devices allocated in multiples of 2.
Distributed Hot Spares
Number of disk areas to actively provide spare capacity to the entire VDEV. These areas are active within the pool and function in of adding a Spare VDEV to the pool. It is recommended to set this to at least 1. The Distributed Hot Spares number cannot be modified after the pool is created.
Children
The total number of disks to allocate in the dRAID VDEV. The field selection and options update dynamically based on the chosen dRAID Layout, Disk Size, Data Devices, and Distributed Hot Spares. Increasing the number of Children in the dRAID VDEV can reduce the options for Number of VDEVs.
Number of VDEVs
Select the number of VDEVs from the options provided on the dropdown list. Options are populated dynamically depending on the selections made in all the other fields.
Enter a name.
Use up to 50 lower case alpha-numeric and permitted special characters that conform to ZFS naming conventions.
The pool name contributes to the maximum character length for datasets so it is limited to 50 characters.
The pool name cannot change after creation.
Create the required data VDEV.
Select the layout from the Layout dropdown list, then either use the Automated Disk Selection fields to select and add the disks, or click Manual Disk Selection to add specific disks to the chosen Layout.
dRAID layouts do not have the Manual Disk Selection button and instead show additional Automated Disk Selection fields.
When configuring a dRAID data VDEV, first choose a Disk Size then select a Data Devices number.
The remaining fields update based on the Data Devices and dRAID layout selections.
Click Save And Go To Review if you do not want to add other VDEV types to the pool, or click Next to move to the next wizard screen.
Add any other optional VDEVs as determined by your specific storage redundancy and performance requirements.
Click Create Pool on the Review wizard screen to add the pool.
Articles with instructions for managing, replacing, and wiping disks.
Disk Contents
Managing Disks: Provides information on managing disks, performing manual S.M.A.R.T. testing and viewing S.M.A.R.T. test results.
Replacing Disks: Provides disk replacement instructions that includes taking a failed disk offline and replacing a disk in an existing VDEV. It automatically triggers a pool resilver during the replacement process.
Wiping a Disk: Provides instructions for wiping a disk.
4.1.2.1 - Managing Disks
Provides information on managing disks, performing manual S.M.A.R.T. testing and viewing S.M.A.R.T. test results.
To manage disks, go to Storage and click Disks on the top right of the screen to display the Storage Disks screen.
Select the disk on the list, then select Edit.
The Disks page lets users edit disks, perform manual tests, and view S.M.A.R.T. test results. Users may also delete obsolete data off an unused disk.
Performing Manual S.M.A.R.T. Testing
Select the disk(s) you want to perform a S.M.A.R.T. test on and click Manual Test.
Long runs SMART Extended Self Test. This scans the entire disk surface and can take many hours on large-volume disks.
Short runs SMART Short Self Test (usually under ten minutes). These are basic disk tests that vary by manufacturer.
Conveyance runs a SMART Conveyance Self Test.
This self-test routine is intended to identify damage incurred during transporting of the device.
This self-test routine requires only minutes to complete.
Offline runs SMART Immediate Offline Test.
The effects of this test are visible only in that it updates the SMART Attribute values, and if the test finds errors, they appear in the SMART error log.
Click Start to begin the test. Depending on the test type you choose, the test can take some time to complete. TrueNAS generates alerts when tests discover issues.
For information on automated S.M.A.R.T. testing, see the S.M.A.R.T. tests article.
S.M.A.R.T. Test Results
To review test results, expand the disk and click S.M.A.R.T. Test Results.
Provides disk replacement instructions that includes taking a failed disk offline and replacing a disk in an existing VDEV. It automatically triggers a pool resilver during the replacement process.
Hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs) have a finite lifetime and can fail unexpectedly.
When a disk fails in a Stripe (RAID0) pool, you must recreate the entire pool and restore all data backups.
We always recommend creating non-stripe storage pools that have disk redundancy.
To prevent further redundancy loss or eventual data loss, always replace a failed disk as soon as possible!
TrueNAS integrates new disks into a pool to restore it to full functionality.
TrueNAS requires you to replace a disk with another disk of the same or greater capacity as a failed disk.
You must install the disk in the TrueNAS system.
It should not be part of an existing storage pool.
TrueNAS wipes the data on the replacement disk as part of the process.
Disk replacement automatically triggers a pool resilver.
Replacing a Failed Disk
If you configure your main SCALE Dashboard to include individual Pool or the Storage widgets they show the status of your system pools as on or offline, degraded, or in an error condition.
From the main Dashboard, you can click the on either the Pool or Storage widget to go to the Storage Dashboard screen, or you can click Storage on the main navigation menu to open the Storage Dashboard and locate the pool in the degraded state.
If a disk shows a faulted state, TrueNAS has detected an issue with that disk and you should replace it.
To replace a failed disk:
Locate the failed drive.
a. Go to the Storage Dashboard and click Manage Devices on the Topology widget for the degraded pool to open the Devices screen for that pool.
b. Click anywhere on the VDEV to expand it and look for the drive with the Offline status.
a. Click Replace on the Disk Info widget on the Devices screen for the disk you off-lined.
b. Select the new drive from the Member Disk dropdown list on the Replacing disk diskname dialog.
Add the new disk to the existing VDEV. Click Replace Disk to add the new disk to the VDEV and bring it online.
Disk replacement fails when the selected disk has partitions or data present.
To destroy any data on the replacement disk and allow the replacement to continue, select the Force option.
When the disk wipe completes, TrueNAS starts replacing the failed disk.
TrueNAS resilvers the pool during the replacement process.
For pools with large amounts of data, this can take a long time.
When the resilver process completes, the pool status returns to Online status on the Devices screen.
Taking a Disk Offline
We recommend users off-line a disk before starting the physical disk replacement.
Off-lining a disk removes the device from the pool and can prevent swap issues.
There are situations where you can leave a disk that has not completely failed online to provide additional redundancy during the replacement procedure.
We do not recommend leaving failed disks online unless you know the exact condition of the failing disk.
Attempting to replace a heavily degraded disk without off-lining it significantly slows down the replacement process.
If the off-line operation fails with a Disk offline failed - no valid replicas message, go to Storage Dashboard and click Scrub on the ZFS Health widget for the pool with the degraded disk. The Scrub Pool confirmation dialog opens. Select Confirm and then click Start Scrub.
When the scrub operation finishes, return to the Devices screen, click on the VDEV and then the disk, and try to off-line it again.
Click on Manage Devices to open the Devices screen, click anywhere on the VDEV to expand VDEV and show the drives in the VDEV.
Click Offline on the ZFS Info widget. A confirmation dialog displays. Click Confirm and then Offline.
The system begins the process to take the disk offline. When complete, the disk displays the status of the failed disk as Offline.
The button toggles to Online.
You can physically remove the disk from the system when the disk status is Offline.
If the replacement disk is not already physically installed in the system, do it now.
Use Replace to bring the new disk online in the same VDEV.
Restoring the Hot Spare
After a disk fails, the hot spare takes over. To restore the hot spare to waiting status after replacing the failed drive, remove the hot spare from the pool, then re-add it to the pool as a new hot spare.
The disk wipe option deletes obsolete data from an unused disk.
Wipe is a destructive action and results in permanent data loss!
Back up any critical data before wiping a disk.
TrueNAS only shows the Wipe option for unused disks.
Ensure you have backed-up all data and are no longer using the disk.
Triple check that you have selected the correct disk for the wipe.
Recovering data from a wiped disk is usually impossible.
Click Wipe to open a dialog with additional options:
Quick erases only the partitioning information on a disk without clearing other old data, making it easy to reuse. Quick wipes take only a few seconds.
Full with zeros overwrites the entire disk with zeros and can take several hours to complete.
Full with random overwrites the entire disk with random binary code and takes even longer than the Full with zeros operation to complete.
After selecting the appropriate method, click Wipe and confirm the action. A Confirmation dialog opens.
Verify the name to ensure you have chosen the correct disk. When satisfied you can wipe the disk, set Confirm and click Continue.
Continue starts the disk wipe process and opens a progress dialog with the Abort button.
Abort stops the disk wipe process. At the end of the disk wipe process a success dialog displays.
Close closes the dialog and returns you to the Disks screen.
Select Storage on the main navigation panel, locate the ZFS Health widget for the pool, and then click the Edit Auto TRIM. The Pool Options for poolname dialog opens.
With Auto TRIM selected and active, TrueNAS periodically checks the pool disks for storage blocks it can reclaim.
Auto TRIM can impact pool performance, so the default setting is disabled.
For more details about TRIM in ZFS, see the autotrim property description in zpool.8.
Exporting/Disconnecting or Deleting a Pool
The Export/Disconnect button allows you to disconnect a pool and transfer drives to a new system where you can import the pool.
It also lets you completely delete the pool and any data stored on it.
Click on Export/Disconnect on the Storage Dashboard.
A dialog displays showing any system services affected by exporting the pool.
To delete the pool and erase all the data on it, select Destroy data on this pool.
The pool name field displays at the bottom of the window. Type the pool name into this field. To export the pool, do not select this option.
Select Delete configuration of shares that used this pool? to delete shares connected to the pool.
Select Confirm Export/Disconnect
Click Export/Disconnect. A confirmation dialog displays when the export/disconnect completes.
Adding a VDEV to a Pool
ZFS supports adding VDEVs to an existing ZFS pool to increase the capacity or performance of the pool.
You cannot change the original encryption or data VDEV configuration.
To add a VDEV to a pool:
Click Manage Devices on the Topology widget to open the Devices screen.
Click Add VDEV on the Devices screen to open the Add Vdevs to Pool screen.
Adding a vdev to an existing pool follows the same process as documented in Create Pool.
Click on the type of vdev you want to add, for example, to add a spare, click on Spare to show the vdev spare options.
To use the automated option, select the disk size from the Automated Disk Selection > Disk Size dropdown list, then select the number of vdevs to add from the Width dropdown.
To add the vdev manually, click Manual Disk Selection to open the Manual Selection screen.
Click Add to show the vdev options available for the vdev type.
The example image shows adding a stripe vdev for the spare.
TrueNAS limits Vdev options by the number of available disks in your system and the configuration of any existing vdevs of that type in the pool.
Drag the disk icon to the stripe vdev, then click Save Selection.
You can accept the change or click Edit Manual Disk Selection to change the disk added to the strip vdev for the spare. Or click Reset Step to clear the strip vdev from the spare completely.
Click either Next or a numbered item to add another type of vdev to this pool.
Repeat the same process above for each type of vdev you want to add.
Click Save and Go to Review to go to the Review screen when ready to save your changes.
To make changes, click either Back or the vdev option (i.e., Log, Cache, etc.) to return to the settings for that vdev.
To clear all changes, click Start Over.
Select Confirm, then click Start Over to clear all changes.
To save changes, click Update Pool.
Extending a Vdev
You cannot add more drives to an existing data VDEV, but you can stripe a new VDEV of the same type to increase the overall pool size.
To extend a pool, you must add a data VDEV of the same type as existing VDEVs.
For example, create another mirror, then stripe the new mirror VDEV to the existing mirror VDEV.
While on the Devices screen, click on the data vdev, then click Extend.
To make a striped mirror, add the same number of drives to extend a ZFS mirror.
For example, you start with ten available drives. Begin by creating a mirror of two drives and then extending the mirror by adding another mirror of two drives. Repeat this three more times until you add all ten drives.
To make a stripe of two RAIDZ1 VDEVs (similar to RAID 50 on a hardware controller), add another three drives to extend the three-drive RAIDZ1.
To make a stripe of RAIDZ2 VDEVs (similar to RAID 60 on a hardware controller), add another four drives to extend the four-drive RAIDZ2.
Removing VDEVs
You can always remove the L2ARC (cache) and SLOG (log) VDEVs from an existing pool, regardless of topology or VDEV type.
Removing these devices does not impact data integrity, but it can significantly impact performance for reads and writes.
In addition, you can remove a data VDEV from an existing pool under specific circumstances.
This process preserves data integrity but has multiple requirements:
You must upgrade the pool to a ZFS version with the device_removal feature flag.
All top-level VDEVs in the pool must be only mirrors or stripes.
Special VDEVs cannot be removed when RAIDZ data VDEVs are present.
All top-level VDEVs in the pool must use the same basic allocation unit size (ashift).
The remaining data VDEVs must contain sufficient free space to hold all the data from the removed VDEV.
When a RAIDZ data VDEV is present, removing a device is usually impossible.
To remove a VDEV from a pool:
Click Manage Devices on the Topology widget to open the Devices screen.
Click the device or drive to remove, then click the Remove button in the ZFS Info pane.
If the Remove button is not visible, check that all conditions for VDEV removal listed above are correct.
Confirm the removal operation and click the Remove button.
The VDEV removal process status is visible in the Task Manager (or alternately with the zpool status command).
Avoid physically removing or attempting to wipe the disks until the removal operation completes.
Running a Pool Data Integrity Check (Scrub)
Use Scrub on the ZFS Health pool widget to start a pool data integrity check.
Click Scrub to open the Scrub Pool dialog.
Select Confirm, then click Start Scrub.
If TrueNAS detects problems during the scrub operation, it either corrects them or generates an alert in the web interface.
By default, TrueNAS automatically checks every pool on a recurring scrub schedule.
The ZFS Health widget displays the state of the last scrub or disks in the pool.
To view scheduled scrub tasks, click View all Scrub Tasks on the ZFS Health widget.
Managing Pool Disks
The Storage Dashboard screen Disks button and the Manage Disks button on the Disk Health widget both open the Disks screen.
Manage Devices on the Topology widget opens the Devices screen.
To manage disks in a pool, click on the VDEV to expand it and show the disks in that VDEV.
Click on a disk to see the devices widgets for that disk.
You can take a disk offline, detach it, replace it, manage the SED encryption password, and perform other disk management tasks from this screen.
See Replacing Disks for more information on the Offline, Replace and Online options.
Expanding a Pool
Click Expand on the Storage Dashboard to increase the pool size to match all available disk space. An example is expanding a pool when resizing virtual disks apart from TrueNAS.
Upgrading a Pool
Storage pool upgrades are typically not required unless the new OpenZFS feature flags are deemed necessary for required or improved system operation.
Do not do a pool-wide ZFS upgrade until you are ready to commit to this SCALE major version and lose the ability to roll back to an earlier major version!
The Upgrade button displays on the Storage Dashboard for existing pools after an upgrade to a new TrueNAS major version includes new OpenZFS feature flags.
Newly created pools are always up to date with the OpenZFS feature flags available in the installed TrueNAS version.
The upgrade itself only takes a few seconds and is non-disruptive.
It is not necessary to stop any sharing services to upgrade the pool.
However, we recommend upgrading when the pool is not in heavy use.
The upgrade process suspends I/O for a short period but is nearly instantaneous on a quiet pool.
Provides information on ZFS importing for storage pools in TrueNAS SCALE. It also addresses GELI-encrypted pools.
ZFS pool importing works for pools that are exported or disconnected from the current system, those created on another system, and for pools you reconnect after reinstalling or upgrading the TrueNAS system.
The import procedure only applies to disks with a ZFS storage pool.
When physically installing ZFS pool disks from another system, use the zpool export poolname command in the Linux command line or a web interface equivalent to export the pool on that system.
Shut that system down and move the drives to the TrueNAS system.
Shutting down the original system prevents an in use by another machine error during the TrueNAS import.
To import a pool, go to the Storage Dashboard and click Import Pool at the top of the screen.
TrueNAS detects the pools that are present but unconnected and adds them to the Pools dropdown list.
Select a pool from the Pool dropdown list, then click Import.
Since GELI encryption is specific to FreeBSD, TrueNAS SCALE cannot import GELI-encrypted pools.
See the Migrating GELI-encrypted Pools to SCALE section in the Installing SCALE article.
Provides information on setting up and using fusion pools.
Fusion Pools are also known as ZFS allocation classes, ZFS special vdevs, and metadata vdevs (Metadata vdev type on the Pool Manager screen.).
A special VDEV can store metadata such as file locations and allocation tables.
The allocations in the special class are dedicated to specific block types.
By default, this includes all metadata, the indirect blocks of user data, and any deduplication tables.
The class can also be provisioned to accept small file blocks.
This is a great use case for high-performance but smaller-sized solid-state storage.
Using a special vdev drastically speeds up random I/O and cuts the average spinning-disk I/Os needed to find and access a file by up to half.
Creating a Fusion Pool
Go to Storage Dashboard, click Create Pool.
A pool must always have one normal (non-dedup/special) VDEV before you assign other devices to the special class.
Enter a name for the pool using up to 50 lower case alpha-numeric and permitted special characters that conform to ZFS naming conventions.
The pool name contributes to the maximum character length for datasets, so it is limited to 50 characters.
Click ADD VDEV and select Metadata to add the VDEV to the pool layout.
Add disks to the primary Data VDevs, then to the Metadata VDEV.
Add SSDs to the new Metadata VDev and select the same layout as the Data VDevs.
The metadata special VDEV is critical for pool operation and data integrity, so you must protect it with hot spare(s).
When using SSDs with an internal cache, add an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to the system to help minimize the risk from power loss.
Using special VDEVs identical to the data VDEVs (so they can use the same hot spares) is recommended, but for performance reasons, you can make a different type of VDEV (like a mirror of SSDs).
In that case, you must provide hot spare(s) for that drive type as well. Otherwise, if the special VDEV fails and there is no redundancy, the pool becomes corrupted and prevents access to stored data.
Drives added to a metadata VDEV cannot be removed from the pool.
When more than one metadata VDEV is created, then allocations are load-balanced between all these devices.
If the special class becomes full, then allocations spill back into the normal class.
After you create the fusion pool, the Status shows a Special section with the metadata SSDs.
Provides information on the disk_resize command in TrueNAS SCALE.
Over-provisioning SLOG SSDs is useful for different scenarios.
The most useful benefit of over-provisioning is greatly extending SSD life.
Over-provisioning an SSD distributes the total number of writes and erases across more flash blocks on the drive.
Some SATA devices are limited to one resize per power cycle.
Some BIOS can block resize during boot and require a live power cycle.
Resizing a Disk for Over-Provisioning
SCALE uses the storage disk resize command to change the size of a device. The SCALE UI does not have a UI function for this command yet.
Go to System Settings > Shell to access the TrueNAS CLI.
To resize or over-provision a device, enter storage disk resize disks={“name”:"sda", “size”:"32"} where sda is the name of the disk and 32 is the new size for the disk (in gigabytes).
If no size is specified, it reverts the provision back the full size of the device.
The storage disk resize command supports SAS, SATA, SAT (interposer) and NVMe drives. Power cycle SATA drives before a second resize.
Creating Snapshots: Provides instructions on creating ZFS snapshots in TrueNAS Scale.
Managing Snapshots: Provides instructions on managing ZFS snapshots in TrueNAS Scale.
Storage Encryption: Provides information on SCALE storage encryption for pools, root datasets, datasets, and Zvols.
Setting Up Permissions: Provides instructions on viewing and editing ACL permissions, using the ACL editor screens, and general information on ACLs.
4.2.1 - Adding and Managing Datasets
Provides instructions on creating and managing datasets.
A TrueNAS dataset is a file system within a data storage pool.
Datasets can contain files, directories (child datasets), and have individual permissions or flags.
Datasets can also be encrypted, either using the encryption created with the pool or with a separate encryption configuration.
We recommend organizing your pool with datasets before configuring data sharing, as this allows for more fine-tuning of access permissions and using different sharing protocols.
Creating a Dataset
To create a dataset using the default settings, go to Datasets.
Default settings include the settings datasets inherit from the parent dataset.
Select a dataset (root, parent, or child), then click Add Dataset.
You can create datasets optimized for SMB shares or with customized settings for your dataset use cases.
If you plan to deploy container applications, the system automatically creates the ix-applications dataset, but it is not used for application data storage.
If you want to store data by application, create the dataset first, then deploy your application.
When creating a dataset for an application, select App as the Share Type setting. This optimizes the dataset for use by an application.
Review the Share Type and Case Sensitivity options on the configuration screen before clicking Save.
You cannot change these or the Name setting after clicking Save.
Setting Dataset Compression Levels
Compression encodes information in less space than the original data occupies.
We recommended you choose a compression algorithm that balances disk performance with the amount of saved space.
Select the compression algorithm that best suits your needs from the Compression dropdown list of options.
LZ4 maximizes performance and dynamically identifies the best files to compress. LZ4 provides lightning-fast compression/decompression speeds and comes coupled with a high-speed decoder. This makes it one of the best Linux compression tools for enterprise customers.
ZSTD offers highly configurable compression speeds, with a very fast decoder.
Gzip is a standard UNIX compression tool widely used for Linux. It is compatible with every GNU software which makes it a good tool for remote engineers and seasoned Linux users. It offers the maximum compression with the greatest performance impact. The higher the compression level implemented the greater the impact on CPU usage levels. Use with caution especially at higher levels.
ZLE or Zero Length Encoding, leaves normal data alone but only compresses continuous runs of zeros.
LZJB compresses crash dumps and data in ZFS. LZJB is optimized for performance while providing decent compression. LZ4 compresses roughly 50% faster than LZJB when operating on compressible data, and is greater than three times faster for uncompressible data. LZJB was the original algorithm used by ZFS but it is now deprecated.
Setting Dataset Quotas
You can set dataset quotas when you add a dataset using the Add Dataset > Advanced Options quota management options, or to add or edit quotas for a selected dataset, click Edit on the Dataset Space Management widget to open the Capacity Settings screen.
Setting a quota defines the maximum allowed space for the dataset.
You can also reserve a defined amount of pool space to prevent automatically generated data like system logs from consuming all of the dataset space.
You can configure quotas for only the new dataset or for both the new dataset and any child datasets of the new dataset.
Define the maximum allowed space for the dataset in either the Quota for this dataset or Quota for this dataset and all children field.
Enter 0 to disable quotas.
Dataset quota alerts are based on the percentage of used storage.
To set up a quota warning alert, enter a percentage value in Quota warning alert at, %.
When consumed space reaches the defined percentage it sends the alert.
To change the setting from the parent dataset warning level, clear the Inherit checkbox and then change the value.
To set up the quota critical level alerts, enter the percentage value in Quota critical alert at, %.
Clear the Inherit checkbox to change this value to something other than using the parent alert setting.
When setting quotas or changing the alert percentages for both the parent dataset and all child datasets, use the fields under This Dataset and Child Datasets.
Enter a value in Reserved space for this dataset to set aside additional space for datasets that contain logs which could eventually take all available free space.
Enter 0 for unlimited.
By default, many of dataset options inherit their values from the parent dataset.
When you select Inherit, as a checkbox or option in a dropdown list, the dataset uses the setting from the parent dataset.
For example, the Encryption or ACL Type settings.
To change any setting that can inherit the parent setting, clear the checkbox or select another available option, and then enter the desired setting values for the child dataset.
Then add the dataset. Use the Metadata (Special) Small Block Size setting on the Add Dataset > Advanced Options > Other Options screen to set a threshold block size for including small file blocks into the special allocation class (fusion pools).
Blocks smaller than or equal to this value are assigned to the special allocation class while greater blocks are assigned to the regular class.
Valid values are zero or a power of two from 512B up to 1M.
The default size 0 means no small file blocks are allocated in the special class.
Enter a threshold block size for including small file blocks into the special allocation class (fusion pools).
Managing Datasets
After creating a dataset, users can manage additional options from the Datasets screen.
Select the dataset you want to manage, then click Edit on the widget for the function you want to manage.
The Datasets Screen article describes each option in detail.
Editing a Dataset
Select the dataset on the tree table, then click Edit on the Dataset Details widget to open the Edit Dataset screen and change the dataset configuration settings. You can change all settings except Name, Case Sensitivity, or Share Type.
Editing Dataset Permissions
The Permissions widget for a dataset with an NFSv4 ACL type, converts each listed ACL item a button that opens a permissions editor for that ACL item.
To configure new ACL items for an NFSv4 ACL, click Edit to open the ACL Editor screen.
To edit a POSIX ACL type, click Edit on the Permissions widget to open the Unix Permissions Editor screen.
Select the dataset on the tree table, then click Delete on the Dataset Details widget. This opens a window where you enter the path (parent/child) and select Confirm to delete the dataset, all stored data, and any snapshots from TrueNAS.
To delete a root dataset, use the Export/Disconnect option on the Storage Dashboard screen to delete the pool.
Deleting datasets can result in unrecoverable data loss!
Move off any critical data stored on the dataset or obsolete it before performing the delete operation.
Provides instructions on creating, editing and managing zvols.
A ZFS Volume (zvol) is a dataset that represents a block device or virtual disk drive.
TrueNAS requires a zvol when configuring iSCSI Shares. Adding a virtual machine also creates a zvol to use for storage.
Storage space you allocate to a zvol is only used by that volume, it does not get reallocated back to the total storage capacity of the pool or dataset where you create the zvol if it goes unused.
Plan your anticipated storage need before you create the zvol to avoid creating a zvol that exceeds your storage needs for this volume.
Do not assign capacity that exceeds what is required for SCALE to operate properly. For more information, see SCALE Hardware Guide for CPU, memory and storage capacity information.
Adding a Zvol
To create a zvol in a pool, go to Datasets. Select the root, non-root parent, or child dataset where you want to add the zvol, and then click Add Zvol.
To create a zvol with default options, enter a name and a value in Size for the zvol and click Save.
Managing Zvols
Options to manage a zvol are on the zvol widgets found on the Dataset screen. Select the zvol to display the zvol widgets.
Delete Zvol removes the zvol from TrueNAS. Deleting a zvol also deletes all snapshots of that zvol. Click Delete on the Zvol Details widget.
Deleting zvols can result in unrecoverable data loss!
Remove critical data from the zvol or verify it is obsolete before deleting a zvol.
Edit on the Zvol Details widget opens the Edit Zvol screen where you can change the saved settings. Name is read-only and you cannot change it.
To create a snapshot, click Create Snapshot on the Data Protection widget.
Cloning a Zvol from a Snapshot
If you clone a zvol from an existing snapshot, the cloned zvol displays on the Datasets screen.
Provides information on managing user and group quotas.
TrueNAS allows setting data or object quotas for user accounts and groups cached on or connected to the system.
You can use the quota settings on the Add Dataset or Edit Dataset configuration screens in the Advanced Options settings to set up alarms and set aside more space in a dataset.
See Adding and Managing Datasets for more information.
To manage the dataset overall capacity, use Edit on the Dataset Space Management widget to open the Capacity Settings screen.
Configuring User Quotas
To view and edit user quotas, go to Datasets and click Manage User Quotas on the Dataset Space Management widget to open the User Quotas screen.
Click Add to open the Add User Quota screen.
Click in the field to view a list of system users including any users from a directory server properly connected to TrueNAS.
Begin typing a user name to filter all users on the system to find the desired user, then click on the user to add the name.
Add additional users by repeating the same process. A warning dialog displays if there are not matches found.
To edit individual user quotas, click anywhere on a user row to open the Edit User Quota screen where you can edit the User Data Quota and User Object Quota values.
User Data Quota is the amount of disk space that selected users can use. User Object Quota is the number of objects selected users can own.
Configuring Group Quotas
Click Add to open the Add Group Quota screen.
Click in the Group field to view a list of system groups on the system.
Begin typing a name to filter all groups on the system to find the desired group, then click on the group to add the name.
Add additional groups by repeating the same process. A warning dialog displays if there are not matches found.
To edit individual group quotas, click anywhere on a group name to open the Edit Group Quota screen where you can edit the Group Data Quota and Group Object Quota values.
Group Data Quota is the amount of disk space that the selected group can use. Group Object Quota is the number of objects the selected group can own.
Provides instructions on creating ZFS snapshots in TrueNAS Scale.
Snapshots are one of the most powerful features of ZFS.
A snapshot provides a read only point-in-time copy of a file system or volume.
This copy does not consume extra space in the ZFS pool.
The snapshot only records the differences between storage block references whenever the data is modified.
Snapshots keep a history of files and provide a way to recover an older or even deleted files.
For this reason, many administrators take regular snapshots, store them for some time, and copy them to a different system.
This strategy allows an administrator to roll the system data back to a specific point in time.
In the event of catastrophic system or disk failure, off-site snapshots can restore data up to the most recent snapshot.
Taking snapshots requires the system have all pools, datasets, and zvols already configured.
Creating a Snapshot
Consider making a Periodic Snapshot Task to save time and create regular, fresh snapshots.
There are two ways to access snapshot creation:
From the Data Protection Screen
To access the Snapshots screen, go to Data Protection > Periodic Snapshot Tasks and click the Snapshots button in the lower right corner of the widget.
Existing snapshots display as a list.
From the Datasets Screen
From the Datasets screen select the dataset you want to snapshot, then click Create Snapshot on Data Protection widget.
If you click Create Snapshot the Snapshots screen opens filtered for the dataset you selected.
Clear the dataset from the search field to see all snapshots.
You can also click the Manage Snapshots link on the Data Protection widget to open the Snapshots screen.
Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the Add Snapshot screen.
Select a dataset or zvol from the Dataset dropdown list.
Accept the name suggested by the TrueNAS software in the Name field or enter any custom string to override the suggested name.
(Optional) Select an option from the Naming Schema dropdown list that the TrueNAS software populated with existing periodic snapshot task schemas. If you select an option, TrueNAS generates a name for the snapshot using that naming schema from the selected periodic snapshot and replicates that snapshot.
You cannot enter a value in both Naming Schema and in Name as selecting or entering a value in Naming Schema populates the other field.
(Optional) Select Recursive to include child datasets with the snapshot.
Provides instructions on managing ZFS snapshots in TrueNAS Scale.
Viewing the List of Snapshots
File Explorer limits the number of snapshots Windows presents to users. If TrueNAS responds with more than the File Explorer limit, File Explorer shows no available snapshots.
TrueNAS displays a dialog stating the dataset snapshot count has more snapshots than recommended, and states performance or functionality might degrade.
There are two ways to view the list of snapshots:
Go to Datasets > Data Protection widget > Manage Snapshots link to open the Snapshots screen,
The Snapshots screen displays a list of snapshots on the system. Use the search bar at top to narrow the selection, clear the search bar to list all snapshots.
The Clone to New Dataset button creates a clone of the snapshot. The clone appears directly beneath the parent dataset in the dataset tree table on the Datasets screen. Clicking the Clone to New Dataset button opens a clone confirmation dialog.
The Delete option destroys the snapshot.
You must delete child clones before you can delete their parent snapshot.
While creating a snapshot is instantaneous, deleting one is I/O intensive and can take a long time, especially when deduplication is enabled.
ZFS has to review all allocated blocks before deletion to see if another process is using that block. If not used, the ZFS can free that block.
Click the Delete button. A confirmation dialog displays. Select Confirm to activate the Delete button.
Deleting with Batch Operations
To delete multiple snapshots, select the left column box for each snapshot to include. Click the deleteDelete button that displays.
To search through the snapshots list by name, type a matching criteria into the searchFilter Snapshots text field.
The list now displays only the snapshot names that match the filter text.
Confirm activates the Delete button. If the snapshot has the Hold options selected, an error displays to prevent you from deleting that snapshot.
Using Revert
The Rollback option reverts the dataset back to the point in time saved by the snapshot.
Rollback is a dangerous operation that causes any configured replication tasks to fail.
Replications use the existing snapshot when doing an incremental backup, and rolling back can put the snapshots out-of-order.
To restore the data within a snapshot:
Clone the desired snapshot.
Share the clone with the share type or service running on the TrueNAS system.
Allow users to recover their needed data.
Delete the clone from Datasets.
This approach does not destroy any on-disk data or impact replication.
TrueNAS asks for confirmation before rolling back to the chosen snapshot state. Select the radio button for how you want the rollback to operate.
All dataset snapshots are accessible as an ordinary hierarchical file system, accessed from a hidden .zfs located at the root of every dataset.
A snapshot and any files it contains are not accessible or searchable if the snapshot mount path is longer than 88 characters.
The data within the snapshot is safe but to make the snapshot accessible again shorten the mount path.
A user with permission to access the dataset contents can view the list of snapshots by going to the dataset .zfs directory from a share, like SMB, NFS, and iSCSI, or in the TrueNAS SCALE CLI.
Users can browse and search any files they have permission to access throughout the entire dataset snapshot collection.
When creating a snapshot, permissions or ACLs set on files within that snapshot might limit access to the files.
Snapshots are read-only, so users do not have permission to modify a snapshot or its files, even if they had write permissions when creating the snapshot.
From the Datasets screen, select the dataset and click Edit on the Dataset Details widget.
Click Advanced Options and set Snapshot Directory to Visible.
To access snapshots:
Using a share, configure the client system to view hidden files.
For example, in a Windows SMB share, enable Show hidden files, folders, and drives in Folder Options.
From to the dataset root folder, open the .zfs directory and navigate to the snapshot.
Using the TrueNAS SCALE CLI, enter storage filesystem listdir path="/PATH/TO/DATASET/.zfs/PATH/TO/SNAPSHOT" to view snapshot contents.
See also storage filesystem.
Provides information on SCALE storage encryption for pools, root datasets, datasets, and Zvols.
TrueNAS SCALE offers ZFS encryption for your sensitive data in pools and datasets or Zvols.
Users are responsible for backing up and securing encryption keys and passphrases!
Losing the ability to decrypt data is similar to a catastrophic data loss.
The local TrueNAS system manages keys for data-at-rest.
Users are responsible for storing and securing their keys.
TrueNAS SCALE includes the Key Management Interface Protocol (KMIP).
Pool and Dataset Encryption
Encryption is for users storing sensitive data.
Pool-level encryption does not apply to the storage pool or the disks in the pool.
It only applies to the root dataset that shares the same name as the pool.
Child datasets or zvols inherit encryption from the parent dataset.
TrueNAS automatically generates a root dataset when you create a pool.
This root dataset inherits the encryption state of the pool based on the Encryption option on the Pool Manager screen when you create the pool.
Because encryption is inherited from the parent, the data within that pool is encrypted.
Selecting the Encryption option for the pool (root dataset) forces encryption for all datasets and Zvols created within the root dataset.
As of SCALE 22.12.3, you can no longer create an unencrypted dataset within an encrypted pool or dataset.
This change does not affect existing datasets, only new datasets created in release 22.12.3 and later.
Leaving the Encryption option on the Pool Manager screen cleared creates an unencrypted pool root dataset.
You can create both unencrypted and encrypted datasets within this pool (root dataset), but if you create an encrypted dataset within an unencrypted root dataset any dataset or Zvol created within that encrypted dataset are automatically encrypted.
If you have only one pool on your system, do not select the Encryption option for this pool.
You can change the type of encryption of an encrypted dataset (root or child dataset) from key to passphrase, but you cannot change an encrypted dataset to an unencrypted dataset after you save it.
You can create an encrypted dataset on an unencrypted pool.
When creating a new dataset, changing the inheritance settings presents the option to change the type of encryption or to change from unencrypted to encrypted.
Yes, you can move encrypted data to an unencrypted pool or dataset using either rsync or replication.
You can also move data from an unencrypted pool or dataset to an encrypted dataset using rsync or replication.
If your system loses power or you reboot the system, the datasets, Zvols, and all data in an encrypted pool automatically lock to protect the data in that encrypted pool.
Encryption Visual Cues
Dataset encryption can be visually confusing in SCALE.
SCALE uses different lock-type icons to indicate the encryption state of a root, parent, or child dataset in the tree table on the Datasets screen.
Each icon displays text labels that explain the state of the dataset when you hover the mouse over the icon.
The Datasets tree table includes lock icons and descriptions that indicate the encryption state of datasets.
Icon
State
Description
Locked
Displays for locked encrypted root, non-root parent and child datasets.
Unlocked
Displays for unlocked encrypted root, non-root parent and child datasets.
Locked by ancestor
Displays for locked datasets that inherit encryption properties from the parent.
Unlocked by ancestor
Displays for unlocked datasets that inherit encryption properties from the parent.
If a dataset inherits encryption, the locking icons change to a different type and the mouse hover-over label indicates the encryption is Locked by ancestor or Unlocked by ancestor.
Each encrypted dataset includes the ZFS Encryption widget on the Datasets screen when you select the dataset.
The dataset encryption state is unlocked until you lock it using the Lock option on the ZFS Encryption widget. After locking the dataset, the icon on the tree table changes to the locked version and the ZFS Encryption widget displays the Unlock option.
Inherit Encryption
Datasets inherit encryption, which means they keep the encryption settings of the parent dataset whether the parent is the root dataset or a non-root parent dataset with child datasets nested under it.
You can change inherited settings for a dataset when you add the dataset using the Edit option on the ZFS Encryption widget.
Implementing Encryption
Before creating a pool with encryption make sure you want to encrypt all datasets and data stored on the pool.
You cannot change a pool from encrypted to non-encrypted. You can only change the dataset encryption type (key or passphrase) for the encrypted pool.
If your system does not have enough disks to allow you to create a second storage pool, we recommend that you not use encryption at the pool level.
You can mix encrypted and unencrypted datasets on an unencrypted pool.
All pool-level encryption is key-based encryption. When prompted, download the encryption key and keep it stored in a safe place where you can back up the file.
You cannot use passphrase encryption at the pool level.
Adding Encryption to a New Pool
Go to Storage and click Create Pool on the Storage Dashboard screen. You can also click Add to Pool on the Unassigned Disks widget and select the Add to New radio button to open the Pool Manager screen.
Enter a name for the pool, then add the disks to the Data VDEV. Select Encryption next to Name.
A warning dialog displays.
Read the warning, select Confirm, and then click I UNDERSTAND.
A second dialog opens where you click Download Encryption Key for the pool encryption key.
Click Done to close the window.
Move the encryption key to safe location where you can back up the file.
Click Save to create the pool with encryption.
Adding Encryption to a New Dataset
To add encryption to a new dataset, go to Datasets.
First, select the root or other dataset on the tree table where you want to add a dataset.
The default dataset selected when you open the Datasets screen is the root dataset of the first pool on the tree table list.
If you have more than one pool and want to create a dataset in a pool other than the default, select the root dataset for that pool or any dataset under the root where you want to add the new dataset.
Click Add Dataset to open the Add Dataset screen.
To add a dataset, enter a value in Name.
Next, select the type of Case Sensitivity and Share Type for the dataset.
To add encyrption to a dataset, select Inherit under Encryption Options to clear the checkbox.
This displays the Encryption checkbox already preselected.
Now decide if you want to use the default encryption type key and if you want to let the system generate the encryption key.
To use key encryption and your own key, clear the Generate key checkbox to display the Key field. Enter your key in this field.
You can select the encryption algorithm to use from the Encryption Standard dropdown list of options or use the recommended default.
Leave the default selection if you do not have a particular encryption standard you want use.
The passphrase must be longer than 8 and less than 512 characters.
Keep encryption keys and/or passphrases safeguarded in a secure and protected place.
Losing encryption keys or passphrases can result in permanent data loss!
Changing Dataset Encryption
You cannot add encryption to an existing dataset.
You can change the encryption type for an already encrypted dataset using the Edit option on the ZFS Encryption widget for the dataset.
Save any change to the encryption key or passphrase, and update your saved passcodes and keys file, and then back up that file.
To change the encryption type, go to Datasets:
Select the unlocked, encrypted dataset on the tree table, then click Edit on the ZFS Encryption widget.
The Edit Encryption Options dialog for the selected dataset displays.
You must unlock a locked encrypted dataset before you can make changes.
If the dataset inherits encryption settings from a parent dataset, to change this, clear the Inherit encryption properties from parent checkbox to display the key type encryption setting options.
Change the encryption settings. Key type options are to change the type from Key to Passphrase or from a generated to a manually-entered encryption key.
After clearing the Inherits encryption properties from parent the default settings display with Encryption Type set to Key and Generate Key pre-selected.
To manually enter an encryption key, select Generate Key to clear the checkmark and display the Key field. Enter the new key in this field.
(Optional) Change the Encryption Type to Passphrase using the dropdown list of options.
The Passphrase and Confirm Passphrase fields and other passphrase encryption fields display.
Enter the passphrase twice. Use a complex passphrase that is not easy to guess. Store in a secure location subject to regular backups.
Leave the other settings at default, then click Confirm to activate Save.
Click Save. The window closes, the ZFS Encryption widget updates to reflect the changes made.
Locking and Unlocking Datasets
You can only lock and unlock an encrypted dataset if it is secured with a passphrase instead of a key file.
Before locking a dataset, verify that it is not currently in use.
Locking a Dataset
Select the dataset on the tree table, then click Lock on the ZFS Encryption widget to open the Lock Dataset dialog with the dataset full path name.
Use the Force unmount option only if you are certain no one is currently accessing the dataset.
Force unmount boots anyone using the dataset (e.g. someone accessing a share) so you can lock it.
Click Confirm to activate Lock, then click Lock.
You cannot use locked datasets.
Unlocking a Dataset
To unlock a dataset, go to Datasets then select the dataset on the tree table.
Click Unlock on the ZFS Encryption widget to open the Unlock Dataset screen.
Type the passphrase into Dataset Passphrase and click Save.
Select Unlock Child Encrypted Roots to unlock all locked child datasets if they use the same passphrase.
Select Force if the dataset mount path exists but is not empty. When this happens, the unlock operation fails. Using Force allows the system to rename the existing directory and file where the dataset should mount. This prevents the mount operation from failing.
A confirmation dialog displays.
Click CONTINUE to confirm you want to unlock the datasets. Click CLOSE to exit and keep the datasets locked.
A second confirmation dialog opens confirming the datasets unlocked.
Click CLOSE.
TrueNAS displays the dataset with the unlocked icon.
Encrypting a Zvol
Encryption is for securing sensitive data.
You can only encrypt a Zvol if you create the Zvol from a dataset with encryption.
Users are responsible for backing up and securing encryption keys and passphrases!
Losing the ability to decrypt data is similar to a catastrophic data loss.
Zvols inherit encryption settings from the parent dataset.
To encrypt a Zvol, select a dataset configured with encryption and then create a new Zvol.
Next, go to the Datasets page and click on the Zvol.
If you do not seethe ZFS Encryption widget on the Datasets page, you created the Zvol from an unencrypted dataset. Delete the Zvol and start over.
Click Edit on the ZFS Encryption widget. The Edit Encryption Options dialog for the Zvol displays with Inherit encryption properties from parent selected.
If not making changes, click Confirm, and then click Save.
The Zvol is encrypted with settings inherited from its parent.
To change inherited encryption properties, clear the Inherit encryption properties from parent checkbox. The current encryption settings display. You can change from key to passphrase or change from a system-generated key to one of your choosing.
If Encryption Type is set toKey, type an encryption key into the Key field or select Generate Key.
If using Passphrase, it should be at least eight characters long. Use a passphrase complex enough to not easily guess.
After making any changes, select Confirm, and then click Save.
Save any change to the encryption key or passphrase, update your saved passcodes and keys file, and back up the file.
Managing Encryption Credentials
There are two ways to manage the encryption credentials, with a key file or passphrase.
Creating a new encrypted pool automatically generates a new key file and prompts users to download it.
Always back up the key file to a safe and secure location.
To manually back up a root dataset key file, click the icon to display the Pool Actions list of options, and select Export Dataset Keys.
The keys download to your system.
To change the key, click more_vert for the dataset, and then click Encryption Options.
A passphrase is a user-defined string at least eight characters long that is required to decrypt the dataset.
The pbkdf2iters is the number of password-based key derivation function 2 (PBKDF2) iterations to use for reducing vulnerability to brute-force attacks. Users must enter a number greater than 100000.
Unlocking a Replicated Encrypted Dataset or Zvol Without a Passphrase
TrueNAS SCALE users should either replicate the dataset/Zvol without properties to disable encryption at the remote end or construct a special json manifest to unlock each child dataset/Zvol with a unique key.
Method 1: Construct JSON Manifest.
Replicate every encrypted dataset you want to replicate with properties.
Export key for every child dataset that has a unique key.
For each child dataset construct a proper json with poolname/datasetname of the destination system and key from the source system like this:
{"tank/share01": "57112db4be777d93fa7b76138a68b790d46d6858569bf9d13e32eb9fda72146b"}
Save this file with the extension .json.
On the remote system, unlock the dataset(s) using properly constructed json files.
Method 2: Replicate Encrypted Dataset/zvol Without Properties.
Uncheck properties when replicating so that the destination dataset is not encrypted on the remote side and does not require a key to unlock.
Go to Data Protection and click ADD in the Replication Tasks window.
Click Advanced Replication Creation.
Fill out the form as needed and make sure Include Dataset Properties is NOT checked.
Click Save.
Method 3: Replicate Key Encrypted Dataset/zvol.
Go to Datasets on the system you are replicating from.
Select the dataset encrypted with a key, then click Export Key on the ZFS Encryption widget to export the key for the dataset.
Apply the JSON key file or key code to the dataset on the system you replicated the dataset to.
Option 1: Download the key file and open it in a text editor. Change the pool name/dataset part of the string to the pool name/dataset for the receiving system. For example, replicating from tank1/dataset1 on the replicate-from system to tank2/dataset2 on the replicate-to system.
Option 2: Copy the key code provided in the Key for dataset window.
On the system receiving the replicated pool/dataset, select the receiving dataset and click Unlock.
Unlock the dataset.
Either clear the Unlock with Key file checkbox, paste the key code into the Dataset Key field (if there is a space character at the end of the key, delete the space), or select the downloaded Key file that you edited.
Provides instructions on viewing and editing ACL permissions, using the ACL editor screens, and general information on ACLs.
TrueNAS SCALE provides basic permissions settings and an Access Control List (ACL) editor to define dataset permissions.
ACL permissions control the actions users can perform on dataset contents.
An Access Control List (ACL) is a set of account permissions associated with a dataset and applied to directories or files within that dataset.
TrueNAS uses ACLs to manage user interactions with shared datasets and creates them when users add a dataset to a pool.
ACL Types in SCALE
TrueNAS SCALE offers two ACL types: POSIX (the SCALE default) and NFSv4.
For a more in-depth explanation of ACLs and configurations in TrueNAS SCALE, see our ACL Primer.
Viewing Permissions
Basic ACL permissions are viewable and configurable in the Datasets screen. Select a dataset to view its permissions in the Permissions widget.
Editing ACL Permissions
You can view permissions for any dataset, but the edit option only displays on the Permissions widget for non-root datasets.
Configuring advanced permissions overrides basic permissions configured on the add and edit dataset screens.
Select a non-root dataset, then click Edit in the Permissions widget.
Enter or select the user from the dropdown list, set the read/write/execute permissions.
The options include users created manually or imported from a directory service. Enable Apply User to confirm changes.
To prevent errors, TrueNAS only submits changes when selected.
A common misconfiguration is removing the Execute permission from a dataset that is a parent to other child datasets.
Removing this permission results in lost access to the path.
Next, enter or select the group from the dropdown list, set the read/write/execute permissions.
The options include groups created manually or imported from a directory service. Enable Apply Group to confirm changes.
To prevent errors, TrueNAS only submits changes when selected.
If you want to apply these settings to all child datasets, select Apply permissions recursively.
Click Save if you do not want to use an ACL preset.
Configuring an ACL Preset (NFSv4 ACL)
Warning: Changing the ACL type affects how TrueNAS writes and reads on-disk ZFS ACL.
When the ACL type changes from POSIX to NFSv4, internal ZFS ACLs do not migrate by default, and access ACLs encoded in posix1e extended attributes convert to native ZFS ACLs.
When the ACL type changes from NFSv4 to POSIX, native ZFS ACLs do not convert to posix1e extended attributes, but ZFS will use the native ACL for access checks.
To prevent unexpected permissions behavior, you must manually set new dataset ACLs recursively after changing the ACL type.
Setting new ACLs recursively is destructive. We suggest creating a ZFS snapshot of the dataset before changing the ACL type or modifying permissions.
An ACL preset loads NFS4 pre-configured permissions to match general permissions situations.
From the Unix Permissions Editor configuration screen, click Set ACL to configure advanced NFS4 permissions. The If you want to use an ACL preset, click Set ACL. The Edit ACL screen displays with the Select a preset ACL dialog as the first step.
Click the Select a present ACL radio button to use a pre-configured set of permissions, and then select the preset you want to use from the Default ACL Options dropdown list, or click Create a custom ACL to configure your own set of permissions.
Click Continue.
Each default preset loads different permissions to the Edit ACL screen. The Create a custom preset option opens the Edit ACL screen with no default permission settings.
First, select or type the user name in Owner. The owner controls which TrueNAS user and group has full control of the dataset.
Next, select or type the group name in Owner Group.
Select the Who ACE value from the dropdown list and then select the Permissions.
If you select User or Group, choose a name from the User or Group field.
See nfs4_setfacl(1) NFSv4 ACL ENTRIES.
Whatever you select in Who highlights the Access Control List entry on the left side of the screen.
Select Flags to specify how this ACE applies to newly created directories and files within the dataset.
Basic flags enable or disable ACE inheritance.
Advanced flags allow further control of how the ACE applies to files and directories in the dataset.
If you want to apply this preset to all child datasets select Apply permissions recursively.
To add another item to your ACL, click Add Item. To display the ACL presets window, click Use Preset.
Click Save Access Control List when you finish configuring settings for the user or group in the Who field.
To view ACL information from the console, go to System Settings > Shell to access the TrueNAS SCALE CLI and enter:
TCG Pyrite Version 1 and
Version 2 are similar to Opalite, but with hardware encryption removed
Pyrite provides a logical equivalent of the legacy ATA security for non-ATA devices. Only the drive firmware protects the device.
Pyrite Version 1 SEDs do not have PSID support and can become unusable if the password is lost.
TCG Enterprise designed for systems with many data disks
These SEDs cannot unlock before the operating system boots.
See this Trusted Computing Group and NVM Express® joint white paper for more details about these specifications.
TrueNAS Implementation
TrueNAS implements the security capabilities of camcontrol for legacy devices and sedutil-cli for TCG devices.
When managing a SED from the command line, it is recommended to use the sedhelper wrapper script for sedutil-cli to ease SED administration and unlock the full capabilities of the device. See provided examples of using these commands to identify and deploy SEDs below.
You can configure a SED before or after assigning the device to a pool.
By default, SEDs are not locked until the administrator takes ownership of them. Ownership is taken by explicitly configuring a global or per-device password in the web interface and adding the password to the SEDs. Adding SED passwords in the web interface also allows TrueNAS to automatically unlock SEDs.
A password-protected SED protects the data stored on the device when the device is physically removed from the system. This allows secure disposal of the device without having to first wipe the contents. Repurposing a SED on another system requires the SED password.
For TrueNAS High Availability (HA) systems, SED drives only unlock on the active controller!
Deploying SEDs
Enter command sedutil-cli --scan in the Shell to detect and list devices. The second column of the results identifies the drive type:
Character
Standard
no
non-SED device
1
Opal V1
2
Opal V2
E
Enterprise
L
Opalite
p
Pyrite V1
P
Pyrite V2
r
Ruby
Example:
root@truenas1:~ # sedutil-cli --scan
Scanning for Opal compliant disks
/dev/ada0 No 32GB SATA Flash Drive SFDK003L
/dev/ada1 No 32GB SATA Flash Drive SFDK003L
/dev/da0 No HGST HUS726020AL4210 A7J0
/dev/da1 No HGST HUS726020AL4210 A7J0
/dev/da10 E WDC WUSTR1519ASS201 B925
/dev/da11 E WDC WUSTR1519ASS201 B925
TrueNAS supports setting a global password for all detected SEDs or setting individual passwords for each SED. Using a global password for all SEDs is strongly recommended to simplify deployment and avoid maintaining separate passwords for each SED.
Setting a Global Password for SEDs
Go to System Settings > Advanced > Self-Encrypting Drive and click Configure. A warning displays stating Changing Advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Please use caution before saving. Click Close to display the settings form. Enter the password in SED Password and Confirm SED Password and click Save.
Record this password and store it in a safe place!
Now configure the SEDs with this password. Go to the Shell and enter command sedhelper setup <password>, where <password> is the global password entered in System > Advanced > SED Password.
sedhelper ensures that all detected SEDs are properly configured to use the provided password:
Rerun command sedhelper setup <password> every time a new SED is placed in the system to apply the global password to the new SED.
Creating Separate Passwords for Each SED
Go to Storage click the Disks dropdown in the top right of the screen and select Disks. From the Disks screen, click the expand_more for the confirmed SED, then Edit. Enter and confirm the password in the SED Password fields to override the global SED password.
You must configure the SED to use the new password. Go to the Shell and enter command sedhelper setup --disk <da1> <password>, where <da1> is the SED to configure and <password> is the created password from Storage > Disks > Edit Disks > SED Password.
Repeat this process for each SED and any SEDs added to the system in the future.
Remember SED passwords! If you lose the SED password, you cannot unlock SEDs or access their data.
After configuring or modifying SED passwords, always record and store them in a secure place!
Check SED Functionality
When SED devices are detected during system boot, TrueNAS checks for configured global and device-specific passwords.
Unlocking SEDs allows a pool to contain a mix of SED and non-SED devices. Devices with individual passwords are unlocked with their password. Devices without a device-specific password are unlocked using the global password.
To verify SED locking is working correctly, go to the Shell. Enter command sedutil-cli --listLockingRange 0 <password> <dev/da1>, where <dev/da1> is the SED and <password> is the global or individual password for that SED. The command returns ReadLockEnabled: 1, WriteLockEnabled: 1, and LockOnReset: 1 for drives with locking enabled:
This section contains command line instructions to manage SED passwords and data. The command used is sedutil-cli(8).
Most SEDs are TCG-E (Enterprise) or TCG-Opal (Opal v2.0).
Commands are different for the different drive types, so the first step is to identify the type in use.
These commands can be destructive to data and passwords. Keep backups and use the commands with caution.
Check SED version on a single drive, /dev/da0 in this example:
root@truenas:~ # sedutil-cli --isValidSED /dev/da0
/dev/da0 SED --E--- Micron_5N/A U402
To check all connected disks at once:
root@truenas:~ # sedutil-cli --scan
Scanning for Opal compliant disks
/dev/ada0 No 32GB SATA Flash Drive SFDK003L
/dev/ada1 No 32GB SATA Flash Drive SFDK003L
/dev/da0 E Micron_5N/A U402
/dev/da1 E Micron_5N/A U402
/dev/da12 E SEAGATE XS3840TE70014 0103
/dev/da13 E SEAGATE XS3840TE70014 0103
/dev/da14 E SEAGATE XS3840TE70014 0103
/dev/da2 E Micron_5N/A U402
/dev/da3 E Micron_5N/A U402
/dev/da4 E Micron_5N/A U402
/dev/da5 E Micron_5N/A U402
/dev/da6 E Micron_5N/A U402
/dev/da9 E Micron_5N/A U402
No more disks present ending scan
root@truenas:~ #
Reset the password without losing data with command:
Wipe data and reset password using the PSID with this command:
sedutil-cli --yesIreallywanttoERASEALLmydatausingthePSID <PSINODASHED> </dev/device> where is the PSID located on the pysical drive with no dashes (-).
Changing or Resetting the Password without Destroying Data
Run these commands for every LockingRange or band on the drive.
To determine the number of bands on a drive, use command sedutil-cli -v --listLockingRanges </dev/device>.
Increment the BandMaster number and rerun the command with --setPassword for every band that exists.
Use all of these commands to reset the password without losing data:
Tutorials related to configuring data backup features in TrueNAS SCALE.
The Data Protection section allows users to set up multiple reduntant tasks that will protect and/or backup data in case of drive failure.
Scrub Tasks and S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) Tests can provide early disk failure alerts by identifying data integrity problems and detecting various indicators of drive reliability.
Cloud Sync, Periodic Snapshot, Rsync, and Replication Tasks, provide backup storage for data and allow users to revert the system to a previous configuration or point in time.
Cloud Sync Tasks: Tutorials for configuring and managing data backups to from TrueNAS to various 3rd party Cloud Service Providers.
Adding Cloud Sync Tasks: Provides instructions to add a cloud sync task, configure environment variables, run an unscheduled sync task, create a copy of a task with a reversed transfer mode, and troubleshoot common issues with some cloud storage providers.
Backing Up Google Drive to TrueNAS SCALE: Provides instructions on adding Google Drive cloud credentials using the Add Cloud Credentials and Add Cloud Sync Task screens. It also provides information on working with Google-created content.
Adding a Storj Cloud Sync Task: Provides instructions on how to set up a Storj cloud sync task and how to configure a Storj-TrueNAS account to work with SCALE cloud credentials and cloud sync tasks.
Configuring Rsync Tasks: Provides instructions on adding rsync tasks using either of two methods, one using an rsync module created in TrueNAS and the other using an SSH connection.
Creating VMWare Snapshots: Provides instructions for creating ZFS snapshots when using TrueNAS as a VMWare datastore.
Managing S.M.A.R.T. Tests: Provides instructions on running S.M.A.R.T. tests manually or automatically, using Shell to view the list of tests, and configuring the S.M.A.R.T. test service.
Replication Tasks: Tutorials for configuring ZFS snapshot replication tasks in TrueNAS SCALE.
Setting Up a Local Replication Task: Provides instructions on adding a replication task using different pools or datasets on the same TrueNAS system.
Advanced Replication Tasks: Tutorials for configuring advanced ZFS snapshot replication tasks in TrueNAS SCALE.
5.1 - Managing Scrub Tasks
Provides instruction on running scrub and resilver tasks.
When TrueNAS performs a scrub, ZFS scans the data on a pool.
Scrubs identify data integrity problems, detect silent data corruptions caused by transient hardware issues, and provide early disk failure alerts.
Default Scrub Tasks
TrueNAS generates a default scrub task when you create a new pool and sets it to run every Sunday at 12:00 AM.
Adjusting Scrub/Resilver Priority
Resilvering is a process that copies data to a replacement disk.
Complete it as quickly as possible.
Resilvering is a high priority task.
It can run in the background while performing other system functions, however, this can put a higher demand on system resources.
Increasing the priority of resilvers helps them finish faster as the system runs tasks with higher priority ranking.
Use the Resilver Priority screen to schedule a time where a resilver task can become a higher priority for the system and when the additional I/O or CPU use does not affect normal usage.
Select Enabled, then use the dropdown lists to select a start time in Begin and time to finish in End to define a priority period for the resilver.
To select the day(s) to run the resilver, use the Days of the Week dropdown to select when the task can run with the priority given.
A resilver process running during the time frame defined between the beginning and end times likely runs faster than during times when demand on system resources is higher.
We advise you to avoid putting the system under any intensive activity or heavy loads (replications, SMB transfers, NFS transfers, Rsync transfers, S.M.A.R.T. tests, pool scrubs, etc.) during a resilver process.
Creating New Scrub Tasks
TrueNAS needs at least one data pool to create scrub task.
To create a scrub task for a pool, go to Data Protection and click ADD in the Scrub Tasks window.
Select a preset schedule from the dropdown list or click Custom to create a new schedule for when to run a scrub task. Custom opens the Advanced Scheduler window.
Choosing a Presets option populates in the rest of the fields.
To customize a schedule, enter crontab values for the Minutes/Hours/Days.
These fields accept standard cron values.
The simplest option is to enter a single number in the field.
The task runs when the time value matches that number.
For example, entering 10 means that the job runs when the time is ten minutes past the hour.
An asterisk (*) means match all values.
You can set specific time ranges by entering hyphenated number values.
For example, entering 30-35 in the Minutes field sets the task to run at minutes 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35.
You can also enter lists of values.
Enter individual values separated by a comma (,).
For example, entering 1,14 in the Hours field means the task runs at 1:00 AM (0100) and 2:00 PM (1400).
A slash (/) designates a step value.
For example, entering * in Days runs the task every day of the month. Entering */2 runs it every other day.
Combining the above examples creates a schedule running a task each minute from 1:30-1:35 AM and 2:30-2:35 PM every other day.
TrueNAS has an option to select which Months the task runs.
Leaving each month unset is the same as selecting every month.
The Days of Week schedules the task to run on specific days in addition to any listed days.
For example, entering 1 in Days and setting Wed for Days of Week creates a schedule that starts a task on the first day of the month and every Wednesday of the month.
The Schedule Preview displays when the current settings mean the task runs.
Examples of CRON syntax
Syntax
Meaning
Examples
*
Every item.
* (minutes) = every minute of the hour. * (days) = every day.
*/N
Every Nth item.
*/15 (minutes) = every 15th minute of the hour. */3 (days) = every 3rd day. */3 (months) = every 3rd month.
Comma and hyphen/dash
Each stated item (comma) Each item in a range (hyphen/dash).
1,31 (minutes) = on the 1st and 31st minute of the hour. 1-3,31 (minutes) = on the 1st to 3rd minutes inclusive, and the 31st minute, of the hour. mon-fri (days) = every Monday to Friday inclusive (every weekday). mar,jun,sep,dec (months) = every March, June, September, December.
You can specify days of the month or days of the week.
TrueNAS lets users create flexible schedules using the available options. The table below has some examples:
Desired schedule
Values to enter
3 times a day (at midnight, 08:00 and 16:00)
months=*; days=*; hours=0/8 or 0,8,16; minutes=0 (Meaning: every day of every month, when hours=0/8/16 and minutes=0)
Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday, at 8.30 pm
months=*; days=mon,wed,fri; hours=20; minutes=30
1st and 15th day of the month, during October to June, at 00:01 am
Every 15 minutes during the working week, which is 8am - 7pm (08:00 - 19:00) Monday to Friday
Note that this requires two tasks to achieve: (1) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=8-18; minutes=*/15 (2) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=19; minutes=0 We need the second scheduled item, to execute at 19:00, otherwise we would stop at 18:45. Another workaround would be to stop at 18:45 or 19:45 rather than 19:00.
To view the progress of a scrub task, check the status under the Next Run column.
Editing Scrub Tasks
To edit a scrub, go to Data Protection and click the scrub task you want to edit.
Tutorials for configuring and managing data backups to from TrueNAS to various 3rd party Cloud Service Providers.
This section has tutorials for configuring and managing data backups to from TrueNAS to various 3rd party Cloud Service Providers.
Contents
Adding Cloud Sync Tasks: Provides instructions to add a cloud sync task, configure environment variables, run an unscheduled sync task, create a copy of a task with a reversed transfer mode, and troubleshoot common issues with some cloud storage providers.
Backing Up Google Drive to TrueNAS SCALE: Provides instructions on adding Google Drive cloud credentials using the Add Cloud Credentials and Add Cloud Sync Task screens. It also provides information on working with Google-created content.
Adding a Storj Cloud Sync Task: Provides instructions on how to set up a Storj cloud sync task and how to configure a Storj-TrueNAS account to work with SCALE cloud credentials and cloud sync tasks.
Provides instructions to add a cloud sync task, configure environment variables, run an unscheduled sync task, create a copy of a task with a reversed transfer mode, and troubleshoot common issues with some cloud storage providers.
TrueNAS can send, receive, or synchronize data with a cloud storage provider.
Cloud sync tasks allow for single-time transfers or recurring transfers on a schedule. They are an effective method to back up data to a remote location.
These providers are supported for Cloud Sync tasks in TrueNAS SCALE:
Using the cloud means data can go to a third-party commercial vendor not directly affiliated with iXsystems. You should fully understand vendor pricing policies and services before using them for cloud sync tasks.
iXsystems is not responsible for any charges incurred from using third-party vendors with the cloud sync feature.
Cloud Sync Task Requirements
You must have all system storage configured and ready to receive or send data.
You must have a cloud storage provider account and location (like an Amazon S3 bucket).
You can create the cloud storage account credentials using Credentials > Backup Credentials > Cloud Credentials before creating the sync task or add it at the time you create the cloud sync task on Data Protection > Cloud Sync Task > Add Cloud Sync Task. See the Cloud Credentials article for instructions on adding a backup credential using cloud credentials.
Creating a Cloud Sync Task
To add a cloud sync task, go to Data Protection > Cloud Sync Tasks and click Add. The Add Cloud Sync Task configuration screen opens.
(Required) Type a memorable task description in Description.
Select an existing backup credential from the Credential dropdown list.
If you have not added the cloud credential, click Manage Credentials to open the Backup Credentials screen.
Select the option from Direction and in Transfer Mode.
Select the location where to pull from or push data to in the Folder field. A Bucket field also displays for some cloud providers.
Select the dataset location in Directory/Files.
Cloud provider settings change based on the credential you select. Select or enter the required settings that include where files are stored.
Select the time from the Schedule options.
Click Save to add the task.
You can use Dry Run to test your configuration before you click Save or select the option on the Cloud Sync Task widget after you click Save.
Encrypting Cloud Sync Tasks
The option to encrypt data transferred to or from a cloud storage provider is available in the Advanced Options settings.
Select Remote Encryption to use rclone crypt encryption during pull and push transfers.
With Pull selected as the Transfer Direction, the Remote Encryption decrypts files stored on the remote system before the transfer.
This requires entering the same password used to encrypt data in both Encryption Password and Encryption Salt.
With Push selected as the Transfer Direction, data is encrypted before it is transferred and stored on the remote system. This also requires entering the same password used to encrypt data in both Encryption Password and Encryption Salt.
Filename Encryption is selected by default. When selected, the pull and push tranfers encrypt or decrypt file names with the rclone Standard file name encryption mode.
The original directory structure of the files is preserved.
When disabled, encryption does not hide file names or directory structure, file names can be 246 characters long, use sub-paths, and copy single files.
When enabled, file names are encrypted, file names are limited to 143 characters, directory structure is visible, and files with identical names have identical uploaded names.
File names can use sub-paths, single copy files, and shortcuts to shorten the directory recursion.
Troubleshooting Transfer Mode Problems
Sync keeps all the files identical between the two storage locations.
If the sync encounters an error, it does not delete files in the destination.
Syncing to a Backblaze B2 bucket does not delete files from the bucket, even when you deleted those files locally.
Instead, files are tagged with a version number or moved to a hidden state.
To automatically delete old or unwanted files from the bucket, adjust the Backblaze B2 Lifecycle Rules.
A directory, deleted in BackBlaze B2 and notated with an asterisk, do not display in the SCALE UI. These folders are essentially empty directories and Backblaze API restricts these so they do not display.
Amazon S3 Issues
Sync cannot delete files stored in Amazon S3 Glacier or S3 Glacier Deep Archive.
First restore these files by another means, like the Amazon S3 console.
Using Scripting and Environment Variables
Advanced users can write scripts that run immediately before or after the cloud sync task.
Using either the Add Cloud Sync Task or Edit Cloud Sync Task screens, enter environment variables to either the Pre-script or Post-script fields.
The Post-script field only runs when the cloud sync task succeeds.
General Environment Variables
CLOUD_SYNC_ID
CLOUD_SYNC_DESCRIPTION
CLOUD_SYNC_DIRECTION
CLOUD_SYNC_TRANSFER_MODE
CLOUD_SYNC_ENCRYPTION
CLOUD_SYNC_FILENAME_ENCRYPTION
CLOUD_SYNC_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD
CLOUD_SYNC_ENCRYPTION_SALT
CLOUD_SYNC_SNAPSHOT
Provider-Specific Variables
There also are provider-specific variables like CLOUD_SYNC_CLIENT_ID or CLOUD_SYNC_TOKEN or CLOUD_SYNC_CHUNK_SIZE.
Remote storage settings:
CLOUD_SYNC_BUCKET
CLOUD_SYNC_FOLDER
Local storage settings:
CLOUD_SYNC_PATH
Running an Unscheduled Cloud Sync Task
Saved tasks activate according to their schedule or you can use the Run Now option the Cloud Sync Task widget. To run the sync task before the saved schedule for the task, click on the cloud sync task to open the edit configuration screen for that task.
If not already cleared, select Enable below the Schedule field to clear the checkbox, and then click Save.
On the Cloud Sync Task widget, click the Run Nowplay_arrow button.
An in-progress cloud sync must finish before another can begin.
Stopping an in-progress task cancels the file transfer and requires starting the file transfer over.
To view logs about a running task, or its most recent run, click State.
Using Cloud Sync Task Restore
To create a new cloud sync task that uses the same options but reverses the data transfer, select history for an existing cloud sync on the Data Protection page. The Restore Cloud Sync Task window opens.
Enter a name in Description for this reversed task.
Select the Transfer Mode and then define the path for a storage location on TrueNAS scale for the transferred data.
Click Restore.
TrueNAS saves the restored cloud sync as another entry in Data protection > Cloud Sync Tasks.
If you set the restore destination to the source dataset, TrueNAS may alter ownership of the restored files to root. If root did not create the original files and you need them to have a different owner, you can recursively reset their ACL permissions through the GUI or run chown from the CLI.
Provides instructions on adding Google Drive cloud credentials using the Add Cloud Credentials and Add Cloud Sync Task screens. It also provides information on working with Google-created content.
Google Drive and G Suite are widely used tools for creating and sharing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with team members.
While cloud-based tools have inherent backups and replications included by the cloud provider, certain users might require additional backup or archive capabilities.
For example, companies using G Suite for important work might be required to keep records for years, potentially beyond the scope of the G Suite subscription.
TrueNAS offers the ability to easily back up Google Drive by using the built-in cloud sync.
Setting up Google Drive Credentials
You can add Google Drive credentials using the Add Cloud Credentials screen accessed from the Credentials > Backup Credentials > Cloud Credentials screen, or you can add them when you create a cloud sync task using the Add Cloud Sync Task screen accessed from the Data Protection > Cloud Sycn Task screen.
Adding Google Drive Credentials Using Cloud Credentials
To set up a cloud credential, go to Credentials > Backup Credentials and click Add in the Cloud Credentials widget.
Enter a credential name.
Select Google Drive on the Provider dropdown list. The Google Drive authentication settings display on the screen.
Enter the Google Drive authentication settings.
a. Click Log In To Provider. The Google Authentication window opens.
b. Click Proceed to open the Choose an Account window.
c. Select the email account to use. Google displays the Sign In window. Enter the password and click Next to enter the password. Click Next again.
Google might display a Verify it’s you window. Enter a phone number where Google can text an verification code, or you can click Try another way.
d. Click Allow on the TrueNAS wants to access your Google Account window. TrueNAS populates Access Token with the token Google provides.
Click Verify Credentials and wait for TrueNAS to display the verification dialog with verified status. Close the dialog.
Click Save.
The Cloud Credentials widget displays the new credentials. These are also available for cloud sync tasks to use.
Adding A Google Drive Cloud Sync Task
You must add the cloud credential on the Backup Credentials screen before you create the cloud sync task.
To add a cloud sync task, go to Data Protection > Cloud Sync Tasks and click Add. The Add Cloud Sync Task configuration screen opens.
(Required) Type a memorable task description in Description. For example, googledrivepush to represent the provider name and transfer direction.
Select your Google Drive credential on the Credential dropdown list to add a new backup credential.
Select the direction for the sync task.
PULL brings files from the cloud storage provider to the location specified in Directory/Files (this is the location on TrueNAS SCALE).
PUSH sends files from the location in Directory/Files to the cloud storage provider location you specify in Folder.
Select the transfer method from the Transfer Mode dropdown list.
Sync keeps files identical on both TrueNAS SCALE and the remote cloud provider server. If the sync encounters an error, destination server files are not deleted.
Copy duplicates files on both the TrueNAS SCALE and remote cloud provider server.
Move transfer the files to the destination server and then deleted the copy on server that transferred the files. It also overwrites files with the same names on the destination.
Enter or browse to the dataset or folder directory using the arrow_right arrow to the left of folder/ under the Directory/Files and Folder fields.
Select the TrueNAS SCALE dataset path in Directory/Files and the Google Drive path in Folder.
If PUSH is the selected Direction, this is where on TrueNAS SCALE the files you want to copy, sync or move transfer to the provider.
If Direction is set to PULL this is the location where on TrueNAS SCALE you want to copy, sync or move files to.
Click the arrow_right to the left of folder/ to collapse the folder tree.
Select the preset from the Schedule dropdown that defines when the task runs.
For a specific schedule, select Custom and use the Advanced Scheduler.
Clear the Enable checkbox to make the configuration available without allowing the specified schedule to run the task.
To manually activate a saved task, go to Data Protection > Cloud Sync Tasks, click for the cloud sync task you want to run. Click CONTINUE or CANCEL for the Run Now operation.
(Optional) Set any advanced option you want or need for your use case or define environment variables in either the Pre-script or Post-script fields.
These fields are for advanced users.
Click Dry Run to test your settings before you click Save.
TrueNAS connects to the cloud storage provider and simulates a file transfer but does not send or receive data.
The new cloud sync task displays on the Cloud Sync Tasks widget with the status of PENDING until it completes.
If the task completes without issue the status becomes SUCCESS.
See Using Scripting and Environment Variables for more information on environment variables.
Working with Google Created Content
One caveat is that Google Docs and other files created with Google tools have their own proprietary set of permissions and their read/write characteristics unknown to the system over a standard file share. Files are unreadable as a result.
To allow Google-created files to become readable, allow link sharing to access the files before the backup. Doing so ensures that other users can open the files with read access, make changes, and then save them as another file if further edits are needed. Note that this is only necessary if the file was created using Google Docs, Google Sheets, or Google Slides; other files should not require modification of their share settings.
TrueNAS is perfect for storing content, including cloud-based content, for the long term. Not only is it simple to sync and backup from the cloud, but users can rest assured that their data is safe, with snapshots, copy-on-write, and built-in replication functionality.
5.2.3 - Adding a Storj Cloud Sync Task
Provides instructions on how to set up a Storj cloud sync task and how to configure a Storj-TrueNAS account to work with SCALE cloud credentials and cloud sync tasks.
TrueNAS can send, receive, or synchronize data with the cloud storage provider Storj.
Cloud sync tasks allow for single-time transfers or recurring transfers on a schedule. They are an effective method to back up data to a remote location.
To take advantage of the lower-cost benefits of the Storj-TrueNAS cloud service, you must create your Storj account using the link provided on the Add Cloud Credentials screen.
You must also create and authorize the storage buckets on Storj for use by SCALE.
iXsystems is not responsible for any charges incurred from using a third-party vendor with the cloud sync feature.
This procedure provides instructions to set up both Storj and SCALE.
TrueNAS supports major providers like Amazon S3, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. It also supports many other vendors. To see the full list of supported vendors, go to Credentials > Backup Credentials > Cloud Credentials click Add and open the Provider dropdown list.
Cloud Sync Task Requirements
You must have all system storage (pool and datasets or zvols) configured and ready to receive or send data.
Creating a Storj Cloud Sync Task
To create your cloud sync task for a Storj-TrueNAS transfer you:
Adding the cloud credential in SCALE includes using the link to go create the Storj-TrueNAS account, create a new bucket and obtain the S3 authentication credentials you need to complete the process in SCALE.
In this section you add your cloud service credentials in SCALE and in Storj. This process includes going to Storj to create a new Storj-TrueNAS account and returning to SCALE to enter the S3 credentials provided by Storj for this credential.
Go to Credentials > Backup Credentials and click Add on the Cloud Credentials widget.
The Add Cloud Credential screen opens with Storj displayed as the default provider in the Provider field.
Enter a descriptive name you want to identify this credential in the Name field.
Click Signup for account to create your Stor-TrueNAS account. This opens the Storj new account screen for TrueNAS.
You must use this link to create your Storj account to take advantage of the benefits of the Storj-TrueNAS pricing!
Enter the authentication information provided but Storj in the Acces Key ID and Secret Access Key fields.
Click Verify Credentials, and wait for the system to verify the credentials.
Click Save.
After completing this configuration form, you can set up the cloud sync task.
Creating the Storj-TrueNAS SCALE Account
Click Signup for account on the Add Cloud Credential screen. The Storj Sign In website opens.
Enter your information in the fields, select the I agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, then click Create an Ix-Storj Account.
Adding the Storj-TrueNAS Bucket
Now add the storage bucket to use in your Storj-TrueNAS account and to add in the SCALE cloud sync task.
From the Storj main dashboard:
Click Buckets on the navigation panel on the left side of the screen to open the Buckets screen.
Click New Bucket to open the Create a bucket window.
Enter a name in Bucket Name using lower case alphanumeric characters, with no spaces between characters, then click Continue to open the Encrypt your bucket window.
Select the encryption option you want to use. Select Generate passphrase to let Storj provide the encryption or select Enter Passphrase to enter your own.
If you already have a Storj account and want to use the same passphrase for your new bucket, select Enter Passphrase.
If you select Generate a passphrase Storj presents you with the option to download the encryption keys.
You must keep encryption keys stored in a safe place, and where you can back up the file.
Select I understand, and I have saved the passphrase then click Download.
Click Continue to complete the process and open the Buckets screen with your new bucket.
Setting up S3 Access to the Bucket
After creating your bucket, add S3 access for the new bucket(s) you want to use in your Storj-TrueNAS account and use in the SCALE cloud sync task.
Click Access to open the** Access Management** dashboard, then click Create S3 Credentials on the middle S3 credentials widget.
The Create Access window opens with Type set to S3 Credentials.
Enter the name you want to use for this credential. Our example uses the name of the bucket we created.
Select the permissions you want to allow this access from the Permissions dropdown and select the bucket you want to have access to this credential from the dropdown list.
The example selects All for Permissions and selected the one bucket we created ixstorj1.
If you want to use the SCALE option to add new buckets in SCALE, set Storj Permissions to All and Buckets to All.
Select Add Date (optional) if you want to set the duration or length of time you want to allow this credential to exist.
This example set this to Forever. You can select a preset period of time or use the calendar to set the duration.
Click Encrypt My Access to open the Encryption Information dialog, then click Continue to open theSelect Encryption options window.
Select the encryption option you want to use.
Select Generate Passphrase to allow Storj to provide the encryption passphrase, or select Create My Own Passphrase to enter a passphrase of your choice.
Use Copy to Clipboard or Download.txt to obtain the Storj generated passphrase. Keep this passphrase along with the access keys in a safe place where you can back up the file.
If you lose your passphrase neither Storj or iXsystems can help you recover your stored data!
7 . Click Create my Access to obtain the access and secret keys. Use Download.txt to save these keys to a text file.
This completes the process of setting up your Storj buckets and S3 access. Enter these keys in the Authentication fields in TrueNAS SCALE on the Add Cloud Credential screen to complete setting up the SCALE cloud credential.
Setting Up the Storj Cloud Sync Task
To add the Storj cloud sync task, go to Data Protection > Cloud Sync Tasks:
Click Add to open the Add Cloud Sync Task screen.
(Required) Type a memorable task description in Description. You can use the the name of the Storj-TrueNAS bucket or credential you created as the name of the cloud sync task.
Select the Storj credential you just created from the Credential dropdown list.
Set the Direction and Transfer Mode you want to use.
Browse to the dataset or zvol you want to use on SCALE for data storage.
Select the bucket you just created in Storj from the Bucket dropdown list.
If you set the Storj S3 access to only apply to the new bucket created in Storj, you can only use that bucket, selecting Add New results in an error.
If you set the Storj S3 Bucket access to All you can either select the new bucket you created in Storj or Add New to create a new Storj bucket here in SCALE!
Set the task schedule when you want this task to run.
Click Save.
The task is added to the Cloud Sync Task widget with the Pending status until the task runs on schedule.
You can click Dry Run to test the task or Run Now to run the task now and apart from the scheduled time.
Provides instructions on how to set up Google Photos API credentials and use them to create a cloud sync task.
Google Photos works best in TrueNAS using a Google Photos API key and rclone token.
Creating the API Credentials
On the Google API dashboard, click the dropdown menu next to the Google Cloud logo and select your project. If you do not have a project, click NEW PROJECT and enter a value in Project name, Organization, and Location.
Enter a name for the new remote, then enter the number from the list corresponding to Google Photos.
Enter the client id and secret you saved when you created the Google Photos API credentials, then enter false to keep the Google Photos backend read-only.
(Required) Type a memorable task description in Description.
Select an existing backup credential from the Credential dropdown list.
If you have not added the cloud credential, click Manage Credentials to open the Backup Credentials screen.
Select the option from Direction and in Transfer Mode.
Select the location where to pull from or push data to in the Folder field. A Bucket field also displays for some cloud providers.
Select the dataset location in Directory/Files.
Cloud provider settings change based on the credential you select. Select or enter the required settings that include where files are stored.
Select the time from the Schedule options.
Click Save to add the task.
You can use Dry Run to test your configuration before you click Save or select the option on the Cloud Sync Task widget after you click Save.
5.3 - Configuring Rsync Tasks
Provides instructions on adding rsync tasks using either of two methods, one using an rsync module created in TrueNAS and the other using an SSH connection.
You often need to copy data to another system for backup or when migrating to a new system.
A fast and secure way of doing this is by using rsync with SSH.
Rsync Basic Requirements
For a remote sync (rsync) task to work you need to first:
When the Rsync Mode is SSH, go to System Settings > Services and enable SSH.
Create an SSH connection in Credentials > Backup Credentials > SSH Connections.
When the Rsync Mode is Module, record the host and path to the data on the remote system you plan to sync with.
When the remote system is another TrueNAS, set the Rsync Mode to SSH, verify the SSH service is active on both systems, and ensure SSH keys are exchanged between systems.
When the remote system is not TrueNAS, make sure that system has the rsync service activated and permissions configured for the user account name that TrueNAS will use to run the rsync task.
Rsync provides the ability to either push or pull data.
The Push direction copies data from TrueNAS to a remote system.
The Pull function moves or copies data from a remote system and stores it in the defined Path on the TrueNAS host system.
Creating an Rsync Task
Go to Data Protection > Rsync Tasks and click Add to open the Add Rsync Task configuration screen.
Enter or use the arrow_right to the left of folder/mnt to browse to the path to copy.
Begin typing the user into the User field or select the user from the dropdown list.
The user must have permissions to run an rsync on the remote server.
Select the direction. Select Pull to copy from the remote server to TrueNAS, or Push to copy from TrueNAS to the remote server.
Enter the remote host name or IP in Remote Host.
You need to have the remote server rsync service configured and turned on.
Select the connection mode from the Rsync Mode dropdown. Each mode option displays settings for the selected type.
You need to have either a rsync module configured in a remote rsync server or an SSH connection for the remote server already configured.
Set the schedule for when to run this task, and any other options you want to use.
If you need a custom schedule, select Custom to open the advanced scheduler window.
Choosing a Presets option populates in the rest of the fields.
To customize a schedule, enter crontab values for the Minutes/Hours/Days.
These fields accept standard cron values.
The simplest option is to enter a single number in the field.
The task runs when the time value matches that number.
For example, entering 10 means that the job runs when the time is ten minutes past the hour.
An asterisk (*) means match all values.
You can set specific time ranges by entering hyphenated number values.
For example, entering 30-35 in the Minutes field sets the task to run at minutes 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35.
You can also enter lists of values.
Enter individual values separated by a comma (,).
For example, entering 1,14 in the Hours field means the task runs at 1:00 AM (0100) and 2:00 PM (1400).
A slash (/) designates a step value.
For example, entering * in Days runs the task every day of the month. Entering */2 runs it every other day.
Combining the above examples creates a schedule running a task each minute from 1:30-1:35 AM and 2:30-2:35 PM every other day.
TrueNAS has an option to select which Months the task runs.
Leaving each month unset is the same as selecting every month.
The Days of Week schedules the task to run on specific days in addition to any listed days.
For example, entering 1 in Days and setting Wed for Days of Week creates a schedule that starts a task on the first day of the month and every Wednesday of the month.
The Schedule Preview displays when the current settings mean the task runs.
Examples of CRON syntax
Syntax
Meaning
Examples
*
Every item.
* (minutes) = every minute of the hour. * (days) = every day.
*/N
Every Nth item.
*/15 (minutes) = every 15th minute of the hour. */3 (days) = every 3rd day. */3 (months) = every 3rd month.
Comma and hyphen/dash
Each stated item (comma) Each item in a range (hyphen/dash).
1,31 (minutes) = on the 1st and 31st minute of the hour. 1-3,31 (minutes) = on the 1st to 3rd minutes inclusive, and the 31st minute, of the hour. mon-fri (days) = every Monday to Friday inclusive (every weekday). mar,jun,sep,dec (months) = every March, June, September, December.
You can specify days of the month or days of the week.
TrueNAS lets users create flexible schedules using the available options. The table below has some examples:
Desired schedule
Values to enter
3 times a day (at midnight, 08:00 and 16:00)
months=*; days=*; hours=0/8 or 0,8,16; minutes=0 (Meaning: every day of every month, when hours=0/8/16 and minutes=0)
Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday, at 8.30 pm
months=*; days=mon,wed,fri; hours=20; minutes=30
1st and 15th day of the month, during October to June, at 00:01 am
Every 15 minutes during the working week, which is 8am - 7pm (08:00 - 19:00) Monday to Friday
Note that this requires two tasks to achieve: (1) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=8-18; minutes=*/15 (2) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=19; minutes=0 We need the second scheduled item, to execute at 19:00, otherwise we would stop at 18:45. Another workaround would be to stop at 18:45 or 19:45 rather than 19:00.
Clear the Enabled checkbox to disable the task schedule without deleting the configuration.
You can still run the rsync task by going to Data Protection > Rsync Tasks and clicking then the Run Nowplay_arrow icon.
Click Save.
Creating an Rsync Task Using SSH Mode (Recommended)
First, enable SSH and establish a connection to the remote server.
Enable SSH on the remote system.
Enable SSH in TrueNAS.
Go to System > Services and toggle SSH on.
Set up an SSH connection to the remote server. You can do this in Credentials > Backup Credentials using SSH Connections and SSH Keypairs, or using System Settings > Shell to access the TrueNAS CLI and the system keychain_credential and service ssh commands.
To use the UI, see Adding SSH connections.
Populate the SSH Connections configuration fields as follows:
Semi-Automatic (TrueNAS to TrueNAS)
Select Semi-automatic as the Setup Method.
Enter the remote TrueNAS URL.
Fill in the remaining credentials for this TrueNAS to authenticate to the remote TrueNAS and exchange SSH keys.
Select Private Key to Generate New.
Enter a number of seconds for TrueNAS to attempt the connection before timing out and closing the connection.
Manual (TrueNAS to Non-TrueNAS)
Enter the remote Host name, Port, and Username.
With these fields properly configured, click Discover Remote Host Key to connect to the remote system and automatically populate the Remote Host Key.
Enter a number of seconds for TrueNAS to attempt the connection before timing out and closing the connection.
After establishing the SSH connection, add the rsync task.
Go to Data Protection > Rsync Tasks and click Add to open the Add Rsync Task configuration screen.
Enter the required information as described in Creating an Rsync Task above.
Select a User account that matches the SSH connection Username entry in the SSH Connections you set up.
Choose a Direction for the rsync task as either Push or Pull and then define the task Schedule.
Provide a Description for the rsync task.
Select SSH in Rsync Mode.
The SSH settings fields display.
Choose a connection method from the Connect using dropdown list.
For SSH private key stored in user’s home directory, enter the IP address or hostname of the remote system in Remote Host.
Use the format username@remote_host if the username differs on the remote host.
Enter the SSH Port of the remote system in Remote SSH Port. By default, 22 is reserved in TrueNAS.
For SSH connection from the keychain, the following fields display, select an existing SSH connection to a remote system or choose Create New to create a new SSH connection.
Enter a full path to a location on the remote server where you either copy information from or to in Remote Path.
Maximum path length is 255 characters.
Set Validate Remote Path when the remote path location does not exist to create and define it in Remote Path.
Select the schedule to use and configure the remaining options according to your specific needs.
Click Save.
Creating an Rsync Task Using Module Mode
Before you create an rsync task on the host system, you must create a module on the remote system.
You must define at least one module in rsyncd.conf(5) of the rsync server.
The Rsync Daemon application is available in situations where configuring TrueNAS as an rsync server with an rsync module is necessary.
When the rsync server is configured, go to Data Protection > Rsync Tasks, and click Add to open the Add Rsync Task configuration screen.
Enter the required information as described in Creating an Rsync Task above.
Select the direction for the rsync task.
Next, enter the Remote Host IP address or hostname.
Use the format username@remote_host when the username differs from the host entered into the Remote Host field.
Now select Module from the Rsync Mode dropdown list, and then enter either the remote system host name or IP address exactly as it appears on the remote system in Remote Module Name.
Select the schedule to use and configure the remaining options according to your specific needs.
Provides instructions on creating periodic snapshot tasks in TrueNAS SCALE.
Periodic snapshot tasks allow you to schedule creating read-only versions of pools and datasets at a given point in time. You can also access VMWare snapshot integration and TrueNAS SCALE storage snapshots from the Periodic Snapshot Tasks widget.
Snapshots do not make not copies of the data so creating one is quick and if little data changed, they take very little space.
It is common to take frequent snapshots as soon as every 15 minutes, even for large and active pools.
A snapshot where no files changed takes no storage space, but as files changes happen, the snapshot size changes to reflect the size of the changes.
In the same way as all pool data, after deleting the last reference to the data you recover the space.
Snapshots keep a history of files, providing a way to recover an older copy or even a deleted file.
For this reason, many administrators take snapshots often, store them for a period of time, and store them on another system, typically using the Replication Tasks function.
Such a strategy allows the administrator to roll the system back to a specific point in time.
If there is a catastrophic loss, an off-site snapshot can restore data up to the time of the last snapshot.
Creating a Periodic Snapshot Task
Create the required datasets or zvols before creating a snapshot task.
Go to Data Protection > Periodic Snapshot Tasks and click Add.
First, choose the dataset (or zvol) to schedule as a regular backup with snapshots, and how long to store the snapshots.
Next, define the task Schedule.
If you need a specific schedule, choose Custom and use the Advanced Scheduler section below.
Configure the remaining options for your use case.
For help with naming schema and lifetime settings refer to the sections below.
Click Save to save this task and add it to the list in Data Protection > Periodic Snapshot Tasks.
You can find any snapshots taken using this task in Storage > Snapshots.
To check the log for a saved snapshot schedule, go to Data Protection > Periodic Snapshot Tasks and click on the task. The Edit Periodic Snapshot Tasks screen displays where you can modify any settings for the task.
Using the Advanced Scheduler
Choosing a Presets option populates in the rest of the fields.
To customize a schedule, enter crontab values for the Minutes/Hours/Days.
These fields accept standard cron values.
The simplest option is to enter a single number in the field.
The task runs when the time value matches that number.
For example, entering 10 means that the job runs when the time is ten minutes past the hour.
An asterisk (*) means match all values.
You can set specific time ranges by entering hyphenated number values.
For example, entering 30-35 in the Minutes field sets the task to run at minutes 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35.
You can also enter lists of values.
Enter individual values separated by a comma (,).
For example, entering 1,14 in the Hours field means the task runs at 1:00 AM (0100) and 2:00 PM (1400).
A slash (/) designates a step value.
For example, entering * in Days runs the task every day of the month. Entering */2 runs it every other day.
Combining the above examples creates a schedule running a task each minute from 1:30-1:35 AM and 2:30-2:35 PM every other day.
TrueNAS has an option to select which Months the task runs.
Leaving each month unset is the same as selecting every month.
The Days of Week schedules the task to run on specific days in addition to any listed days.
For example, entering 1 in Days and setting Wed for Days of Week creates a schedule that starts a task on the first day of the month and every Wednesday of the month.
The Schedule Preview displays when the current settings mean the task runs.
Examples of CRON syntax
Syntax
Meaning
Examples
*
Every item.
* (minutes) = every minute of the hour. * (days) = every day.
*/N
Every Nth item.
*/15 (minutes) = every 15th minute of the hour. */3 (days) = every 3rd day. */3 (months) = every 3rd month.
Comma and hyphen/dash
Each stated item (comma) Each item in a range (hyphen/dash).
1,31 (minutes) = on the 1st and 31st minute of the hour. 1-3,31 (minutes) = on the 1st to 3rd minutes inclusive, and the 31st minute, of the hour. mon-fri (days) = every Monday to Friday inclusive (every weekday). mar,jun,sep,dec (months) = every March, June, September, December.
You can specify days of the month or days of the week.
TrueNAS lets users create flexible schedules using the available options. The table below has some examples:
Desired schedule
Values to enter
3 times a day (at midnight, 08:00 and 16:00)
months=*; days=*; hours=0/8 or 0,8,16; minutes=0 (Meaning: every day of every month, when hours=0/8/16 and minutes=0)
Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday, at 8.30 pm
months=*; days=mon,wed,fri; hours=20; minutes=30
1st and 15th day of the month, during October to June, at 00:01 am
Every 15 minutes during the working week, which is 8am - 7pm (08:00 - 19:00) Monday to Friday
Note that this requires two tasks to achieve: (1) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=8-18; minutes=*/15 (2) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=19; minutes=0 We need the second scheduled item, to execute at 19:00, otherwise we would stop at 18:45. Another workaround would be to stop at 18:45 or 19:45 rather than 19:00.
Using Naming Schemas
The Naming Schema determines how automated snapshot names generate.
A valid schema requires the %Y (year), %m (month), %d (day), %H (hour), and %M (minute) time strings, but you can add more identifiers to the schema too, using any identifiers from the Python strptime function.
For Periodic Snapshot Tasks used to set up a replication task with the Replication Task function:
You can use custom naming schema for full backup replication tasks. If you are going to use the snapshot for an incremental replication task, use the default naming schema.
This uses some letters differently from POSIX (Unix) time functions.
For example, including %z (time zone) ensures that snapshots do not have naming conflicts when daylight time starts and ends, and %S (second) adds finer time granularity.
When referencing snapshots from a Windows computer, avoid using characters like colon (:) that are invalid in a Windows file path.
Some applications limit filename or path length, and there might be limitations related to spaces and other characters.
Always consider future uses and ensure the name given to a periodic snapshot is acceptable.
Setting Snapshot Lifetimes
TrueNAS deletes snapshots when they reach the end of their life and preserves snapshots when at least one periodic task requires it.
For example, you have two schedules created where one schedule takes a snapshot every hour and keeps them for a week, and the other takes a snapshot every day and keeps them for 3 years.
Each has an hourly snapshot taken.
After a week, snapshots created at 01.00 through 23.00 get deleted, but you keep snapshots timed at 00.00 because they are necessary for the second periodic task.
These snapshots get destroyed at the end of 3 years.
Provides instructions for creating ZFS snapshots when using TrueNAS as a VMWare datastore.
You must power on virtual machines for TrueNAS to copy snapshots to VMware.
The temporary VMware snapshots deleted on the VMware side still exist in the ZFS snapshot and are available as stable restore points.
These coordinated snapshots go in the VMware Snapshots list.
Use this procedure to create ZFS snapshots when using TrueNAS SCALE as a VMWare datastore. VMware Snapshots coordinate ZFS snapshots when using TrueNAS as a VMware datastore.
When creating a ZFS snapshot, TrueNAS SCALE automatically takes a snapshot of any running VMWare virtual machine before taking a scheduled or manual ZFS snapshot of the data or zvol backing that VMWare datastore.
You must have a paid edition of VMWare ESXi to use the TrueNAS SCALE VMWare Snapshots feature.
If you try to use them with the free-edition of VMware ESXi, you see this error message: “Error, Can’t create snapshot, current license or ESXi version prohibits execution of the requested operation.”
ESXi free has a locked (read-only) API that prevents using TrueNAS SCALE VMWare Snapshots.
The cheapest ESXi edition that is compatible with TrueNAS VMware Snapshots is VMWare vSphere Essentials Kit.
Creating a VMWare Snapshot
Go to Data Protection and click the VMware Snapshot Integration button in the Periodic Snapshot Tasks widget.
You must follow the exact sequence to add the VMware snapshot or the ZFS Filesystem and Datastore fields do not populate with options available on your system.
If you click in ZFS Filestore* or Datastores before you click Fetch Datastores the creation process fails, the two fields do not populate with the information from the VMWare host and you must exit the add form or click Cancel and start again.
Enter the IP address or host name for your VMWare system in Hostname.
Enter the user on the VMware host with permission to snapshot virtual machine for VMWare in Username and the the password for that account in Password.
Click Fetch Datastores. This connects TrueNAS SCALE to the VMWare host and populates the ZFS Filesystem and Datastore dropdown fields with the host response.
Select the file system from the ZFS Filesystem dropdown list of options.
Select the datastore from the Datastore dropdown list of options.
Click Save.
Copying TrueNAS SCALE Snapshots to VMWare
You must power on virtual machines before you can copy TrueNAS SCALE snapshots to VMWare.
The temporary VMWare snapshots deleted on the VMWare side still exist in the ZFS snapshot and are available as stable restore points.
These coordinated snapshots go on the list found by clicking VMware Snapshot Integration in the Data Protection > Periodic SnapShot Tasks widget.
Provides instructions on running S.M.A.R.T. tests manually or automatically, using Shell to view the list of tests, and configuring the S.M.A.R.T. test service.
S.M.A.R.T. or Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology is a standard for disk monitoring and testing.
You can monitor disks for problems using different kinds of self-tests.
TrueNAS can adjust when it issues S.M.A.R.T. alerts.
When S.M.A.R.T. monitoring reports a disk issue, we recommend you replace that disk.
Most modern ATA, IDE, and SCSI-3 hard drives support S.M.A.R.T.
Refer to your respective drive documentation for confirmation.
TrueNAS runs S.M.A.R.T. tests on disks.
Running tests can reduce drive performance, so we recommend scheduling tests when the system is in a low-usage state.
Avoid scheduling disk-intensive tests at the same time!
For example, do not schedule S.M.A.R.T. tests on the same day as a disk scrub or other data protection task.
Go to Storage, then click Disks button. Select disks to be examined using the checkbox at left. Click the expand_more to the right of the disk row to expand it.
Enable S.M.A.R.T. shows as true or false.
To enable or disable testing, click EDIT and find the Enable S.M.A.R.T. option.
Running a Manual S.M.A.R.T. Test
To test one or more disk for errors, go to Storage and click the Disks button.
Select the disks you want to test using the checkboxes to the left of the disk names. Selecting multiple disks displays the Batch Operations options.
Click Manual Test. The Manual S.M.A.R.T. Test dialog displays.
Manual S.M.A.R.T. tests on NVMe devices is currently not supported.
Next, select the test type from the Type dropdown and then click Start.
Test types differ based on the drive connection, ATA or SCSI.
Test duration varies based on the test type you chose.
TrueNAS generates alerts when tests discover issues.
ATA Drive Connection Test Types
The ATA drive connection test type options are:
Long runs a S.M.A.R.T. Extended Self Test that scans the entire disk surface, which may take hours on large-volume disks.
Short runs a basic S.M.A.R.T. Short Self Test (usually under ten minutes) that varies by manufacturer.
Conveyance runs a S.M.A.R.T. Conveyance Self Test (usually only minutes) that identifies damage incurred while transporting the device.
Offline runs a S.M.A.R.T. Immediate Offline Test that updates the S.M.A.R.T. Attribute values. Errors will appear in the S.M.A.R.T. error log.
SCSI Drive Connection Test Type
Long runs the “Background long” self-test.
Short runs the “Background short” self-test.
Offline runs the default self-test in the foreground, but doesn’t place an entry in the self-test log.
Click the expand_more in a disk’s row to expand it, then click S.M.A.R.T. TEST RESULTS.
You can also see results in the Shell using smartctl and the name of the drive: smartctl -l selftest /dev/ada0.
Running Automatic S.M.A.R.T. Tests
To schedule recurring S.M.A.R.T. tests, go to Data Protection and click ADD in the S.M.A.R.T. Tests widget.
Select the disks to test from the Disks dropdown list, and then select the test type to run from the Type dropdown list.
Next select a preset from the Schedule dropdown. To create a custom schedule select Custom to open the advanced scheduler window where you can define the schedule parameters you want to use.
Choosing a Presets option populates in the rest of the fields.
To customize a schedule, enter crontab values for the Minutes/Hours/Days.
These fields accept standard cron values.
The simplest option is to enter a single number in the field.
The task runs when the time value matches that number.
For example, entering 10 means that the job runs when the time is ten minutes past the hour.
An asterisk (*) means match all values.
You can set specific time ranges by entering hyphenated number values.
For example, entering 30-35 in the Minutes field sets the task to run at minutes 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35.
You can also enter lists of values.
Enter individual values separated by a comma (,).
For example, entering 1,14 in the Hours field means the task runs at 1:00 AM (0100) and 2:00 PM (1400).
A slash (/) designates a step value.
For example, entering * in Days runs the task every day of the month. Entering */2 runs it every other day.
Combining the above examples creates a schedule running a task each minute from 1:30-1:35 AM and 2:30-2:35 PM every other day.
TrueNAS has an option to select which Months the task runs.
Leaving each month unset is the same as selecting every month.
The Days of Week schedules the task to run on specific days in addition to any listed days.
For example, entering 1 in Days and setting Wed for Days of Week creates a schedule that starts a task on the first day of the month and every Wednesday of the month.
The Schedule Preview displays when the current settings mean the task runs.
Examples of CRON syntax
Syntax
Meaning
Examples
*
Every item.
* (minutes) = every minute of the hour. * (days) = every day.
*/N
Every Nth item.
*/15 (minutes) = every 15th minute of the hour. */3 (days) = every 3rd day. */3 (months) = every 3rd month.
Comma and hyphen/dash
Each stated item (comma) Each item in a range (hyphen/dash).
1,31 (minutes) = on the 1st and 31st minute of the hour. 1-3,31 (minutes) = on the 1st to 3rd minutes inclusive, and the 31st minute, of the hour. mon-fri (days) = every Monday to Friday inclusive (every weekday). mar,jun,sep,dec (months) = every March, June, September, December.
You can specify days of the month or days of the week.
TrueNAS lets users create flexible schedules using the available options. The table below has some examples:
Desired schedule
Values to enter
3 times a day (at midnight, 08:00 and 16:00)
months=*; days=*; hours=0/8 or 0,8,16; minutes=0 (Meaning: every day of every month, when hours=0/8/16 and minutes=0)
Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday, at 8.30 pm
months=*; days=mon,wed,fri; hours=20; minutes=30
1st and 15th day of the month, during October to June, at 00:01 am
Every 15 minutes during the working week, which is 8am - 7pm (08:00 - 19:00) Monday to Friday
Note that this requires two tasks to achieve: (1) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=8-18; minutes=*/15 (2) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=19; minutes=0 We need the second scheduled item, to execute at 19:00, otherwise we would stop at 18:45. Another workaround would be to stop at 18:45 or 19:45 rather than 19:00.
Saved schedules appear in the S.M.A.R.T. Tests window.
S.M.A.R.T. tests can offline disks! Avoid scheduling S.M.A.R.T. tests simultaneously with scrub or other data protection tasks.
Start the S.M.A.R.T. service. Go to System Settings > Services and scroll down to the S.M.A.R.T. service. If not running, click the toggle to turn the service on. Select Start Automatically to have this service start after after the system reboots.
If you have not configured the S.M.A.R.T. service yet, while the service is stopped, click edit to open the service configuration form. See Services S.M.A.R.T. Screen for more information on service settings.
Click Save to save settings and return to the Services screen.
Disable the S.M.A.R.T. service when a RAID controller controls the disks.
The controller monitors S.M.A.R.T. separately and marks disks as a Predictive Failure on a test failure.
Using Shell to View Scheduled Tests
To verify the schedule is saved, you can open the shell and enter smartd -q showtests.
Tutorials for configuring ZFS snapshot replication tasks in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS SCALE replication allows users to create one-time or regularly scheduled snapshots of data stored in pools, datasets or zvols on their SCALE system as a way to back up stored data.
When properly configured and scheduled, replication takes regular snapshots of storage pools or datasets and saves them in the destination location either on the same system or a different system.
Local replication occurs on the same TrueNAS SCALE system using different pools or datasets.
Remote replication can occur between your TrueNAS SCALE system and another TrueNAS system, or with some other remote server you want to use to store your replicated data.
Local and remote replication can involve encrypted pools or datasets.
With the implementation of rootless login and the admin user, setting up replication tasks as an admin user has a few differences than with setting up replication tasks when logged in as root. Each of the tutorials in this section include these configuration differences.
The first snapshot taken for a task creates a full file system snapshot, and all subsequent snapshots taken for that task are incremental to capture differences occurring between the full and subsequent incremental snapshots.
Scheduling options allow users to run replication tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule.
Users also have the option to run a scheduled job on demand.
Setting Up Simple Replications
This section provides a simple overview of setting up a replication task regardless of the type of replication, local or remote.
It also covers the related steps to take prior to configuring a replication task.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system on the early release (22.12.1) you must have the admin user correctly configured with:
The Home Directory set to something other than /nonexistent
The admin user in the builtin_admin group
The admin user passwordless sudo permission enabled
Also verify the SSH service settings to make sure you have Root with Password, Log in as Admin with Password, and Allow Password Authentication selected to enable these capabilities.
Incorrect SSH service settings can impact the admin user ability to establish an SSH session during replication, and require you to obtain and paste a public SSH key into the admin user settings.
Set up the data storage for where you want to save replicated snapshots.
Make sure the admin user is correctly configured.
Create an SSH connection between the local SCALE system and the remote system for remote replication tasks. Local replication does not require an SSH connection.
You can do this from either Credentials > Backup Credentials > SSH Connection and clicking Add or from the Replication Task Wizard using the Generate New option in the settings for the remote system.
Go to Data Protection > Replication Tasks and click Add to open the Replication Task Wizard where you specify the settings for the replication task.
Setting options change based on the source selections. Replicating to or from a local source does not requires an SSH connection.
This completes the general process for all replication tasks.
Contents
Setting Up a Local Replication Task: Provides instructions on adding a replication task using different pools or datasets on the same TrueNAS system.
Provides instructions on adding a replication task using different pools or datasets on the same TrueNAS system.
Using Local Replication
A local replication creates a zfs snapshot and saves it to another location on the same TrueNAS SCALE system either using a different pool, or dataset or zvol.
This allows users with only one system to take quick data backups or snapshots of their data when they have only one system.
In this scenario, create a dataset on the same pool to store the replication snapshots. You can create and use a zvol for this purpose.
If configuring local replication on a system with more than one pool, create a dataset to use for the replicated snapshots on one of those pools.
While we recommend regularly scheduled replications to a remote location as the optimal backup scenario, this is useful when no remote backup locations are available, or when a disk is in immediate danger of failure.
Storage space you allocate to a zvol is only used by that volume, it does not get reallocated back to the total storage capacity of the pool or dataset where you create the zvol if it goes unused.
Plan your anticipated storage need before you create the zvol to avoid creating a zvol that exceeds your storage needs for this volume.
Do not assign capacity that exceeds what is required for SCALE to operate properly. For more information, see SCALE Hardware Guide for CPU, memory and storage capacity information.
With the implementation of rootless login and the admin user, setting up replication tasks as an admin user has a few differences over setting up replication tasks when logged in as root.
The first snapshot taken for a task creates a full file system snapshot, and all subsequent snapshots taken for that task are incremental to capture differences occurring between the full and subsequent incremental snapshots.
Scheduling options allow users to run replication tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule.
Users also have the option to run a scheduled job on demand.
Replication tasks require a periodic snapshot task.
The earlier releases of SCALE required creating a periodic snapshot task before the replication task, but SCALE 22.12 and newer automatically creates the snapshot task when a scheduled replication task starts.
To start a replication task using the Run Now option on the Replication Task widget or by selecting Run Once in the Replication Task Wizard, create a periodic snapshot task first.
Setting Up a Simple Replication Task Overview
This section provides a simple overview of setting up a replication task regardless of the type of replication, local or remote.
It also covers the related steps you should take prior to configuring a replication task.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system on the early release (22.12.1) you must have the admin user correctly configured with:
The Home Directory set to something other than /nonexistent
The admin user in the builtin_admin group
The admin user passwordless sudo permission enabled
Also verify the SSH service settings to make sure you have Root with Password, Log in as Admin with Password, and Allow Password Authentication selected to enable these capabilities.
Incorrect SSH service settings can impact the admin user ability to establish an SSH session during replication, and require you to obtain and paste a public SSH key into the admin user settings.
Set up the data storage for where you want to save replicated snapshots.
Make sure the admin user is correctly configured.
Create an SSH connection between the local SCALE system and the remote system for remote replication tasks. Local replication does not require an SSH connection.
You can do this from either Credentials > Backup Credentials > SSH Connection and clicking Add or from the Replication Task Wizard using the Generate New option in the settings for the remote system.
Go to Data Protection > Replication Tasks and click Add to open the Replication Task Wizard where you specify the settings for the replication task.
Setting options change based on the source selections. Replicating to or from a local source does not requires an SSH connection.
This completes the general process for all replication tasks.
Configuring a Local Replication Task
The replication wizard allows users to create and copy ZFS snapshots to another location on the same system.
If you have an existing replication task, you can select it on the Load Previous Replication Task dropdown list to load the configuration settings for that task into the wizard, and then make change such as assigning it a different destination, schedule, or retention lifetime, etc.
Saving changes to the configuration creates a new replication task without altering the task you loaded into the wizard.
Before you begin configuring the replication task, first verify the destination dataset you want to use to store the replication snapshots is free of existing snapshots, or that snapshots with critical data are backed up before you create the task.
To create a replication task:
Create the destination dataset or storage location you want to use to store the replication snapshots.
If using another TrueNAS SCALE system, create a dataset in one of your pools.
Verify the admin user home directory, auxiliary groups, and sudo setting on both the local and remote destination systems.
Local replication does not require an SSH connection so this only applies to replication to another system.
If using a TrueNAS CORE system as the remote server, the remote user is always root.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE system on an earlier release like Angelfish, the remote user is always root.
If using an earlier TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system (22.12.1) or you installed SCALE as the root user, then created the admin user after initial installation, you must verify the admin user is correctly configured.
a. Go to Credentials > Local User, click anywhere on the admin user row to expand it.
Scroll down to the Home Directory setting. If set to /home/admin, select Create Home Directory, then Click Save.
If set to /nonexistent, first create a dataset to use for home directories, like /tank/homedirs. Enter this in the Home Directory field, make sure this is not read only.
b. Select the sudo permission level you want the admin user to have. If you select Allow all sudo commands with no password you do not need to make changes.
If you select Allowed sudo commands with no password enter /var/sbin/zfs in the Allowed sudo commands field.
c. Click Save.
Go to Data Protection and click Add on the Replication Tasks widget to open the Replication Task Wizard. Configure the following settings:
a. Select On this System on the Source Location dropdown list.
Browse to the location of the pool or dataset you want to replicate and select it so it populates Source with the path.
Selecting Recursive replicates all snapshots contained within the selected source dataset snapshots.
b. Select On this System on the Destination Location dropdown list.
Browse to the location of the pool or dataset you want to use to store replicated snapshots and select to populate Destination with the path.
c. (Optional) Enter a name for the snapshot in Task Name.
SCALE populates this field with the default name using the source and destination paths separated by a hyphen, but this default can make locating the snapshot in destination dataset a challenge.
To make it easier to find the snapshot, give it name easy for you to identify. For example, a replicated task named dailyfull for a full file system snapshot taken daily.
Click Next to display the scheduling options.
Select the schedule and snapshot retention life time.
a. Select the Replication Schedule radio button you want to use. Select Run Once to set up a replication task you run one time.
Select Run On a Schedule then select when from the Schedule dropdown list.
b. Select the Destination Snapshot Lifetime radio button option you want to use.
This specifies how long SCALE should store copied snapshots in the destination dataset before SCALE deletes it.
Same as Source is selected by default. Select Never Delete to keep all snapshots until you delete them manually.
Select Custom to show two additional settings, then enter the number of the duration you select from the dropdown list. For example, 2 Weeks.
Click START REPLICATION.
A dialog displays if this is the first snapshot taken using the destination dataset.
If SCALE does not find a replicated snapshot in the destination dataset to use to create an incremental snapshot, it deletes any existing snapshots found and creates a full copy of the day snapshot to use as a basis for the future scheduled incremental snapshots for this schedule task.
This operation can delete important data, so ensure you can delete any existing snapshots or back them up in another location.
Click Confirm, then Continue to add the task to the Replication Task widget.
The newly added task shows the status as PENDING until it runs on the schedule you set.
Select Run Now if you want to run the task immediately.
To see a log for a task, click the task State to open a dialog with the log for that replication task.
To see the replication snapshots, go to Datasets, select the destination dataset on the tree table, then select Manage Snapshots on the Data Protection widget to see the list of snapshots in that dataset. Click Show extra columns to add more information columns to the table such as the date created which can help you locate a specific snapshot or enter part of or the full the name in the search field to narrow the list of snapshots.
Provides instructions on adding a replication task with a remote system.
Using Remote Replication
TrueNAS SCALE replication allows users to create one-time or regularly scheduled snapshots of data stored in pools, datasets or zvols on their SCALE system as a way to back up stored data.
When properly configured and scheduled, remote replication takes take regular snapshots of storage pools or datasets and saves them in the destination location on another system.
Remote replication can occur between your TrueNAS SCALE system and another TrueNAS system (SCALE or CORE) where you want to use to store your replicated snapshots.
With the implementation of rootless login and the admin user, setting up replication tasks as an admin user has a few differences than with setting up replication tasks when logged in as root. Setting up remote replication while logged in as the admin user requires selecting Use Sudo For ZFS Commands.
The first snapshot taken for a task creates a full file system snapshot, and all subsequent snapshots taken for that task are incremental to capture differences occurring between the full and subsequent incremental snapshots.
Scheduling options allow users to run replication tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule.
Users also have the option to run a scheduled job on demand.
Replication tasks require a periodic snapshot task.
The earlier releases of SCALE required creating a periodic snapshot task before the replication task, but SCALE 22.12 and newer automatically creates the snapshot task when a scheduled replication task starts.
To start a replication task using the Run Now option on the Replication Task widget or by selecting Run Once in the Replication Task Wizard, create a periodic snapshot task first.
Remote replication requires setting up an SSH connection in TrueNAS before creating a remote replication task.
Setting Up a Simple Replication Task Overview
This section provides a simple overview of setting up a replication task regardless of the type of replication, local or remote.
It also covers the related steps you should take prior to configuring a replication task.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system on the early release (22.12.1) you must have the admin user correctly configured with:
The Home Directory set to something other than /nonexistent
The admin user in the builtin_admin group
The admin user passwordless sudo permission enabled
Also verify the SSH service settings to make sure you have Root with Password, Log in as Admin with Password, and Allow Password Authentication selected to enable these capabilities.
Incorrect SSH service settings can impact the admin user ability to establish an SSH session during replication, and require you to obtain and paste a public SSH key into the admin user settings.
Set up the data storage for where you want to save replicated snapshots.
Make sure the admin user is correctly configured.
Create an SSH connection between the local SCALE system and the remote system for remote replication tasks. Local replication does not require an SSH connection.
You can do this from either Credentials > Backup Credentials > SSH Connection and clicking Add or from the Replication Task Wizard using the Generate New option in the settings for the remote system.
Go to Data Protection > Replication Tasks and click Add to open the Replication Task Wizard where you specify the settings for the replication task.
Setting options change based on the source selections. Replicating to or from a local source does not requires an SSH connection.
This completes the general process for all replication tasks.
Creating a Remote Replication Task
To streamline creating simple replication tasks use the Replication Task Wizard to create and copy ZFS snapshots to another system.
The wizard assists with creating a new SSH connection and automatically creates a periodic snapshot task for sources that have no existing snapshots.
If you have an existing replication task, you can select it on the Load Previous Replication Task dropdown list to load the configuration settings for that task into the wizard, and then make change such as assigning it a different destination, schedule, or retention lifetime, etc.
Saving changes to the configuration creates a new replication task without altering the task you loaded into the wizard.
This saves some time when creating multiple replication tasks between the same two systems.
Before you begin configuring the replication task, first verify the destination dataset you want to use to store the replication snapshots is free of existing snapshots, or that snapshots with critical data are backed up before you create the task.
To create a replication task:
Create the destination dataset or storage location you want to use to store the replication snapshots.
If using another TrueNAS SCALE system, create a dataset in one of your pools.
Verify the admin user home directory, auxiliary groups, and sudo setting on both the local and remote destination systems.
Local replication does not require an SSH connection so this only applies to replication to another system.
If using a TrueNAS CORE system as the remote server, the remote user is always root.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE system on an earlier release like Angelfish, the remote user is always root.
If using an earlier TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system (22.12.1) or you installed SCALE as the root user, then created the admin user after initial installation, you must verify the admin user is correctly configured.
a. Go to Credentials > Local User, click anywhere on the admin user row to expand it.
Scroll down to the Home Directory setting. If set to /home/admin, select Create Home Directory, then Click Save.
If set to /nonexistent, first create a dataset to use for home directories, like /tank/homedirs. Enter this in the Home Directory field, make sure this is not read only.
b. Select the sudo permission level you want the admin user to have. If you select Allow all sudo commands with no password you do not need to make changes.
If you select Allowed sudo commands with no password enter /var/sbin/zfs in the Allowed sudo commands field.
c. Click Save.
Go to Data Protection and click Add on the Replication Tasks widget to open the Replication Task Wizard. Configure the following settings:
a. Select either On this System or On a Different System on the Source Location dropdown list.
If your source is a remote system, select On a Different System. The Destination Location automatically changes to On this System. If your source is the local TrueNAS SCALE system, you must select On a Different System from the Destination Location dropdown list to do remote replication.
TrueNAS shows the number snapshots available for replication.
b. Select an existing SSH connection to the remote system, or select Create New to open the New SSH Connection configuration screen.
c. Browse to the source pool/dataset(s), then click on the dataset(s) to populate the Source with the path.
You can select multiple sources or manually type the names into the Source field.
Selecting Recursive replicates all snapshots contained within the selected source dataset snapshots.
d. Repeat to populate the Destination field.
You cannot use zvols as a remote replication destination. Add a name to the end of the path to create a new dataset in that location.
e. Select Use Sudo for ZFS Commands. Only displays when logged in as the admin user (or the name of the admin user).
This removes the need to issue the cli zfs allow command in Shell on the remote system.
When the dialog displays, click Use Sudo for ZFS Comands. If you close this dialog, select the option on the Add Replication Task wizard screen.
f. Select Replicate Custome Snapshots, then leave the default value in Naming Schema.
If you know how to enter the schema you want, enter it in Naming Schema.
Remote sources require entering a snapshot naming schema to identify the snapshots to replicate.
A naming schema is a pattern of naming custom snapshots you want to replicate.
Enter the name and strftime(3) %Y, %m, %d, %H, and %M strings that match the snapshots to include in the replication. Separate entries by pressing Enter. The number of snapshots matching the patterns display.
g. (Optional) Enter a name for the snapshot in Task Name.
SCALE populates this field with the default name using the source and destination paths separated by a hyphen, but this default can make locating the snapshot in destination dataset a challenge.
To make it easier to find the snapshot, give it name easy for you to identify. For example, a replicated task named dailyfull for a full file system snapshot taken daily.
Click Next to display the scheduling options.
Select the schedule and snapshot retention life time.
a. Select the Replication Schedule radio button you want to use. Select Run Once to set up a replication task you run one time.
Select Run On a Schedule then select when from the Schedule dropdown list.
b. Select the Destination Snapshot Lifetime radio button option you want to use.
This specifies how long SCALE should store copied snapshots in the destination dataset before SCALE deletes it.
Same as Source is selected by default. Select Never Delete to keep all snapshots until you delete them manually.
Select Custom to show two additional settings, then enter the number of the duration you select from the dropdown list. For example, 2 Weeks.
Click START REPLICATION.
A dialog displays if this is the first snapshot taken using the destination dataset.
If SCALE does not find a replicated snapshot in the destination dataset to use to create an incremental snapshot, it deletes any existing snapshots found and creates a full copy of the day snapshot to use as a basis for the future scheduled incremental snapshots for this schedule task.
This operation can delete important data, so ensure you can delete any existing snapshots or back them up in another location.
Click Confirm, then Continue to add the task to the Replication Task widget.
The newly added task shows the status as PENDING until it runs on the schedule you set.
Select Run Now if you want to run the task immediately.
To see a log for a task, click the task State to open a dialog with the log for that replication task.
To see the replication snapshots, go to Datasets, select the destination dataset on the tree table, then select Manage Snapshots on the Data Protection widget to see the list of snapshots in that dataset. Click Show extra columns to add more information columns to the table such as the date created which can help you locate a specific snapshot or enter part of or the full the name in the search field to narrow the list of snapshots.
Enter the administration user (i.e., root or admin) that logs into the remote system with the web UI in Admin Username.
Enter the password in Admin Password.
Enter the administration user (i.e., root or admin) for remote system SSH session.
If you clear root as the the user and type any other name the Enable passwordless sudo for ZFS commands option displays.
This option does nothing so leave it cleared.
Select Generate New from the Private Key dropdown list.
(Optional) Select a cipher from the dropdown list, or enter a new value in seconds for the Connection Timeout if you want to change the defaults.
Click Save to create a new SSH connection and populate the SSH Connection field in the Replication Task Wizard.
Using SSH Transfer Security
Using encryption for SSH transfer security is always recommended.
In situations where you use two systems within an absolutely secure network for replication, disabling encryption speeds up the transfer.
However, the data is completely unprotected from eavesdropping.
Choosing No Encryption for the task is less secure but faster. This method uses common port settings but you can override these by switching to the Advanced Replication Creation options or by editing the task after creation.
Tutorials for configuring advanced ZFS snapshot replication tasks in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS SCALE advanced replication tasks allows users to create one-time or regularly scheduled snapshots of data stored in pools, datasets or zvols on their SCALE system as a way to back up stored data.
When properly configured and scheduled, advanced replication takes regular snapshots of storage pools or datasets and saves them in the destination location either on the same system or a different system.
Local replication occurs on the same TrueNAS SCALE system using different pools or datasets.
Remote replication can occur between your TrueNAS SCALE system and another TrueNAS system, or with some other remote server you want to use to store your replicated data.
Local and remote replication can involve encrypted pools or datasets.
With the implementation of rootless login and the admin user, setting up replication tasks as an admin user has a few differences than with setting up replication tasks when logged in as root. Each of the tutorials in this section include these configuration differences.
The first snapshot taken for a task creates a full file system snapshot, and all subsequent snapshots taken for that task are incremental to capture differences occurring between the full and subsequent incremental snapshots.
Scheduling options allow users to run replication tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule.
Users also have the option to run a scheduled job on demand.
Provides instruction on using the advanced replication task creation screen to add a replication task.
Using Advanced Replication
TrueNAS SCALE advanced replication allows users to create one-time or regularly scheduled snapshots of data stored in pools, datasets or zvols on their SCALE system as a way to back up stored data.
When properly configured and scheduled, local or remote replication using the Advanced Replication Creation option takes take regular snapshots of storage pools or datasets and saves them in the destination location on the same or another system.
The Advanced Replication Creation option opens the Add Replication Task screen.
This screen provides access to the same settings found in the repliation wizard but has more options to specify:
Full file system replication
Stream compression
Replication speed
Attempts to replicate data before the task fails
Block size for data sent
Log level verbosity
You can also:
Change encrypted replication to allow an unencrypted dataset as the destination
Create replication from scratch
Include or exclude replication properties
Replicate specific snapshots that match a defined creation time.
Prevent the snapshot retention policy from removing source system snapshots that failed
With the implementation of rootless login and the admin user, setting up replication tasks as an admin user has a few differences than with setting up replication tasks when logged in as root.
Setting up remote replication while logged in as the admin user requires selecting Use Sudo For ZFS Commands.
The first snapshot taken for a task creates a full file system snapshot, and all subsequent snapshots taken for that task are incremental to capture differences occurring between the full and subsequent incremental snapshots.
Scheduling options allow users to run replication tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule.
Users also have the option to run a scheduled job on demand.
Replication tasks require a periodic snapshot task.
The earlier releases of SCALE required creating a periodic snapshot task before the replication task, but SCALE 22.12 and newer automatically creates the snapshot task when a scheduled replication task starts.
To start a replication task using the Run Now option on the Replication Task widget or by selecting Run Once in the Replication Task Wizard, create a periodic snapshot task first.
Remote replication requires setting up an SSH connection in TrueNAS before creating a remote replication task.
Setting Up a Replication Task Overview
This section provides a simple overview of setting up a replication task regardless of the type of replication, local or remote.
It also covers the related steps you should take prior to configuring a replication task.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system on the early release (22.12.1) you must have the admin user correctly configured with:
The Home Directory set to something other than /nonexistent
The admin user in the builtin_admin group
The admin user passwordless sudo permission enabled
Also verify the SSH service settings to make sure you have Root with Password, Log in as Admin with Password, and Allow Password Authentication selected to enable these capabilities.
Incorrect SSH service settings can impact the admin user ability to establish an SSH session during replication, and require you to obtain and paste a public SSH key into the admin user settings.
Set up the data storage for where you want to save replicated snapshots.
Make sure the admin user is correctly configured.
Create an SSH connection between the local SCALE system and the remote system for remote replication tasks. Local replication does not require an SSH connection.
You can do this from either Credentials > Backup Credentials > SSH Connection and clicking Add or from the Replication Task Wizard using the Generate New option in the settings for the remote system.
Go to Data Protection > Replication Tasks and click Add to open the Replication Task Wizard where you specify the settings for the replication task.
Setting options change based on the source selections. Replicating to or from a local source does not requires an SSH connection.
This completes the general process for all replication tasks.
Configure your SSH connection before you begin configuring the replication task through the Add Replication Task screen.
If you have an existing SSH connection with the remote system the option displays on the SSH Connection dropdown list.
Turn on SSH service. Go to System Settings > Services screen, verify the SSH service configuration, then enable it.
Creating a Simplified Advanced Replication Task
To access advanced replication settings, click Advanced Replication Creation at the bottom of the first screen of the Replication Task Wizard.
The Add Replication Task configuration screen opens.
Before you begin configuring the replication task, first verify the destination dataset you want to use to store the replication snapshots is free of existing snapshots, or that snapshots with critical data are backed up before you create the task.
To create a replication task:
Create the destination dataset or storage location you want to use to store the replication snapshots.
If using another TrueNAS SCALE system, create a dataset in one of your pools.
Verify the admin user home directory, auxiliary groups, and sudo setting on both the local and remote destination systems.
Local replication does not require an SSH connection so this only applies to replication to another system.
If using a TrueNAS CORE system as the remote server, the remote user is always root.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE system on an earlier release like Angelfish, the remote user is always root.
If using an earlier TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system (22.12.1) or you installed SCALE as the root user, then created the admin user after initial installation, you must verify the admin user is correctly configured.
a. Go to Credentials > Local User, click anywhere on the admin user row to expand it.
Scroll down to the Home Directory setting. If set to /home/admin, select Create Home Directory, then Click Save.
If set to /nonexistent, first create a dataset to use for home directories, like /tank/homedirs. Enter this in the Home Directory field, make sure this is not read only.
b. Select the sudo permission level you want the admin user to have. If you select Allow all sudo commands with no password you do not need to make changes.
If you select Allowed sudo commands with no password enter /var/sbin/zfs in the Allowed sudo commands field.
c. Click Save.
Give the task a name and set the direction of the task.
Unlike the wizard, the Name does not automatically populate with the source/destination task name after you set the source and destination for the task.
Each task name must be unique, and we recommend you name it in a way that makes it easy to remember what the task is doing.
Select the direction of the task. Pull replicates data from a remote system to the local system. Push sends data from the local system to the remote.
Select the method of tranfer for this replication from the Transport dropdown list.
Select LOCAL to replicate data to another location on the same system.
Select SSH is the standard option for sending or receiving data from a remote system. Select the existing SSH Connection from the dropdown list.
Select SSH+Netcat is available as a faster option for replications that take place within completely secure networks.
SSH+Netcat requires defining netcat ports and addresses to use for the Netcat connection.
With SSH-based replications, select the SSH Connection to the remote system that sends or receives snapshots.
To create a new connection to use for replication from a destination to this local system, select newpullssh.
Select Use Sudo for Zfs Commands to controls whether the user used for SSH/SSH+NETCAT replication has passwordless sudo enabled to execute zfs commands on the remote host.
If not selected, you must enter zfs allow on the remote system to to grant non-user permissions to perform ZFS tasks.
Specify the source and destination paths. Adding /name to the end of the path creates a new dataset in that location.
Click the arrow to the left of each folder or dataset name to expand the options and browse to the dataset, then click on the dataset to populate the Source.
Choose a preconfigured periodic snapshot task as the sorce of snapshots to replicate.
Pulling snapshots from a remote source requires a valid SSH Connection before the file browser can show any directories.
A remote destination requires you to specify an SSH connection before you can enter or select the path.
If the file browser shows a connection error after selecting the correct SSH Connection, you might need to log in to the remote system and configure it to allow SSH connections.
Define how long to keep snapshots in the destination.
Remote sources require defining a snapshot naming schema to identify the snapshots to replicate.
Local sources are replicated by snapshots that were generated from a periodic snapshot task and/or from a defined naming schema that matches manually created snapshots.
DO NOT use zvols as remote destinations.
Select a previously configured periodic snapshot task for this replication task in Periodic Snapshot Tasks.
The replication task selected must have the same values in Recursive and Exclude Child Datasets as the chosen periodic snapshot task.
Selecting a periodic snapshot schedule removes the Schedule field.
If a periodic snapshot task does not exist, select Replicate Specfic Snapshots tp define specific snapshots from the periodic task to use for the replication.
This displays the schedule options for the snapshot task. Enter the schedule.
The only periodically generated snapshots included in the replication task are those that match your defined schedule.
Select the naming schema or regular exression option to use for this snapshot.
A naming schema is a collection of strftime time and date strings and any identifiers that a user might have added to the snapshot name.
For example, entering the naming schema custom-%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M finds and replicates snapshots like custom-2020-03-25_09-15.
Enter multiple schemas by pressing Enter to separate each schema.
Set the replication schedule to use and define when the replication task runs.
Leave Run Automatically selected to use the snapshot task specified and start the replication immediately after the related periodic snapshot task completes.
Select Schedule to display scheduling options for this replication task and To automate the task according to its own schedule.
Selecting Schedule allows scheduling the replication to run at a separate time.
Choose a time frame that gives the replication task enough time to finish and is during a time of day when network traffic for both source and destination systems is minimal.
Use the custom scheduler (recommended) when you need to fine-tune an exact time or day for the replication.
Choosing a Presets option populates in the rest of the fields.
To customize a schedule, enter crontab values for the Minutes/Hours/Days.
These fields accept standard cron values.
The simplest option is to enter a single number in the field.
The task runs when the time value matches that number.
For example, entering 10 means that the job runs when the time is ten minutes past the hour.
An asterisk (*) means match all values.
You can set specific time ranges by entering hyphenated number values.
For example, entering 30-35 in the Minutes field sets the task to run at minutes 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35.
You can also enter lists of values.
Enter individual values separated by a comma (,).
For example, entering 1,14 in the Hours field means the task runs at 1:00 AM (0100) and 2:00 PM (1400).
A slash (/) designates a step value.
For example, entering * in Days runs the task every day of the month. Entering */2 runs it every other day.
Combining the above examples creates a schedule running a task each minute from 1:30-1:35 AM and 2:30-2:35 PM every other day.
TrueNAS has an option to select which Months the task runs.
Leaving each month unset is the same as selecting every month.
The Days of Week schedules the task to run on specific days in addition to any listed days.
For example, entering 1 in Days and setting Wed for Days of Week creates a schedule that starts a task on the first day of the month and every Wednesday of the month.
The Schedule Preview displays when the current settings mean the task runs.
Examples of CRON syntax
Syntax
Meaning
Examples
*
Every item.
* (minutes) = every minute of the hour. * (days) = every day.
*/N
Every Nth item.
*/15 (minutes) = every 15th minute of the hour. */3 (days) = every 3rd day. */3 (months) = every 3rd month.
Comma and hyphen/dash
Each stated item (comma) Each item in a range (hyphen/dash).
1,31 (minutes) = on the 1st and 31st minute of the hour. 1-3,31 (minutes) = on the 1st to 3rd minutes inclusive, and the 31st minute, of the hour. mon-fri (days) = every Monday to Friday inclusive (every weekday). mar,jun,sep,dec (months) = every March, June, September, December.
You can specify days of the month or days of the week.
TrueNAS lets users create flexible schedules using the available options. The table below has some examples:
Desired schedule
Values to enter
3 times a day (at midnight, 08:00 and 16:00)
months=*; days=*; hours=0/8 or 0,8,16; minutes=0 (Meaning: every day of every month, when hours=0/8/16 and minutes=0)
Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday, at 8.30 pm
months=*; days=mon,wed,fri; hours=20; minutes=30
1st and 15th day of the month, during October to June, at 00:01 am
Every 15 minutes during the working week, which is 8am - 7pm (08:00 - 19:00) Monday to Friday
Note that this requires two tasks to achieve: (1) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=8-18; minutes=*/15 (2) months=*; days=mon-fri; hours=19; minutes=0 We need the second scheduled item, to execute at 19:00, otherwise we would stop at 18:45. Another workaround would be to stop at 18:45 or 19:45 rather than 19:00.
Click Save.
Setting a Replication Compression Level
Options for compressing data, adding a bandwidth limit, or other data stream customizations are available.
Stream Compression options are only available when using SSH.
Before enabling Compressed WRITE Records, verify that the destination system also supports compressed write records.
Setting Block Size
Allow Blocks Larger than 128KB is a one-way toggle.
Replication tasks using large block replication only continue to work as long as this option remains enabled.
Setting Full File System Replication
By default, the replication task uses snapshots to quickly transfer data to the receiving system.
Selecting Full Filesystem Replication means the task completely replicates the chosen Source, including all dataset properties, snapshots, child datasets, and clones.
When using this option, we recommended allocating additional time for the replication task to run.
Replicating Dataset Properties
Leave Full Filesystem Replication unselected and select Include Dataset Properties to include just the dataset properties in the snapshots to replicate.
Leave this option unselected on an encrypted dataset to replicate the data to another unencrypted dataset.
Replicating Child Datasets
Select Recursive to recursively replicate child dataset snapshots or exclude specific child datasets or properties from the replication.
Defining Replication Properties
Enter newly defined properties in Properties Override to replace existing dataset properties with the newly defined properties in the replicated files.
List any existing dataset properties to remove from the replicated files in Properties Exclude.
Saving Pending Snapshots
When a replication task is having difficulty completing, it is a good idea to select Save Pending Snapshots.
This prevents the source TrueNAS from automatically deleting any snapshots that failed to replicate to the destination system.
Changing Destination Dataset from Read-Only
By default, the destination dataset is set to be read-only after the replication completes.
You can change the Destination Dataset Read-only Policy to only start replication when the destination is read-only (set to REQUIRE) or to disable it by setting it to IGNORE.
Adding Transfer Encryption
The Encryption option adds another layer of security to replicated data by encrypting the data before transfer and decrypting it on the destination system.
Selecting Encryption adds the addtional setting options HEX key or PASSPHRASE.
You can store the encryption key either in the TrueNAS system database or in a custom-defined location.
Synchronizing Destination and Source Snapshots
Synchronizing Destination Snapshots With Source destroys any snapshots in the destination that do not match the source snapshots.
TrueNAS also does a full replication of the source snapshots as if the replication task never run, which can lead to excessive bandwidth consumption.
This can be a very destructive option.
Make sure that any snapshots deleted from the destination are obsolete or otherwise backed up in a different location.
Defining Snapshot Retention
Defining the Snapshot Retention Policy is generally recommended to prevent cluttering the system with obsolete snapshots.
Choosing Same as Source keeps the snapshots on the destination system for the same amount of time as the defined Snapshot Lifetime from the source system periodic snapshot task.
You can use Custom to define your own lifetime for snapshots on the destination system.
Replicating Snapshots Matching a Schedule
Selecting Only Replicate Snapshots Matching Schedule restricts the replication to only replicate those snapshots created at the same time as the replication schedule.
5.7.3.2 - Setting Up an Encrypted Replication Task
Provides instructions on adding a replication task to a remote system and using encryption.
Using Encryption in Replication Tasks
TrueNAS SCALE replication allows users to create replicated snapshots of data stored in encrypted pools, datasets or zvols that on their SCALE system as a way to back up stored data to a remote system. You can use encrypted datasets in a local replication.
You can set up a replication task for a dataset encrypted with a passphrase or a hex encryption key, but you must unlock the dataset before the task runs or the task fails.
With the implementation of rootless login and the admin user, when setting up remote replication tasks when logged in as an admin user requires selecting Use Sudo For ZFS Commands.
The first snapshot taken for a task creates a full file system snapshot, and all subsequent snapshots taken for that task are incremental to capture differences occurring between the full and subsequent incremental snapshots.
Scheduling options allow users to run replication tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule.
Users also have the option to run a scheduled job on demand.
Replication tasks require a periodic snapshot task.
The earlier releases of SCALE required creating a periodic snapshot task before the replication task, but SCALE 22.12 and newer automatically creates the snapshot task when a scheduled replication task starts.
To start a replication task using the Run Now option on the Replication Task widget or by selecting Run Once in the Replication Task Wizard, create a periodic snapshot task first.
Remote replication with datasets also require an SSH connection in TrueNAS. You can use an existing SSH connection if it has the same user credentials you want to use for the new replication task.
Setting Up a Simple Replication Task Overview
This section provides a simple overview of setting up a remote replication task for an encrypted dataset.
It also covers the related steps you should take prior to configuring the replication task.
Set up the data storage for where you want to save replicated snapshots.
Make sure the admin user has a home directory assigned.
Create an SSH connection between the local SCALE system and the remote system.
You can do this by either going to Credentials > Backup Credentials > SSH Connection and clicking Add or from the Replication Task Wizard using the Generate New option for the remote system.
Unlock the encrypted dataset(s) and export the encryption key to a text editor like Notepad.
Go to Data Protection > Replication Tasks and click Add to open the Replication Task Wizard.
Specify the from and to sources, task name, and set the schedule.
Setting options change based on the source selections. Replicating to or from a local source does not requires an SSH connection.
This completes the general process for all replication tasks.
Creating a Remote Replication Task for an Encrypted Dataset
To streamline creating simple replication tasks use the Replication Task Wizard to create and copy ZFS snapshots to another system.
The wizard assists with creating a new SSH connection and automatically creates a periodic snapshot task for sources that have no existing snapshots.
If you have an existing replication task, you can select it on the Load Previous Replication Task dropdown list to load the configuration settings for that task into the wizard, and then make change such as assigning it a different destination, select encryption options, schedule, or retention lifetime, etc.
Saving changes to the configuration creates a new replication task without altering the task you loaded into the wizard.
This saves some time when creating multiple replication tasks between the same two systems.
Before you begin configuring the replication task, first verify the destination dataset you want to use to store the replication snapshots is free of existing snapshots, or that snapshots with critical data are backed up before you create the task.
To create a replication task:
Create the destination dataset or storage location you want to use to store the replication snapshots.
If using another TrueNAS SCALE system, create a dataset in one of your pools.
Verify the admin user home directory, auxiliary groups, and sudo setting on both the local and remote destination systems.
Local replication does not require an SSH connection so this only applies to replication to another system.
If using a TrueNAS CORE system as the remote server, the remote user is always root.
If using a TrueNAS SCALE system on an earlier release like Angelfish, the remote user is always root.
If using an earlier TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin system (22.12.1) or you installed SCALE as the root user, then created the admin user after initial installation, you must verify the admin user is correctly configured.
a. Go to Credentials > Local User, click anywhere on the admin user row to expand it.
Scroll down to the Home Directory setting. If set to /home/admin, select Create Home Directory, then Click Save.
If set to /nonexistent, first create a dataset to use for home directories, like /tank/homedirs. Enter this in the Home Directory field, make sure this is not read only.
b. Select the sudo permission level you want the admin user to have. If you select Allow all sudo commands with no password you do not need to make changes.
If you select Allowed sudo commands with no password enter /var/sbin/zfs in the Allowed sudo commands field.
c. Click Save.
Unlock the source dataset and export the encryption key to a text editor such as Notepad.
Go to Datasets select the source dataset, locate the ZFS Encryption widget and unlock the dataset if locked.
Export the key and paste it in any text editor such as Notepad. If you set up encryption to use a passphrase, you do not need to export a key.
Go to Data Protection and click Add on the Replication Tasks widget to open the Replication Task Wizard. Configure the following settings:
a. Select On this System on the Source Location dropdown list.
If your source is the local TrueNAS SCALE system, you must select On a Different System from the Destination Location dropdown list to do remote replication.
If your source is a remote system, create the replication task as the root user and select On a Different System. The Destination Location automatically changes to On this System.
TrueNAS shows the number of snapshots available for replication.
b. Select an existing SSH connection to the remote system or create a new connection.
Select Create New to open the New SSH Connection configuration screen.
c. Browse to the source pool/dataset(s), then click on the dataset(s) to populate the Source with the path.
You can select multiple sources or manually type the names into the Source field. Separate multiple entries with commas.
Selecting Recursive replicates all snapshots contained within the selected source dataset snapshots.
d. Repeat to populate the Destination field.
You cannot use zvols as a remote replication destination.
Add a /datasetname to the end of the destination path to create a new dataset in that location.
f. Select Use Sudo for ZFS Commands. Only displays when logged in as the admin user (or the name of the admin user).
This removes the need to issue the cli zfs allow command in Shell on the remote system.
When the dialog displays, click Use Sudo for ZFS Comands. If you close this dialog, select the option on the Add Replication Task wizard screen.
This option only displays when logged in as the admin user.
If not selected you need to issue the cli zfs allow command in Shell on the remote system.
g. Select Replicate Custom Snapshots, then accept the default value in Naming Schema.
Remote sources require entering a snapshot naming schema to identify the snapshots to replicate.
A naming schema is a pattern of naming custom snapshots you want to replicate.
If you want to change the default schema, enter the name and strftime(3) %Y, %m, %d, %H, and %M strings that match the snapshots to include in the replication.
Separate entries by pressing Enter. The number of snapshots matching the patterns display.
h. (Optional) Enter a name for the snapshot in Task Name.
SCALE populates this field with the default name using the source and destination paths separated by a hyphen, but this default can make locating the snapshot in destination dataset a challenge.
To make it easier to find the snapshot, give it a name that is easy for you to identify. For example, a replicated task named dailyfull for a full file system snapshot taken daily.
Click Next to display the scheduling options.
Select the schedule and snapshot retention life time.
a. Select the Replication Schedule radio button you want to use. Select Run Once to set up a replication task you run one time.
Select Run On a Schedule then select when from the Schedule dropdown list.
b. Select the Destination Snapshot Lifetime radio button option you want to use.
This specifies how long SCALE should store copied snapshots in the destination dataset before SCALE deletes it.
Same as Source is selected by default. Select Never Delete to keep all snapshots until you delete them manually.
Select Custom to show two additional settings, then enter the number of the duration you select from the dropdown list. For example, 2 Weeks.
Click START REPLICATION.
A dialog displays if this is the first snapshot taken using the destination dataset.
If SCALE does not find a replicated snapshot in the destination dataset to use to create an incremental snapshot, it deletes any existing snapshots found and creates a full copy of the day snapshot to use as a basis for the future scheduled incremental snapshots for this schedule task.
This operation can delete important data, so ensure you can delete any existing snapshots or back them up in another location.
Click Confirm, then Continue to add the task to the Replication Task widget.
The newly added task shows the status as PENDING until it runs on the schedule you set.
Select Run Now if you want to run the task immediately.
To see a log for a task, click the task State to open a dialog with the log for that replication task.
To see the replication snapshots, go to Datasets, select the destination dataset on the tree table, then select Manage Snapshots on the Data Protection widget to see the list of snapshots in that dataset. Click Show extra columns to add more information columns to the table such as the date created which can help you locate a specific snapshot or enter part of or the full the name in the search field to narrow the list of snapshots.
Enter the administration user (i.e., root or admin) that logs into the remote system with the web UI in Admin Username.
Enter the password in Admin Password.
Enter the administration user (i.e., root or admin) for remote system SSH session.
If you clear root as the the user and type any other name the Enable passwordless sudo for ZFS commands option displays.
This option does nothing so leave it cleared.
Select Generate New from the Private Key dropdown list.
(Optional) Select a cipher from the dropdown list, or enter a new value in seconds for the Connection Timeout if you want to change the defaults.
Click Save to create a new SSH connection and populate the SSH Connection field in the Replication Task Wizard.
Using SSH Transfer Security
Using encryption for SSH transfer security is always recommended.
In situations where you use two systems within an absolutely secure network for replication, disabling encryption speeds up the transfer.
However, the data is completely unprotected from eavesdropping.
Choosing No Encryption for the task is less secure but faster. This method uses common port settings but you can override these by switching to the Advanced Replication Creation options or by editing the task after creation.
After the replication task runs and creates the snapshot on the destination, you must unlock it to access the data.
Click the from the replication task options to download a key file that unlocks the destination dataset.
Replicating to an Unencrypted Destination Dataset
TrueNAS does not support preserving encrypted dataset properties when trying to re-encrypt an already encrypted source dataset.
To replicate an encrypted dataset to an unencrypted dataset on the remote destination system, follow the instructions above to configure the task, then to clear the dataset properties for the replication task:
Select the task on the Replication Task widget. The Edit Replication Task screen opens.
Scroll down to and select Include Dataset Properties to clear the checkbox.
This replicates the unlocked encrypted source dataset to an unencrypted destination dataset.
Using Additional Encryption Options
When you replicate an encrypted pool or dataset you have one level of encryption applied at the data storage level.
Use the passphrase or key created or exported from the dataset or pool to unlock the dataset on the destination server.
To add a second layer of encryption at the replication task level, select Encryption on the Replication Task Wizard, then select the type of encryption you want to apply.
Select either Hex (base-16 numeral format) or Passphrase (alphanumeric format) from the Encryption Key Format dropdown list to open settings for that type of encryption.
Selecting Hex displays Generate Encryption Key preselected. Select the checkbox to clear it and display the Encryption Key field where you can import a custom hex key.
Selecting Passphrase displays the Passphrase field where you enter your alphanumeric passphrase.
Select Store Encryption key in Sending TrueNAS database to store the encryption key in the sending TrueNAS database or leave unselected to choose a temporary location for the encryption key that decrypts replicated data.
5.7.3.3 - Unlocking a Replication Encrypted Dataset or Zvol
Provides information on three methods of unlocking replicated encrypted datasets or zvols without a passphrase.
Unlocking a Replicated Encrypted Dataset or Zvol Without a Passphrase
TrueNAS SCALE users should either replicate the dataset/Zvol without properties to disable encryption at the remote end or construct a special JSON manifest to unlock each child dataset/zvol with a unique key.
Method 1: Construct JSON Manifest.
Replicate every encrypted dataset you want to replicate with properties.
Export key for every child dataset that has a unique key.
For each child dataset construct a proper json with poolname/datasetname of the destination system and key from the source system like this:
{"tank/share01": "57112db4be777d93fa7b76138a68b790d46d6858569bf9d13e32eb9fda72146b"}
Save this file with the extension .json.
On the remote system, unlock the dataset(s) using properly constructed json files.
Method 2: Replicate Encrypted Dataset/zvol Without Properties.
Uncheck properties when replicating so that the destination dataset is not encrypted on the remote side and does not require a key to unlock.
Go to Data Protection and click ADD in the Replication Tasks window.
Click Advanced Replication Creation.
Fill out the form as needed and make sure Include Dataset Properties is NOT checked.
Click Save.
Method 3: Replicate Key Encrypted Dataset/zvol.
Go to Datasets on the system you are replicating from.
Select the dataset encrypted with a key, then click Export Key on the ZFS Encryption widget to export the key for the dataset.
Apply the JSON key file or key code to the dataset on the system you replicated the dataset to.
Option 1: Download the key file and open it in a text editor. Change the pool name/dataset part of the string to the pool name/dataset for the receiving system. For example, replicating from tank1/dataset1 on the replicate-from system to tank2/dataset2 on the replicate-to system.
Option 2: Copy the key code provided in the Key for dataset window.
On the system receiving the replicated pool/dataset, select the receiving dataset and click Unlock.
Unlock the dataset.
Either clear the Unlock with Key file checkbox, paste the key code into the Dataset Key field (if there is a space character at the end of the key, delete the space), or select the downloaded Key file that you edited.
Tutorials for configuring the different credentials needed for TrueNAS SCALE features.
SCALE Credential options are collected in this section of the UI and organized into a few different screens:
Local Users allows those with permissions to add, configure, and delete users on the system.
There are options to search for keywords in usernames, display or hide user characteristics, and toggle whether the system shows built-in users.
Local Groups allows those with permissions to add, configure, and delete user groups on the system.
There are options to search for keywords in group names, display or hide group characteristics, and toggle whether the system shows built-in groups.
Directory Services contains options to edit directory domain and account settings, set up Idmapping, and configure access and authentication protocols.
Specific options include configuring Kerberos realms and key tables (keytab), as well as setting up LDAP validation.
Backup Credentials stores credentials for cloud backup services, SSH Connections, and SSH Keypairs.
Users can set up backup credentials with cloud and SSH clients to back up data in case of drive failure.
Certificates contains all the information for certificates, certificate signing requests, certificate authorities, and DNS-authenticators.
TrueNAS comes equipped with an internal, self-signed certificate that enables encrypted access to the web interface, but users can make custom certificates for authentication and validation while sharing data.
2FA allows users to set up Two-Factor Authentication for their system.
Users can set up 2FA, then link the system to an authenticator app (such as Google Authenticator, LastPass Authenticator, etc.) on a mobile device.
Contents
Using Rootless Login: Explains rootless login and related functions. Provides instructions on properly configuring SSH and working with the admin and root user passwords.
Managing Users: Provides instructions on adding and managing the administrator and local user accounts.
Configuring LDAP: Provides instructions on configuring and managing LDAP in TrueNAS SCALE.
Configuring Kerberos: Provides instructions on configuring and managing Kerberos realms and keytabs in TrueNAS SCALE.
Configuring IDMap: Provides instructions on configuring and managing ID mapping in TrueNAS SCALE.
Backup Credentials: Backup credential tutorials for integrating TrueNAS SCALE with cloud storage providers by setting up SSH connections and keypairs.
Adding Cloud Credentials: Provides basic instructions on how to add backup cloud credentials and more detailed instructions for some cloud storage providers.
Adding SSH Credentials: Provides information on adding SSH connections, generating SSH keypairs, and adding the SSH public key to the root user.
Certificates: Information about adding and managing certificates, CSRs, CAs and ACME DNS-Authenticators in TrueNAS SCALE.
Managing Certificates: Provides information on adding or managing SCALE certificates.
Creating ACME Certificates: Provides information on generating ACME certificates in TrueNAS SCALE using Let's Encrypt.
Configuring KMIP: Describes how to configure KMIP on TrueNAS SCALE Enterprise.
6.1 - Using Rootless Login
Explains rootless login and related functions. Provides instructions on properly configuring SSH and working with the admin and root user passwords.
The initial implementation of TrueNAS SCALE rootless log in permits users to use the root user but encourages users to create the local administrator account when first installing SCALE.
Starting with SCALE Bluefin 22.12.0, root account logins are deprecated for security hardening and to comply with Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).
All TrueNAS users should create a local administrator account with all required permissions and begin using it to access TrueNAS.
When the root user password is disabled, only an administrative user account can log in to the TrueNAS web interface.
TrueNAS SCALE plans to permanently disable root account access in a future release.
If migrating from CORE to SCALE, when first logging into SCALE as the root user, you are advised to create the administrator account.
All users should create the local administrator account and use this account for web interface access.
To improve system security after the local administrator account is created, disable the root account password so that root access to the system is restricted.
Some UI screens and settings still refer to the root account, but these references are updating to the administrator account in future release of SCALE.
About Admin and Root Logins and Passwords
At present, SCALE has both the root and local administrator user logins and passwords.
If properly set up, the local administrator (admin) account performs the same functions and has the same access the root user has.
The root user is no longer the default user so you must add and enable a password to use the root user.
Disabling Root and Admin User Passwords
As a security measure, the root user password is disabled when you create the admin user during installation.
Do not disable the admin account and root passwords at the same time.
If both root and admin account passwords become disabled at the same time and the web interface session times out, a one-time sign-in screen allows access to the system.
Enter and confirm a password to gain access to the UI. After logging in, immediately go to Credentials > Local Users to enable either the root or admin password before the session times out again.
This temporary password is not saved as a new password and it does not enable the admin or root passwords, it only provides one-time access to the UI.
When disabling a password for UI login, it is also disabled for SSH access.
Accessing the System Through an SSH Session
To enable SSH to access the system as root or the admin user:
Configure the SSH service.
a. Go to System Settings > Services, then select Configure for the SSH service.
b. Select Log in as Root with Password to enable the root user to sign in as root.
Select Log in as Admin with Password and Allow Password Authentication to enable the admin user to sign in as admin. Select both options.
c. Click Save and restart the SSH service.
Configure or verify the user configuration options to allow ssh access.
If you want to SSH into the system as the root, you must create and enable a password for the root user.
If the root password password is disabled in the UI you cannot use it to gain SSH access to the system.
To allow the admin user to issue commands in an ssh session, edit the admin user and select which sudo options are allowed.
Select Allow all sudo commands with no password.
You might see a prompt in the ssh session to enter a password the first time you enter a sudo command but will not see this password prompt again in the same session.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and Administrator Account Log In
To use two-factor authentication with the administrator account (root or admin user), first configure and enable SSH service to allow SSH access, then configure two-factor authentication.
If you have the root user configured with a password and enable it, you can SSH into the system with the root user. Security best practice is to disable the root user password and only use the local administrator account.
Rootless Log In and TrueCommand
At present, rootless log in works with TrueCommand but you need to set up and use an API key. Future releases of TrueCommand should eliminate the need for the API key.
Provides instructions on adding and managing the administrator and local user accounts.
In TrueNAS, user accounts allow flexibility for accessing shared data.
Typically, administrators create users and assign them to groups.
Doing so makes tuning permissions for large numbers of users more efficient.
Root is the system administration account for CORE and the Angelfish and early Bluefin releases of SCALE.
Users migrating from CORE to SCALE or from the pre 22.12.3 release of SCALE Bluefin must manually create an admin user account.
Only fresh installations using an iso file provide the option to create the admin user during the installation process.
SCALE Bluefin systems with only the root user account can log in to the TrueNAS web interface as the root user and then create the admin account.
After logging in as root, TrueNAS alerts you to create the local administrator account.
As part of security hardening and to comply with Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS), iXsystems plans to completely disable root login in a future release.
System administrators should create and begin using a new admin user.
When the network uses a directory service, import the existing account information using the instructions in Directory Services.
Using Active Directory requires setting Windows user passwords in Windows.
To see user accounts, go to Credentials > Local Users.
TrueNAS hides all built-in users (except root) by default. Click the toggle Show Built-In Users to see all built-in users.
Creating an Admin User Account
SCALE has implemented rootless log in.
All CORE systems migrating to SCALE, and all Anglefish and early Bluefin releases of SCALE upgrading to 22.12.3 or higher or to Cobia should create and begin using an admin user instead of the root user.
After upgrading to a SCALE 22.12.3 or Cobia release use this proecudre to create an admin user.
Go to Credentials > Local Users and click Add.
Enter the name to use for the administrator account. For example, admin.
You can create multiple admin users with any name and assign each different administration privileges.
Enter and confirm the admin user password.
Select builtin_administrators ,root and builtin_users on the Auxiliary Group dropdown list.
Add the home directory for the new admin user.
Enter or browse to select the location where SCALE creates the home directory. For example, /mnt/tank. If you created a dataset to use for home directories, select that dataset.
Select the Read, Write, and Execute permissions for User, Group and Other this user should have, then select Create Home Directory.
Select the shell for this admin user from the Shell dropdown list. To have System Settings > Shell open in the SCALE CLI, select TrueNAS CLI.
Select the sudo authorization permissions for this admin user.
For administrator accounts generated during the initial installation process, TrueNAS SCALE sets authorization to Allow all sudo commands.
Click Save.
Log out of the TrueNAS system and then log back in using the admin user credentials to verify that the admin user credentials work properly with your network configuration.
After adding the admin user account, disable the root user password:
Go to Credentials > Local Users, click on the root user and select Edit.
Click the Disable Password toggle to disable the password, then click Save.
Creating User Accounts
When creating a user, you must:
Enter a Full Name or description for the user, such as a first and last name.
Enter a Username or accept the generated user name.
Enter and enable a Password.
Specify or accept the default user ID (UID)
Select the Shell option the user has access to when they go to System Settings > Shell
All other settings are optional.
Click Save after configuring the user settings to add the user.
Enter a personal name or description in Full Name, for example John Doe or WebDAV Anonymous User, then either allow TrueNAS to suggest a simplified name derived from the Full Name or enter a name in Username.
Enter and confirm a password for the user.
Click the Disable Password toggle to enable the login password. Setting the Disable Password toggle to active (blue toggle) disables these functions:
The Password field becomes unavailable and TrueNAS removes any existing password from the account.
The Lock User option disappears.
The account is restricted from password-based logins for services like SMB shares and SSH sessions.
You can assign a user account email address in the Email field.
Accept the default user ID or enter a new UID.
TrueNAS suggests a user ID starting at 3000, but you can change it if you wish.
We recommend using an ID of 3000 or greater for non-built-in users.
Leave Create New Primary Group toggle enabled to allow TrueNAS to create a new primary group with the same name as the user.
To add the user to a different existing primary group, disable the Create New Primary Group toggle and search for a group in the Primary Group field.
To add the user to more groups use the Auxiliary Groups dropdown list.
Configure a home directory and permissions for the user. Some functions, such as replication tasks, require setting a home directory for the user configuring the task.
When creating a user, the home directory path is set to /nonexistent, which does not create a home directory for the user.
To add a home directory, enter or browse to a path in Home Directory, then select Create Home Directory.
Select Read, Write, and Execute for each role (User, Group, and Other) to set access control for the user home directory.
Built-in users are read-only and can not modify these settings.
Assign a public SSH key to a user for key-based authentication by entering or pasting the public key into the Authorized Keys field.
You can click Choose File under Upload SSH Key and browse to the location of an SSH key file.
Do not paste the private key.
If using an SSH public key, always keep a backup of the key.
Select the shell option for the user from the Shell dropdown list.
Options are nologin, bash, rbash, dash, sh, tmux, and zsh.
For members of the builtin_administrators group, select TrueNAS CLI to open the Shell screen in the TrueNAS CLI, or select TrueNAS Console to open in the Console Setup Menu for SCALE.
To disables all password-based functionality for the account, selecting Lock User. Clear to unlock the user.
Set the sudo permissions you want to assign this user.
Exercise caution when allowing sudo commands, especially without password prompts.
We recommend limiting this privilege to trusted users and specific commands to minimize security risks.
Allowed sudo commands, Allow all sudo commands, Allowed sudo commands with no password and Allow all sudo commands with no password grant the account limited root-like permissions using the sudo command.
If selecting Allowed sudo commands or Allowed sudo commands with no password, enter the specific sudo commands allowed for this user.
Enter each command as an absolute path to the ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) executable file, for example /usr/bin/nano.
/usr/bin/ is the default location for commands.
Select Allow all sudo commands or Allow all sudo commands with no password.
Leave Samba Authentication selected to allow using the account credentials to access data shared with SMB.
Click Save.
Editing User Accounts
To edit an existing user account, go to Credentials > Local Users.
Click anywhere on the user row to expand the user entry, then click Edit to open the Edit User configuration screen.
See Local User Screens for details on all settings.
TrueNAS offers groups as an efficient way to manage permissions for many similar user accounts.
See Users for managing users.
The interface lets you manage UNIX-style groups.
If the network uses a directory service, import the existing account information using the instructions in Active Directory.
View Existing Groups
To see saved groups, go to Credentials > Local Groups.
By default, TrueNAS hides the system built-in groups.
To see built-in groups, click the Show Built-In Groups toggle. The toggle turns blue and all built-in groups display. Click the Show Built-In Groups toggle again to show only non-built-in groups on the system.
Adding a New Group
To create a group, go to Credentials > Local Groups and click Add.
Enter a unique number for the group ID in GID that TrueNAS uses to identify a Unix group.
Enter a number above 3000 for a group with user accounts or enter the default port number as the GID for a system service.
Enter a name for the group.
The group name cannot begin with a hyphen (-) or contain a space, tab, or any of these characters: colon (:), plus (+), ampersand (&), hash (#), percent (%), carat (^), open or close parentheses ( ), exclamation mark (!), at symbol (@), tilde (~), asterisk (*), question mark (?) greater or less than (<) (>), equal (=).
You can only use the dollar sign ($) as the last character in a group name.
Allowed sudo commands, Allow all sudo commands, Allowed sudo commands with no password and Allow all sudo commands with no password grant members of the group limited root-like permissions using the sudo command.
Use Allowed sudo commands or Allowed sudo commands with no password to list specific sudo commands allowed for group members.
Enter each command as an absolute path to the ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) executable file, for example /usr/bin/nano.
/usr/bin/ is the default location for commands.
Or click Allow all sudo commands or Allow all sudo commands with no password.
Exercise caution when allowing sudo commands, especially without password prompts.
We recommend limiting this privilege to trusted users and specific commands to minimize security risks.
To allow Samba permissions and authentication to use this group, select Samba Authentication.
To allow more than one group to have the same group ID (not recommended), select Allow Duplicate GIDs.
Use only if absolutely necessary, as duplicate GIDs can lead to unexpected behavior.
Managing Groups
Click anywhere on a row to expand that group and show the group management buttons.
To add a user account to the group, select the user and then click the right arrow .
To remove a user account from the group, select the user and then click the left arrow .
To select multiple users, pressCtrl and click on each entry.
Click Save.
Edit Group
To edit an existing group, go to Credentials > Local Groups, expand the group entry, and click editEdit to open the Edit Group configuration screen. See Local Group Screens for details on all settings.
Tutorials for configuring the various directory service credentials.
The SCALE Directory Services tutorials contains options to edit directory domain and account settings, set up Id mapping, and configure authentication and authorization services in TrueNAS SCALE.
Choosing Active Directory or LDAP
When setting up directory services in TrueNAS, you can connect TrueNAS to either an Active Directory or an LDAP server but not both.
To view Idmap and Kerberos Services, click Show next to Advanced Settings.
Configuring LDAP: Provides instructions on configuring and managing LDAP in TrueNAS SCALE.
Configuring Kerberos: Provides instructions on configuring and managing Kerberos realms and keytabs in TrueNAS SCALE.
Configuring IDMap: Provides instructions on configuring and managing ID mapping in TrueNAS SCALE.
6.4.1 - Configuring Active Directory
Provides instructions on configuring Active Directory in TrueNAS SCALE.
Configuring Active Directory In TrueNAS
The Active Directory (AD) service shares resources in a Windows network.
AD provides authentication and authorization services for the users in a network, eliminating the need to recreate the user accounts on TrueNAS.
When joined to an AD domain, you can use domain users and groups in local ACLs on files and directories.
You can also set up shares to act as a file server.
Joining an AD domain also configures the Privileged Access Manager (PAM) to let domain users log on via SSH or authenticate to local services.
Users can configure AD services on Windows or Unix-like operating systems using Samba version 4.
To configure an AD connection, you must know the AD controller domain and the AD system account credentials.
Preparing to Configure AD in SCALE
Users can take a few steps before configuring Active Directory (AD) to ensure the connection process goes smoothly.
To confirm that name resolution is functioning, you can use the Shell and issue a ping command and a command to check network SRV records and verify DNS resolution.
To use dig to verify name resolution and return DNS information:
Go to System Settings > Shell and type dig to check the connection to the AD domain controller.
The domain controller manages or restricts access to domain resources by authenticating user identity from one domain to the other through login credentials, and it prevents unauthorized access to these resources. The domain controller applies security policies to request-for-access domain resources.
When TrueNAS sends and receives packets without loss, the connection is verified.
Press Ctrl + C to cancel the ping.
If the ping fails:
Go to Network and click Settings in the Global Configuration window.
Update the DNS Servers and Default Gateway settings to the connection to your Active Directory Domain Controller.
Use more than one Nameserver for the AD domain controllers so DNS queries for requisite SRV records can succeed.
Using more than one name server helps maintain the AD connection whenever a domain controller becomes unavailable.
Checking Network SRV Records
Also using Shell, check the network SRV records and verify DNS resolution enter command host -t srv <_ldap._tcp.domainname.com> where <_ldap._tcp.domainname.com> is the domain name for the AD domain controller.
Setting Time synchronization
Active Directory relies on the time-sensitive Kerberos protocol.
TrueNAS adds the AD domain controller with the PDC Emulator FSMO Role as the preferred NTP server during the domain join process.
If your environment requires something different, go to System Settings > General to add or edit a server in the NTP Servers window.
Keep the local system time sync within five (5) minutes of the AD domain controller time in a default AD environment.
Use an external time source when configuring a virtualized domain controller.
TrueNAS generates alerts if the system time gets out-of-sync with the AD domain controller time.
TrueNAS has a few options to ensure both systems are synchronized:
Go to System Settings > General and click Settings in the Localization window to select the Timezone that matches location of the AD domain controller.
Set either local time or universal time in the system BIOS.
Connecting to the Active Directory Domain
To connect to Active Directory, in SCALE:
Go to Credentials > Directory Services click Configure Active Directory to open the Active Directory configuration screen.
Enter the domain name for the AD in Domain Name and the account credentials in Domain Account Name and Domain Account Password.
Select Enable to attempt to join the AD domain immediately after saving the configuration.
SCALE populates the Kerberos Realm and Kerberos Principal fields on the Advanced Options settings screen.
Click Save.
TrueNAS offers advanced options for fine-tuning the AD configuration, but the preconfigured defaults are generally suitable.
TrueNAS can take a few minutes to populate the Active Directory information after configuration.
To check the AD join progress, open the assignmentTask Manager in the upper-right corner.
TrueNAS displays any errors during the join process in the Task Manager.
When the import completes, AD users and groups become available while configuring basic dataset permissions or an ACL with TrueNAS cache enabled (enabled by default).
Joining AD also adds default Kerberos realms and generates a default AD_MACHINE_ACCOUNT keytab.
TrueNAS automatically begins using this default keytab and removes any administrator credentials stored in the TrueNAS configuration file.
Troubleshooting - Resyncing the Cache
If the cache becomes out of sync or fewer users than expected are available in the permissions editors, resync it by clicking Settings in the Active Directory window and selecting Rebuild Directory Service Cache.
When creating the entry, enter the TrueNAS hostname in the name field and make sure it matches the information on the Network > Global Configuration screen in the Hostname and NetBIOS fields.
Disabling Active Directory
You can disable your AD server connection without deleting your configuration or leaving the AD domain.
Click Settings to open the Active Directory settings screen, then select the Enable checkbox to clear it, and click Save to disable SCALE AD service.
This returns you to the main Directory Services screen where you see the two main directory services configuration options.
Click Configure Active Directory to open the Active Directory screen with your existing configuration settings.
Select Enable again, click Save to reactivate your connection to your AD server.
Leaving Active Directory
TrueNAS SCALE requires users to cleanly leave an Active Directory if you want to delete the configuration. To cleanly leave AD, use the Leave Domain button on the Active Directory Advanced Settings screen to remove the AD object. Remove the computer account and associated DNS records from the Active Directory.
If the AD server moves or shuts down without you using Leave Domain, TrueNAS does not remove the AD object, and you have to clean up the Active Directory.
Provides instructions on configuring and managing LDAP in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS has an Open LDAP client for accessing the information on an LDAP server. An LDAP server provides directory services for finding network resources like users and their associated permissions.
You can have either Active Directory or LDAP configured on SCALE but not both.
LDAP authentication for SMB shares is disabled unless you configured and populated the LDAP directory with Samba attributes.
The most popular script for performing this task is smbldap-tools.
TrueNAS needs to be able to validate the full certificate chain (no self-signed certificates).
TrueNAS does not support non-CA certificates.
Configuring LDAP
To configure SCALE to use an LDAP directory server:
Go to Credentials > Directory Services and click Configure LDAP.
Enter your LDAP server host name. If using a cloud service LDAP server, do not include the full URL.
Enter your LDAP server base DN. This is the top of the top level of the LDAP directory tree to use when searching for resources.
Enter the bind DN (administrative account name for the LDAP server) and the bind password.
Select Enable to activate the server
Click Save.
If you want to further modify the LDAP configuration, click Advanced Options. See the LDAP UI Reference article for details about advanced settings.
Disabling LDAP
To disable LDAP but not remove the configuration, clear the Enable checkbox. The main Directory Services screen returns to the default view showing the options to configure Active Directory or LDAP.
To enable LDAP again, click Configure LDAP to open the LDAP screen with your saved configuration. Select Enable again to reactivate your LDAP directory server configuration.
Removing LDAP from SCALE
To remove the LDAP configuration, click Settings to open the LDAP screen.
Clear all settings and click Save.
Provides instructions on configuring and managing Kerberos realms and keytabs in TrueNAS SCALE.
Kerberos is extremely complex. Only system administrators experienced with configuring Kerberos should attempt it.
Misconfiguring Kerberos settings, realms, and keytabs can have a system-wide impact beyond Active Directory or LDAP, and can result in system outages.
Do not attempt configure or make changes if you do not know what you are doing!
Kerberos is a computer network security protocol. It authenticates service requests between trusted hosts across an untrusted network (i.e., the Internet).
If you configure Active Directory in SCALE, SCALE populates the realm fields and the keytab with with what it discovers in AD.
You can configure LDAP to communicate with other LDAP severs using Kerberos, or NFS if it is properly configured, but SCALE does not automatically add the realm or key tab for these services.
After AD populates the Kerberos realm and keytabs, do not make changes. Consult with your IT or network services department, or those responsible for the Kerberos deployment in your network environment for help.
For more information on Kerberos settings refer to the MIT Kerberos Documentation.
Kerberos uses realms and keytabs to authenticate clients and servers.
A Kerberos realm is an authorized domain that a Kerberos server can use to authenticate a client.
By default, TrueNAS creates a Kerberos realm for the local system.
A keytab (“key table”) is a file that stores encryption keys for authentication.
TrueNAS SCALE allows users to configure general Kerberos settings, as well as realms and keytabs.
Kerberos Realms
TrueNAS automatically generates a realm after you configure AD.
Users can configure Kerberos realms by navigating to Directory Services and clicking Add in the Kerberos Realms window.
Enter the realm and key distribution (KDC) names, then define the admin and password servers for the realm.
Click Save.
Kerberos Keytabs
TrueNAS automatically generates a keytab after you configure AD.
A Kerberos keytab replaces the administration credentials for Active Directory after intial configuration.
Since TrueNAS does not save the Active Directory or LDAP administrator account password in the system database, keytabs can be a security risk in some environments.
When using a keytab, create and use a less-privileged account to perform queries.
TrueNAS stores that account password in the system database.
Adding the Windows Keytab to TrueNAS
After generating the keytab, go back to Directory Services in TrueNAS and click Add in the Kerberos Keytab window to add it to TrueNAS.
To make AD use the keytab, click Settings in the Active Directory window and select it using the Kerberos Principal dropdown list.
When using a keytab with AD, ensure the keytab username and userpass match the Domain Account Name and Domain Account Password.
To make LDAP use a keytab principal, click Settings in the LDAP window and select the keytab using the Kerberos Principal dropdown list.
Kerberos Settings
If you do not understand Kerberos auxiliary parameters, do not attempt to configure new settings!
The Kerberos Settings screen includes two fields used to configure auxiliary parameters.
Kerberos is extremely complex. Only system administrators experienced with configuring Kerberos should attempt it.
Misconfiguring Kerberos settings, realms, and keytabs can have a system-wide impact beyond Active Directory or LDAP, and can result in system outages.
Do not attempt configure or make changes if you do not know what you are doing!
Provides instructions on configuring and managing ID mapping in TrueNAS SCALE.
Idmap settings exist for the purpose of integration with an existing directory domain to ensure that UIDs and GIDs assigned to Active Directory users and groups have consistent values domain-wide.
The correct configuration therefore relies on details that are entirely external to the TrueNAS server, e.g., how the AD administrator has configured other Unix-like computers in the environment.
The default is to use an algorithmic method of generating IDs based on the RID component of the user or group SID in Active Directory.
Only administrators experienced with configuring Id mapping should attempt to add new or edit existing idmaps.
Misconfiguration can lead to permissions incorrectly assigned to users or groups in the case where data is transferred to/from external servers via ZFS replication or rsync (or when access is performed via NFS or other protocols that directly access the UIDs/GIDs on files).
The Idmap directory service lets users configure and select a backend to map Windows security identifiers (SIDs) to UNIX UIDs and GIDs. Users must enable the Active Directory service to configure and use identity mapping (Idmap).
Users can click Add in the Idmap widget to configure backends or click on an already existing Idmap to edit it.
TrueNAS automatically generates an Idmap after you configure AD or LDAP.
Adding an ID Map
From the Directory Services screen, click Show to the right of Advanced Settings and then click Confirm to close the warning dialog.
Click Add on the Idmap widget to open the Idmap Settings screen.
Select the type from the Name field dropdown. Screen settings change based on the selection.
Select the Idmap Backend type from the dropdown list. Screen settings change based on the backend selected.
Backup credential tutorials for integrating TrueNAS SCALE with cloud storage providers by setting up SSH connections and keypairs.
TrueNAS backup credentials store cloud backup services credentials, SSH connections, and SSH keypairs.
Users can set up backup credentials with cloud and SSH clients to back up data in case of drive failure.
Contents
Adding Cloud Credentials: Provides basic instructions on how to add backup cloud credentials and more detailed instructions for some cloud storage providers.
Adding SSH Credentials: Provides information on adding SSH connections, generating SSH keypairs, and adding the SSH public key to the root user.
6.5.1 - Adding Cloud Credentials
Provides basic instructions on how to add backup cloud credentials and more detailed instructions for some cloud storage providers.
The Cloud Credentials widget on the Backup Credentials screen allows users to integrate TrueNAS with cloud storage providers.
These providers are supported for Cloud Sync tasks in TrueNAS SCALE:
To maximize security, TrueNAS encrypts cloud credentials when saving them.
However, this means that to restore any cloud credentials from a TrueNAS configuration file, you must enable Export Password Secret Seed when generating that configuration backup.
Remember to protect any downloaded TrueNAS configuration files.
Authentication methods for each provider could differ based on the provider security requirements.
You can add credentials for many of the supported cloud storage providers from the information on the Cloud Credentials Screens.
This article provides instructions for the more involved providers.
Before You Begin
We recommend users open another browser tab to open and log into the cloud storage provider account you intend to link with TrueNAS.
Some providers require additional information that they generate on the storage provider account page.
For example, saving an Amazon S3 credential on TrueNAS could require logging in to the S3 account and generating an access key pair found on the Security Credentials > Access Keys page.
Have any authentication information your cloud storage provider requires on-hand to make the process easier. Authentication information could include but are not limited to user credentials, access tokens, and access and security keys.
Adding Cloud Credentials
To set up a cloud credential, go to Credentials > Backup Credentials and click Add in the Cloud Credentials widget.
Enter a credential name.
Select the cloud service from the Provider dropdown list. The provider required authentication option settings display.
Click Verify Credentials to test the entered credentials and verify they work.
Click Save.
Adding Storj Cloud Credentials
The process to set up the Storj-TrueNAS account, buckets, create the S3 access and download the credentials is documented fully in Adding a Storj Cloud Sync Task in the Adding Storj Cloud Credentials section.
Adding Amazon S3 Cloud Credentials
If adding an Amazon S3 cloud credential, you can use the default authentication settings or use advanced settings if you want to include endpoint settings.
After entering a name and leaving Amazon S3 as the Provider setting:
Navigate to My account > Security Credentials > Access Keys to obtain the Amazon S3 secret access key ID.
Access keys are alphanumeric and between 5 and 20 characters.
If you cannot find or remember the secret access key, go to My Account > Security Credentials > Access Keys and create a new key pair.
Enter or copy/paste the access key into Access Key ID.
Enter or copy/paste the Amazon Web Services alphanumeric password that is between 8 and 40 characters into Secret Access Key
(Optional) Enter a value to define the maximum number of chunks for a multipart upload in Maximum Upload Ports.
Setting a maximum is necessary if a service does not support the 10,000 chunk AWS S3 specification.
(Optional) Select Advanced Settings to display the endpoint settings.
To use the default endpoint for the region and automatically fetch available buckets leave this field blank.
For more information refer to the AWS Documentation for a list of Simple Storage Service Website Endpoints.
To detect the correct public region for the selected bucket leave the field blank.
Entering a private region name allows interacting with Amazon buckets created in that region.
c. (Optional) Configure a custom endpoint URL. Select Disable Endpoint Region.
d. (Optional) Select User Signature Version 2 to force using signature version 2 with the custom endpoint URL. For more information on using this to sign API requests see Signature Version 2.
Click Verify Credentials to check your credentials for any issues.
Click Save
Adding Cloud Credentials that Authenticate with OAuth
Cloud storage providers using OAuth as an authentication method are Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, pCloud and Yandex.
After logging into the provider with the OAuth credentials, the provider provides the access token.
Google Drive and pCloud use one more setting to authenticate credentials.
Enter the name and select the cloud storage provider from the Provider dropdown list.
Enter the provider account email in OAuth Client ID and the password for that user account in OAuth Client Secret.
Click Log In To Provider. The Authentication window opens. Click Proceed to open the OAuth credential account sign in window.
Yandex displays a cookies message you must accept before you can enter credentials.
Enter the provider account user name and password to verify the credentials.
(Optional) Enter the value for any additional authentication method.
For pCloud, enter the pCloud host name for the host you connect to in Hostname.
For Google Drive when connecting to Team Drive, enter the Google Drive top-level folder ID.
Enter the access token from the provider if not populated by the provider after OAuth authentication. Obtaining the access token varies by provider.
Provider
Access Token
Box
For more information the user access token for Box click here. An access token enables Box to verify a request belongs to an authorized session. Example token: T9cE5asGnuyYCCqIZFoWjFHvNbvVqHjl.
The authentication process creates the token for Google Drive and populates the Access Token field automatically. Access tokens expire periodically, so you must refresh them.
pCloud
Create the pCloud access token here. These tokens can expire and require an extension.
Click Verify Credentials to make sure you can connect with the entered credentials.
Click Save.
Adding BackBlaze B2 Cloud Credentials
BackBlaze B2 uses an application key and key ID to authenticate credentials.
From the Cloud Credentials widget, click Add and then:
Enter the name and select BackBlaze B2 from the Provider dropdown list.
Log into the BackBlaze account, go to App Keys page and add a new application key. Copy and past this into Key ID.
Generate a new application key on the BackBlaze B2 website.
From the App Keys page, add a new application key. Copy the application Key string Application Key.
Click Verify Credentials.
Click Save.
Adding Google Cloud Storage Credentials
Google Cloud Storage uses a service account json file to authenticate credentials.
From the Cloud Credentials widget, click Add and then:
Enter the name and select Google Cloud Storage from the Provider dropdown list.
Go to your Google Cloud Storage website to download this file to the TrueNAS SCALE server.
The Google Cloud Platform Console creates the file.
Upload the json file to Preview JSON Service Account Key using Choose File to browse the server to locate the downloaded file. For help uploading a Google Service Account credential file click here.
Click Verify Credentials.
Click Save.
Adding Google Photos Cloud Credentials
Google Photos uses an OAuth Client ID, OAuth Client Secret, and an access token to authenticate accounts.
Google Photos works best in TrueNAS using a Google Photos Oauth API key and rclone token. Click to expand below for instructions on generating credentials and adding them to TrueNAS SCALE.
Creating the API Credentials
On the Google API dashboard, click the dropdown menu next to the Google Cloud logo and select your project. If you do not have a project, click NEW PROJECT and enter a value in Project name, Organization, and Location.
Enter a name for the new remote, then enter the number from the list corresponding to Google Photos.
Enter the client id and secret you saved when you created the Google Photos API credentials, then enter false to keep the Google Photos backend read-only.
Open your TrueNAS Web UI. Go to Credentials > Backup Credentials and click Add in the Cloud Credentials widget.
Select Google Photos as the Provider and enter a name.
Paste the Google Photos API client ID and client secret in the OAuth Client ID and OAuth Client Secret fields.
Paste your rclone token into the Token field.
Click Verify Credential to ensure you filled out the fields correctly, then click Save.
Adding OpenStack Swift Cloud Credentials
OpenStack Swift authentication credentials change based on selections made in AuthVersion. All options use the user name, API key or password and authentication URL, and can use the optional endpoint settings.
Provides information on adding SSH connections, generating SSH keypairs, and adding the SSH public key to the root user.
The SSH Connections and SSH Keypairs widgets on the Backup Credentials screen display a list of SSH connections and keypairs configured on the system.
Using these widgets, users can establish Secure Socket Shell (SSH) connections.
To begin setting up an SSH connection, go to Credentials > Backup Credentials and click the Add button on the SSH Connections widget.
Creating an SSH Connection
This procedure uses the semi-automatic setup method for creating an SSH connection with other TrueNAS or FreeNAS systems.
Semi-automatic simplifies setting up an SSH connection with another FreeNAS or TrueNAS system without logging in to that system to transfer SSH keys.
This requires an SSH keypair on the local system and administrator account credentials for the remote TrueNAS.
You must configure the remote system to allow root access with SSH.
You can generate the keypair as part of the semiautomatic configuration or a manually created one using SSH Keypairs.
Using the SSH Connections configuration screen:
Enter a name and select the Setup Method. If establishing an SSH connection to another TrueNAS server use the default Semi-automatic (TrueNAS only) option.
If connecting to a non-TrueNAS server select Manual from the dropdown list.
Enter the authentication settings.
a. Enter a valid URL scheme for the remote TrueNAS URL in TrueNAS URL.
This is a required field.
b. Enter an admin user name, which is the username on the remote system entered to log in via the web UI to set up the connection.
Or, leave Admin Username set to the default root user and enter the user password in Admin Password.
c. If two-factor authentication is enabled, enter the one-time password in One-Time Password (if neccessary).
d. Enter a Username, which is the user name on the remote system to log in via SSH.
e. Enter or import the private key from a previously created SSH keypair, or create a new one using the SSH Keypair widget.
(Optional) Enter the number of seconds you want to have SCALE wait for the remote TrueNAS/FreeNAS system to connect in Connect Timeout.
Click Save. Saving a new connection automatically opens a connection to the remote TrueNAS and exchanges SSH keys.
The new SSH connection displays on the SSH Connection widget.
To edit it, click on the name to open the SSH Connections configuration screen populated with the saved settings.
Manually Configuring an SSH Connection
Follow these instructions to set up an SSH connection to a non-TrueNAS or non-FreeNAS system.
To manually set up an SSH connection, you must copy a public encryption key from the local system to the remote system.
A manual setup allows a secure connection without a password prompt.
Using the SSH Connections configuration screen:
Enter a name and select Manual from the Setup Method dropdown list.
Enter the authentication settings.
a. Enter a host name or host IP address for the remote non-TrueNAS/FreeNAS system as a valid URL.
An IP address example is https://10.231.3.76.
This is a required field.
b. Enter the port number of the remote system to use for the SSH connection.
c. Enter a user name for logging into the remote system in Username.
c. Select the private key from the SSH keypair that you use to transfer the public key on the remote NAS from the Private Key dropdown.
d. Click Discover Remote Host Key after properly configuring all other fields to query the remote system and automatically populate thr Remote Host Key field.
(Optional) Enter the number of seconds you want SCALE wait for the remote TrueNAS/FreeNAS system to connect in Connect Timeout.
Click Save. Saving a new connection automatically opens a connection to the remote TrueNAS and exchanges SSH keys.
The new SSH connection displays on the SSH Connection widget.
To edit it, click on the name to open the SSH Connections configuration screen populated with the saved settings.
Adding a Public SSH Key to the TrueNAS Admin User Account
This procedure covers adding a public SSH key to the admin account on the TrueNAS SCALE system and generating a new SSH Keypair to add to the remote system (TrueNAS or other).
Copy the SSH public key text or download it to a text file:
Log into the TrueNAS system that generated the SSH keypair and go to Credentials > Backup Credentials.
Click on the name of the keypair on the SSH Keypairs widget to open the keypair for the SSH connection.
Copy the text of the public SSH key or download the public key as a text file.
Add the public key to the admin account on the system where you want to register the public key.
Log into the TrueNAS system where you want to register the public key and go to Credentials > Local Users.
Edit the admin account.
Click on the expand_more icon and then click Edit to open the Edit User screen.
Paste the SSH public key text into the Authorized Keys field on the Edit User configuration screen in the Authentication settings.
Do not paste the SSH private key.
Click Save.
If you need to generate a new SSH keypair:
Go to Credentials > Backup Credentials.
Click Add on the SSH Keypairs widget and select Generate New.
Copy or download the value for the new public key.
Add the new public key to the remote NAS.
If the remote NAS is not a TrueNAS system, refer to the documentation for that system, and find their instructions on adding a public SSH key.
Generating SSH Keypairs
TrueNAS generates and stores RSA-encrypted SSH public and private keypairs on the SSH Keypairs widget found on the Credentials > Backup Credentials screen.
Keypairs are generally used when configuring SSH Connections or SFTP Cloud Credentials.
TrueNAS does not support encrypted keypairs or keypairs with passphrases.
TrueNAS automatically generates keypairs as needed when creating new SSH Connections or Replication tasks.
To manually create a new keypair:
Click Add on the SSH Keypairs widget.
Click Generate New on the SSH Keypairs screen.
Give the new keypair a unique name and click Save.
The keypair displays on the SSH Keypairs widget.
Click the vertical ellipsis more_vert at the bottom of the SSH Keypairs configuration screen to download these strings as text files for later use.
Information about adding and managing certificates, CSRs, CAs and ACME DNS-Authenticators in TrueNAS SCALE.
Use the Credentials > Certificates screen Certificates, Certificate Signing Requests (CSRs), Certificate Authorities (CA), and ACME DNS-Authenticators widgets to manage certificates, certificate signing requests (CSRs), certificate authorities (CA), and ACME DNS-authenticators.
Each TrueNAS comes equipped with an internal, self-signed certificate that enables encrypted access to the web interface, but users can make custom certificates for authentication and validation while sharing data.
Contents
Managing Certificates: Provides information on adding or managing SCALE certificates.
Creating ACME Certificates: Provides information on generating ACME certificates in TrueNAS SCALE using Let's Encrypt.
6.6.1 - Managing Certificates
Provides information on adding or managing SCALE certificates.
The Certificates screen widgets display information for certificates, certificate signing requests (CSRs), certificate authorities(CAs), and ACME DNS-authenticators configured on the system, and provide the ability to add new ones.
TrueNAS comes equipped with an internal, self-signed certificate that enables encrypted access to the web interface, but users can make custom certificates for authentication and validation while sharing data.
Adding Certificates
By default, TrueNAS comes equipped with an internal, self-signed certificate that enables encrypted access to the web interface, but users can import and create more certificates by clicking Add in the Certificates window.
To add a new certificate:
Click Add on the Certificates widget to open the Add Certficates wizard.
First, enter a name as certificate identifier and select the type.
The Identifier and Type step lets users name the certificate and choose whether to use it for internal or local systems, or import an existing certificate.
Users can also select a predefined certificate extension from the Profiles dropdown list.
Next, specify the certificate options. Select the Key Type as this selection changes the settings displayed.
The Certificate Options step provides options for choosing the signing certificate authority (CSR), the type of private key type to use (as well as the number of bits in the key used by the cryptographic algorithm), the cryptographic algorithm the certificate uses, and how many days the certificate authority lasts.
Now enter the certificate location and basic information.
The Certificate Subject step lets users define the location, name, and email for the organization using the certificate.
Users can also enter the system fully-qualified hostname (FQDN) and any additional domains for multi-domain support.
Lastly, select any extension types you want to apply. Selecting Extended Key displays settings for Key Usage settings as well. Select any extra constraints you need for your scenario.
The Extra Constraints step contains certificate extension options.
Basic Constraints when enabled this limits the path length for a certificate chain.
Authority Key Identifier when enabled provides a means of identifying the public key corresponding to the private key used to sign a certificate.
Key Usage when enabled defines the purpose of the public key contained in a certificate.
Extended Key Usage when enabled it further refines key usage extensions.
Review the certificate options. If you want to change something Click Back to reach the screen with the setting option you want to change, then click Next to advance to the Confirm Options step.
Click Save to add the certificate.
Importing a Certificate
To import a certificate, first select Import Certificate as the Type and name the certificate.
Next, if the CSR exists on your SCALE system, select CSR exists on this system and then select the CSR.
Copy/paste the certificate and private Keys into their fields, and enter and confirm the passphrase for the certificate if one exists.
Provides basic instructions on adding and managing SCALE certificate authorities (CAs).
The Certificate Authorities widget lets users set up a certificate authority (CA) that certifies the ownership of a public key by the named subject of the certificate.
To add a new CA:
First, add the name and select the type of CA.
The Identifier and Type step lets users name the CA and choose whether to create a new CA or import an existing CA. Users can also select a predefined certificate extension from the Profiles drop-down list.
Next, enter the certificate options. Select the key type. The Key Type selection changes the settings displayed.
The Certificate Options step provides options for choosing what type of private key to use (as well as the number of bits in the key used by the cryptographic algorithm), the cryptographic algorithm the CA uses, and how many days the CA lasts.
Now enter the certificate subject information.
The Certificate Subject step lets users define the location, name, and email for the organization using the certificate. Users can also enter the system fully-qualified hostname (FQDN) and any additional domains for multi-domain support.
Lastly, enter any extra constraints you need for your scenario.
The Extra Constraints step contains certificate extension options.
Basic Constraints when enabled this limits the path length for a certificate chain.
Authority Key Identifier when enable provides a means of identifying the public key corresponding to the private key used to sign a certificate.
Key Usage when enabled defines the purpose of the public key contained in a certificate.
Extended Key Usage when enabled it further refines key usage extensions.
Review the CA options. If you want to change something Click Back to reach the screen with the setting option you want to change, then click Next to advance to the Confirm Options step.
Provides basic instructions on adding and managing SCALE certificate signing requests (CSRs).
The Certificate Signing Requests widget allows users configure the message(s) the system sends to a registration authority of the public key infrastructure to apply for a digital identity certificate.
To add a new CSR:
First enter the name and select the CSR type.
The Identifier and Type step lets users name the certificate signing request (CSR) and choose whether to create a new CSR or import an existing CSR. Users can also select a predefined certificate extension from the Profiles drop-down list.
Next, select the certficate options for the CSR you selected.
The Certificate Options step provides options for choosing what type of private key type to use, the number of bits in the key used by the cryptographic algorithm, and the cryptographic algorithm the CSR uses.
Now enter the information about the certificate.
The Certificate Subject step lets users define the location, name, and email for the organization using the certificate. Users can also enter the system fully-qualified hostname (FQDN) and any additional domains for multi-domain support.
Lastly, enter any extra constraints you need for your scenario.
The Extra Constraints step contains certificate extension options.
Basic Constraints when enabled this limits the path length for a certificate chain.
Authority Key Identifier when enable provides a means of identifying the public key corresponding to the private key used to sign a certificate.
Key Usage when enabled defines the purpose of the public key contained in a certificate.
Extended Key Usage when enabled it further refines key usage extensions.
Review the certificate options. If you want to change something Click Back to reach the screen with the setting option you want to change, then click Next to advance to the Confirm Options step.
Provides basic instructions on adding and managing SCALE ACME DNS-authenticators.
Automatic Certificate Management Environment (ACME) DNS authenticators allow users to automate certificate issuing and renewal. The user must verify ownership of the domain before TrueNAS allows certificate automation.
ACME DNS is an advanced feature intended for network administrators or AWS professionals. Misconfiguring ACME DNS can prevent you from accessing TrueNAS.
The system requires an ACME DNS Authenticator and CSR to configure ACME certificate automation.
Adding a DNS Authenticator
To add an authenticator,
Click Add on the ACME DNS-Authenticator widget to open the Add DNS Authenticator screen.
Enter a name, and select the authenticator you want to configure.
Options are cloudflare, Amazon route53, OVH, and shell.
Authenticator selection changes the configuration fields.
If you select cloudflare as the authenticator, you must enter your Cloudflare account email address, API key, and API token.
If you select route53 as the authenticator, you must enter your Route53 Access key ID and secret access key.
If you select OVH as the authenticator, you must enter your OVH application key, application secret, consumer key, and endpoint.
Click Save to add the authenticator.
Adding an Authenticator with a Shell Script
The shell authenticator option is meant for advanced users. Improperly configured scripts can result in system instability or unexpected behavior.
If you select shell as the authenticator, you must enter the path to an authenticator script, the running user, a certificate timeout, and a domain propagation delay.
Advanced users can select this option to pass an authenticator script, such as acme.sh, to shell and add an external DNS authenticator.
Requires an ACME authenticator script saved to the system.
Provides information on generating ACME certificates in TrueNAS SCALE using Let’s Encrypt.
TrueNAS SCALE allows users to automatically generate custom domain certificates using Let’s Encrypt.
Requirements
An email address for your TrueNAS SCALE Admin user.
A custom domain that uses Cloudflare, AWS Route 53, or OVH.
A DNS server that does not cache for your TrueNAS SCALE system.
Create an ACME DNS-Authenticator
Go to Credentials > Certificates and click ADD in the ACME DNS-Authenticators widget.
Enter the required fields depending on your provider, then click Save.
For Cloudflare, enter either your Cloudflare Email and API Key, or enter an API Token.
If you create an API Token, make sure to give the token the permission Zone.DNS:Edit as it’s required by certbot.
For Route53, enter your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key.
For OVH, enter your OVH Application Key, OVH Application Secret, OVH Consumer Key, and OVH Endpoint.
Create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
Next, click ADD in the Certificate Signing Requests widget.
You can use default settings except for the Common Name and Subject Alternate Names fields.
Enter your primary domain name in the Common Name field, then enter additional domains you wish to secure in the Subject Alternate Names field.
For example, if your primary domain is domain1.com, entering www.domain1.com secures both addresses.
Create ACME Certificate
Click the icon next to the new CSR.
Fill out the ACME Certificate form. Under Domains, select the ACME DNS Authenticator you created for both domains, then click Save.
You can create testing and staging certificates for your domain.
Describes how to configure KMIP on TrueNAS SCALE Enterprise.
TrueNAS Enterprise
KMIP is only available for TrueNAS SCALE Enterprise licensed systems.
Contact the iXsystems Sales Team to inquire about purchasing TrueNAS Enterprise licenses.
The Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP) is an extensible client/server communication protocol for storing and maintaining keys, certificates, and secret objects.
KMIP on TrueNAS SCALE Enterprise integrates the system within an existing centralized key management infrastructure and uses a single trusted source for creating, using, and destroying SED passwords and ZFS encryption keys.
With KMIP, keys created on a single server are then retrieved by TrueNAS.
KMIP supports keys wrapped within keys, symmetric, and asymmetric keys.
KMIP enables clients to ask a server to encrypt or decrypt data without the client ever having direct access to a key.
You can also use KMIP to sign certificates.
To simplify the TrueNAS connection process:
Have a KMIP server available with certificate authorities and certificates you can import into TrueNAS.
Have the KMIP server configuration open in a separate browser tab or copy the KMIP server certificate string and private key string to later paste into the TrueNAS web interface.
Log into the TrueNAS web interface and go to Credentials > Certificate.
Click Add on the Certificate Authorities widget.
Select Import CA from the Type dropdown list.
Enter a memorable name for the CA, then paste the KMIP server certificate in Certificate and the private key in Private Key.
Leave Passphrase empty.
Click Save.
Next, click Add on the Certificates widget.
Select Import Certificate from the Type dropdown list.
Enter a memorable name for the certificate, then paste the KMIP server certificate and private key strings into the related TrueNAS fields.
Leave Passphrase empty.
Click Save.
For security reasons, we strongly recommend protecting the CA and certificate values.
Enter the central key server host name or IP address in Server and the number of an open connection on the key server in Port.
Select the certificate and certificate authority that you imported from the central key server.
To ensure the certificate and CA chain is correct, click on Validate Connection. Click Save.
When the certificate chain verifies, choose the encryption values, SED passwords, or ZFS data pool encryption keys to move to the central key server.
Select Enabled to begin moving the passwords and keys immediately after clicking Save.
Refresh the KMIP screen to show the current KMIP Key Status.
If you want to cancel a pending key synchronization, select Force Clear and click Save.
Tutorials for configuring TrueNAS SCALE virtualization features.
The Virtualization section allows users to set up Virtual Machines (VMs) to run alongside TrueNAS.
Delegating processes to VMs reduces the load on the physical system, which means users can utilize additional hardware resources.
Users can customize six different segments of a VM when creating one in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS assigns a portion of system RAM and a new zvol to each VM.
While a VM is running, these resources are not available to the host computer or other VMs.
TrueNAS VMs use the KVM virtual machine software.
This type of virtualization requires an x86 machine running a recent Linux kernel on an Intel processor with VT (virtualization technology) extensions or an AMD processor with SVM extensions (also called AMD-V).
Users cannot create VMs unless the host system supports these features.
To verify that you have Intel VT or AMD-V, check your processor model name on the vendor’s website.
If needed, enable virtualization in the BIOS Advanced > CPU Configuration settings.
Contents
Adding and Managing VMs: Provides instructions adding or managing a virtual machine (VM) and installing an operating system in the VM.
Accessing NAS From a VM: Provides instructions on how to create a bridge interface for the VM and provides Linux and Windows examples.
7.1 - Adding and Managing VMs
Provides instructions adding or managing a virtual machine (VM) and installing an operating system in the VM.
A virtual machine (VM) is an environment on a host computer that you can use as if it is a separate, physical computer.
Users can use VMs to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single computer.
Operating systems running inside a VM see emulated virtual hardware rather than the host computer physical hardware.
VMs provide more isolation than Jails but also consume more system resources.
TrueNAS assigns a portion of system RAM and a new zvol to each VM.
While a VM is running, these resources are not available to the host computer or other VMs.
TrueNAS VMs use the KVM virtual machine software.
This type of virtualization requires an x86 machine running a recent Linux kernel on an Intel processor with VT (virtualization technology) extensions or an AMD processor with SVM extensions (also called AMD-V).
Users cannot create VMs unless the host system supports these features.
To verify that you have Intel VT or AMD-V, check your processor model name on the vendor’s website.
If needed, enable virtualization in the BIOS Advanced > CPU Configuration settings.
Creating a Virtual Machine
Before creating a VM, you need an installer .iso or image file for the OS you intend to install, and a zvol on a storage pool that is available for both the virtual disk and OS install file.
To create a new VM, go to Virtualization and click Add to open the Create Virtual Machine configuration screen.
If you have not yet added a virtual machine to your system you can click Add Virtual Machines to open the same screen.
Select the operating system you want to use from the Guest Operating System dropdown list.
Compare the recommended specifications for the guest operating system with your available host system resources when allocating virtual CPUs, cores, threads, and memory size.
Change other Operating System settings per your use case.
Select UTC as the VM system time from the System Clock dropdown if you do not want to use the default Local setting.
Change the default IP address in Bind if you want use a specific address as the primary network interface, otherwise leave it set to 0.0.0.0.
If selecting Enable Display, enter a device Password.
Click Next.
Enter the CPU and memory settings for your VM.
If you selected Windows as the Guest Operating System, the Virtual CPUs field displays a default value of 2.
The VM operating system might have operational or licensing restrictions on the number of CPUs.
Do not allocate too much memory to a VM. Activating a VM with all available memory allocated to it can slow the host system or prevent other VMs from starting.
Leave CPU Mode set to Custom if you want to select a CPU model.
Specify the amount of RAM you want for the VM if you want to use more or less than the default. We recommend increasing this value, but your configuration depends on the resources available for your VM.
Click Next.
Configure disk settings.
Select Create new disk image to create a new zvol on an existing dataset. Select Use existing disk image to use an existing zvol for the VM.
Select either AHCI or VirtIO from the Select Disk Type dropdown list. We recommend using AHCI or Windows VMs.
Select the location for the new zvol from the Zvol Location dropdown list.
Enter a value in Size (Examples: 500KiB, 500M, and 2TB) to indicate the amount of space to allocate for the new zvol.
Click Next.
Configure the network interface.
Select the network interface type from the Adapter Type dropdown list. Select Intel e82585 (e1000) as it offers a higher level of compatibility with most operating systems, or select VirtIO if the guest operating system supports para-virtualized network drivers.
Select the network interface card to use from the Attach NIC dropdown list.
Click Next.
Upload installation media for the operating system you selected.
You can create the VM without an OS installed. To add it either type the path or browse to the location and select it.
To upload an iso select Upload New Image File and either enter the path or browse to the location of the file.
Click Upload to begin the upload process. After the upload finishes, click Next.
Specify a GPU.
The VirtIO network interface requires a guest OS that supports VirtIO para-virtualized network drivers.
iXsystems does not have a list of approved GPUs at this time but does have drivers and basic support for the list of nvidia Supported Products.
Confirm your VM settings, then click Save.
Adding and Removing Devices
After creating the VM, you can add or remove virtual devices.
Expand the VM entry on the Virtual Machines screen and click device_hubDevices.
Device notes:
A virtual machine attempts to boot from devices according to the Device Order, starting with 1000, then ascending.
A CD-ROM device allow booting a VM from a CD-ROM image like an installation CD.
The CD image must be available in the system storage.
Managing a Virtual Machine
After creating the VM and configuring devices for it, manage the VM by expanding the entry on the Virtual Machines screen.
An active VM displays options for settings_ethernetDisplay and keyboard_arrow_rightSerial Shell connections.
When a Display device is configured, remote clients can connect to VM display sessions using a SPICE client, or by installing a 3rd party remote desktop server inside your VM.
SPICE clients are available from the SPICE Protocol site.
If the display connection screen appears distorted, try adjusting the display device resolution.
Use the State toggle or click stopStop to follow a standard procedure to do a clean shutdown of the running VM.
Click power_settings_newPower Off to halt and deactivate the VM, which is similar to unplugging a computer.
If the VM you created has no Guest OS installed, The VM State toggle and stopStop button might not function as expected.
The State toggle and stopStop button send an ACPI power down command to the VM operating system, but since an OS is not installed, these commands time out.
Use the Power Off button instead.
Installing an OS
When the VM is configured in TrueNAS and has an OS .iso, file attached, you can start the VM and begin installing the operating system.
Some operating systems can require specific settings to function properly in a virtual machine.
For example, vanilla Debian can require advanced partitioning when installing the OS.
Refer to the documentation for your chosen operating system for tips and configuration instructions.
Upload the Debian .iso to the TrueNAS system and attached to the VM as a CD-ROM device.
Click Virtualization, then ADD to use the VM wizard.
Wizard Screen
Setting
Description
Operating System:
Guest Operating System
Linux
Name
debianVM
Description
Debian VM
CPU and Memory:
Memory Size
1024 MiB
Disks:
Create new disk image
Selected
Zvol Location
Select pool.
Size
30 GiB
Network Interface:
Attach NIC
Select the physical interface to associate with the VM.
Installation Media:
Installation ISO is uploaded to /mnt/tank2/isostorage/. If the ISO is ot uploaded, select Upload an installer image file. Select a dataset to store the ISO, click Choose file, then click Upload. Wait for the upload to complete.
GPU:
Leave the default values.
Confirm Options
Verify the information is correct and then click Save.
After creating the VM, start it. Expand the VM entry and click Start.
Click Display to open a virtual monitor to the VM and see the Debian Graphical Installation screens.
Debian Graphical Install
Press Return to start the Debian Graphical Install.
Language: English
Location: United States
Keymap: American English
Installation begins
Continue if the network configuration fails.
Do not configure the network at this time.
Enter a name in Hostname.
Enter the root password and re-enter the root password.
Enter a name in New User.
Select the username for your account (it should already be filled in).
Enter and re-enter the password for the user account.
Choose the time zone, Eastern in this case.
Disk detection begins
Partition disks: select Guided - use entire disk.
Select the available disk.
Select All files in one partition (recommended for new users).
Select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk.
Select Yes to Write the changes to disks?.
Installing the base system begins
Select No to the question Scan extra installation media.
Select Yes when asked Continue without a network mirror.
Installing software begins
Select No when asked Participate in the package usage survey.
Select Standard system utilities.
Click Continue when the installation finishes.
After the Debian installation finishes, close the display window.
Remove the device.
In the expanded section for the VM, click Power Off to stop the new VM.
a. Click Devices.
b. Remove the CD-ROM from the devices by clicking the and selecting Delete. Click Delete Device.
Return to the Virtual Machines screen and expand the new VM again.
Click Start.
Click Display.
The grub file does not run when you start the VM, you can do this manually after each start.
At the shell prompt:
Type FS0:Return.
Type cd EFIReturn.
Type cd DebianReturn.
Type grubx64.efiReturn.
To ensure it starts automatically, you create the startup.nsh file at the root directory on the vm. To create the file:
Go to the Shell.
At the shell prompt type edit startup.nsh.
In the editor type:
Type FS0:Return.
Type cd EFIReturn.
Type cd DebianReturn.
Type grubx64.efiReturn.
Use the Control+s keys (Command+s for Mac OS) then Return.
Provides instructions on adding or managing devices used by VMs.
Managing Devices
After creating the VM, the next step is to add virtual devices for that VM.
Go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines and locate the VM you want to modify. Click anywhere on a VM entry on the Virtual Machines widget to expand it and show the options for the VM.
Click device_hubDevices to open the devices screen associated with the VM.
From this screen, you can edit, add, or delete devices.
Click the more_vert icon at the right of each listed device to see device options.
The devices for the VM display as a list.
Device notes:
A virtual machine attempts to boot from devices according to the Device Order, starting with 1000, then ascending.
A CD-ROM device allows booting a VM from a CD-ROM image like an installation CD.
The CD image must be available in the system storage.
With a Display device, remote clients can connect to VM display sessions using a SPICE client, or by installing a 3rd party remote desktop server inside your VM.
SPICE clients are available from the SPICE Protocol site.
Before adding, editing, or deleting a VM device, stop the VM if it is running.
Click the State toggle to stop or restart a VM.
Editing a Device
Select Edit to open the Edit type Device screen where type is the device type selected. You can change the type of virtual hard disk, the storage volume to use, or change the device boot order.
To edit a VM device:
Stop the VM if it is running.
Click on the name of the VM to expand it, then click Devices to open the list of devices for the selected VM.
Click on the more_vert icon at the right of the listed device you want to edit, then select Edit. The Edit Device screen opens.
Select the path to the zvol you created when setting up the VM on the Zvol dropdown list.
Select the type of hard disk emulation from the Mode dropdown list.
Select AHCI for better software compatibility, or select VirtIO for better performance if the guest OS installed in the VM has support for VirtIO disk devices.
(Optional) Specify the dis sector size in bytes in Disk Sector Size.
Leave set to Default or select either 512 or 4096 byte values from the dropdown list.
If unset, the sector size uses the ZFS volume values.
Specify the boot order or priority level in Device Order to move this device up or down in the sequence.
The lower the number the higher the priority in the boot sequence.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines and click on the State toggle button to restart the VM.
Deleting a Disk Device
Deleting a device removes it from the list of available devices for the selected VM.
To delete a VM device:
Stop the VM if it is running.
Click on the name of the VM to expand it, then click Devices to open the list of devices for the selected VM.
Click on the more_vert icon at the right of the listed device you want to edit, then select Delete.
The Delete Virtual Machine dialog opens.
Select Delete zvol device to confirm you want to delete the zvol device.
Select Force Delete if you want the system to force the deletion of the zvol device, even if other devices or services are using or affiliated with the zvol device.
Click Delete Device.
Changing the Device Order
Stop the VM if it is running.
Click on the name of the VM to expand it, then click Devices to open the list of devices for the selected VM
Click Edit.
Enter the number that represents where in the boot sequence you want this device to boot in the Devices Order field.
The lower the number, the higher the device is in the boot sequence.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines and restart the VM.
Adding a CD-ROM Device
Select CD-ROM in Device Type on the Add Device screen and set a boot order.
Stop the VM if it is running, then expand the VM, and select Devices.
Click Add and select CD-ROM from the Device Type dropdown list.
Specify the mount path.
Click on the to the left of /mnt and at the pool and dataset levels to expand the directory tree. Select the path to the CD-ROM device.
Specify the boot sequence in Device Order.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines and restart the VM.
Adding a NIC Device Type
Select NIC in the Device Type on the Add Devicecreen to add a network interface card for the VM to use.
Stop the VM if it is running, then expand the VM, and select Devices.
Click Add and select NIC from the Device Type dropdown list.
Select the adapter type. Choose Intel e82585(e1000) for maximum compatibility with most operating systems.
If the guest OS supports VirtIO paravirtualized network drivers, choose VirtIO for better performance.
Click Generate to assign a new random MAC address to replace the random default address, or enter your own custom address.
Select the physical interface you want to use from the NIC To Attach dropdown list.
(Optional) Select Trust Guest Filters to allow the virtual server to change its MAC address and join multicast groups.
This is required for the IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP).
Setting this attribute has security risks.
It allows the virtual server to change its MAC address and receive all frames delivered to this address.
Determine your network setup needs before setting this attribute.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines and restart the VM.
Add a Disk Device Type
Select Disk in Device Type on the Add Device screen to configure a new disk location, drive type and disk sector size, and boot order.
Stop the VM if it is running, then expand the VM, and select Devices.
Click Add and select Disk from the Device Type dropdown list.
Select the path to the zvol you created when setting up the VM using the Zvol dropdown list.
Select the hard disk emulation type from the Mode dropdown list.
Select AHCI for better software compatibility, or VirtIO for better performance if the guest OS installed in the VM supprots VirtIO disk devices.
Specify the sector size in bytes in Disk Sector Size.
Leave set to Default or select either 512 or 4096 from the dropdown list to change it.
If the sector size remains unset it uses the ZFS volume values.
Specify the boot sequence order for the disk device.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines to restart the VM.
Adding a PCI Passthrough Device
Select PCI Passthrough Device in the Device Type on the Add Device screen to configure the PCI passthrough device and boot order.
Depending upon the type of device installed in your system, you may see a warning: PCI device does not have a reset mechanism defined.
You may experience inconsistent or degraded behavior when starting or stopping the VM.
Determine if you want to proceed with this action in such an instance.
Stop the VM if it is running, then expand the VM, and select Devices.
Click Add and select PCI Passthrough Device from the Device Type dropdown list.
Enter a value in PCI Passthrough Device using the format of bus#/slot#/fcn#.
Specify the boot sequence order for the PCI passthrough device.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines to restart the VM.
Adding a USB Passthrough Device
Select USB Passthrough Device as the Device Type on the Add Device screen to configure the USB passthrough device, and set a boot order.
Stop the VM if it is running, then expand the VM, and select Devices.
Click Add and select USB Passthrough Device from the Device Type dropdown list.
Select the Controller Type from the dropdown list.
Select the hub controller type from the Device dropdown list.
If the type is not listed, select Specify custom, enter the Vendor ID and Product ID.
Specify the boot sequence order.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines to restart the VM.
Adding a Display Device
Select Display as Device Type on the Add Device screen to configure a new display device.
Stop the VM if it is running, then expand the VM, and select Devices.
Click Add and select Display from the Device Type dropdown list.
Enter a fixed port number in Port.
To allow TrueNAS to assign the port after restarting the VM, set the value to zero (leave the field empty).
Specify the display session settings:
a. Select the screen resolution to use for the display from the Resolution dropdown.
b. Select an IP address for the display device to use in Bind. The default is 0.0.0.0.
c. Enter a unique password for the display device to securely access the VM.
Select Web Interface to allow access to the VNC web interface.
Click Save.
You can now go to Virtualization > Virtual Machines to restart the VM.
Display devices have a 60 second inactivity timeout.
If the VM display session appears unresponsive, try refreshing the browser tab.
Provides instructions on how to create a bridge interface for the VM and provides Linux and Windows examples.
If you want to access your TrueNAS SCALE directories from a VM, you have multiple options. If your system has more than one physical interface, you can assign your VMs to a NIC other than the primary one your TrueNAS server uses. This method makes communication more flexible, but does not offer the potential speed of a bridge.
If you have only one physical interface, you must create a bridge interface for the VM to use.
Creating a Bridge: Single Physical Interface
If the only interface you have is a single physical interface, complete the following steps in order to create a network bridge:
If you have apps running, disable them before proceeding.
Clear the DHCP checkbox on the single physical interface you have, but don’t apply the changes.
Create a bridge interface and add your physical interface as a member. Configure relevant networking options such as DHCP.
Then apply the changes and connect to the UI with the new networking settings.
These steps are outlined below.
Creating a Bridge: One Active Interface
Go to Virtualization, find the VM you want to use to access TrueNAS storage, and toggle it off.
Edit Interface
You can also get the IP address and subnet mask in the TrueNAS SCALE CLI by entering network interface query.
Go to Network > Interfaces and find the active interface you used as the VM parent interface. Note the interface IP Address and subnet mask.
Click the interface.
The Edit Interface screen appears. If selected, clear the DHCP checkbox. Note the IP address and mask under Aliases. Click the X next to the listed alias to remove the IP address and mask. The Aliases field now reads No items have been added yet. Click Save.
The Interfaces widget displays the edited interface with no IP information.
Add Bridge Interface
To set up a bridge interface, from the Network screen:
Click Add in the Interfaces widget.
The Add Interface configuration screen displays.
Select Bridge from the Type dropdown list.
You cannot change the Type field value after you click Save.
Enter a name for the interface.
Use the format bondX, vlanX, or brX where X is a number representing a non-parent interface.
Read-only when editing an interface.
You cannot change the Name of the interface after you click Save.
(Optional but recommended) Enter any notes or reminders about this particular bridge in the Description field.
Select the interfaces on the Bridge Members dropdown list.
Next to Aliases click Add to enter the IP address for this bridge interface.
(Optional) click Add to display an additional IP address field for each additional IP address you want to add.
Click Save when finished.
The created bridge shows in Interfaces with its associated IP address information.
To determine if network changes are suitable, click Test Changes.
Once TrueNAS finishes testing the interface, click Save Changes if you want to keep the changes. Click Revert Changes to discard the changes and return to the previous configuration.
The new bridge interface displays with associated IP information.
Edit VM Device Configuration
Go to Virtualization, expand the VM you want to use to access TrueNAS storage, and click Devices. Click more_vert in the NIC row and select Edit.
Select the new bridge interface from the Nic to Attach dropdown list, then click Save.
You can now access your TrueNAS storage from the VM. You might have to set up shares or users with home directories to access certain files.
VM Access Examples
Linux VMs can access TrueNAS storage using FTP, SMB, and NFS.
In the example below, the Linux VM is using FTP to access a home directory for a user on TrueNAS.
Windows VMs can access TrueNAS storage using FTP and SMB.
In the example below, the Windows VM accessing an SMB share on TrueNAS.
Expanding TrueNAS SCALE functionality with additional applications.
TrueNAS applications allow for quick and easy integration of third-party software and TrueNAS SCALE.
Applications are available from official, Enterprise, and community maintained trains.
Apps tutorials are End of Life (EOL) for Cobia.
To view apps tutorials, see the 24.04 (Dragonfish) apps documentation (for TrueNAS 24.04 or earlier installations) or the 24.10 (Electric Eel) documentation.
Alternately, select 24.04 or Nightly from the Documentation Hub Product and Version dropdowns for SCALE at the top if this article, then go to Apps.
9 - Reporting
Provides information on changing settings that control how TrueNAS displays report graphs, interacting with graphs, and the TrueCommand Enhancement option.
TrueNAS has a built-in reporting engine that provides helpful graphs and information about the system.
TrueNAS uses netdata to gather system metrics and present them in the Reporting screens.
Reporting data is saved to permit viewing and monitoring usage trends over time.
This data is preserved across system upgrades and restarts.
TrueCommand Enhancement
To increase TrueNAS reporting functionality connect it to our TrueCommand multi-system management software.
TrueCommand offers enhanced features for reporting like creating custom graphs and comparing utilization across multiple systems.
Interacting with Graphs
Click on and drag a certain range of the graph to expand the information displayed in that selected area in the Graph.
Click on the icon to zoom in on the graph.
Click on the icon to zoom out on the graph.
Click the to move the graph forward.
Click the to move the graph backward.
Configuring Reporting Exporters
Click Exporters to open the Reporting Exporters screen.
The Reporting Exporters screen displays any configured third party reporting exports on the system.
Exporting enables TrueNAS SCALE to send Netdata reporting metrics to another time-series database.
For more information, see the Netdata exporting reference guide.
Click Add to open the Add Reporting Exporter screen and configure a third party reporting integration.
Enter a unique name for the exporter configuration in Name. If configuring multiple exporter instances, give each a distinct name.
Select the target database from Type.
Graphite is the only current supported option.
Additional settings fields automatically populate to configure the selected exporter type.
Select Enable to send reporting metrics to the configured exporter instance. Leave the checkbox cleared to disable the exporter without removing configuration.
Configuring Graphite Exporting
Graphite is a monitoring tool that stores and renders time-series data based on a plaintext database.
Netdata exports reporting metrics to Graphite in the format prefix.hostname.chart.dimension.
To send reporting data to Graphite, select GRAPHITE in Type.
Tutorials for configuring the various data sharing features in TrueNAS SCALE.
File sharing is one of the primary benefits of a NAS. TrueNAS helps foster collaboration between users through network shares. TrueNAS SCALE allows users to create and configure Windows SMB shares, Unix (NFS) shares, and block (iSCSI) shares targets.
When creating zvols for shares, avoid giving them names with capital letters or spaces since they can cause problems and failures with iSCSI and NFS shares.
Contents
AFP Migration: Provides information on migrating AFP shares from CORE to SCALE.
Block Shares (iSCSI): Describes the iSCSI protocol and has tutorials for various configuration scenarios.
Adding iSCSI Block Shares: Provides instructions on setting up iSCSI block shares manually or using the wizard and starting the service.
Using an iSCSI Share: Provides information on setting up a Linux or Windows system to use a TrueNAS-configured iSCSI block share.
Using SMB Shadow Copy: Provides information on SMB share shadow copies, enabling shadow copies, and resolving an issue with Microsoft Windows 10 v2004 release.
Provides information on migrating AFP shares from CORE to SCALE.
Since the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) for shares is deprecated and no longer receives updates, it is not in TrueNAS SCALE.
However, users can sidegrade a TrueNAS CORE configuration into SCALE, so TrueNAS SCALE migrates previously-saved AFP configurations into SMB configurations.
Migrating AFP Shares
To prevent data corruption that could result from the sidegrade operation, in TrueNAS SCALE, go to Windows (SMB) Shares, select the more_vert for the share, then select Edit to open the Edit SMB screen.
Click Advanced Options and scroll down to the Other Options section.
Select Legacy AFP Compatibility to enable compatibility for AFP shares migrated to SMB shares.
Do not select this option if you want a pure SMB share with no AFP relation.
Netatalk service is no longer in SCALE as of version 21.06.
AFP shares automatically migrate to SMB shares with the Legacy AFP Compatibility option enabled.
Do not clear the Legacy AFP Compatibility checkbox, as it impacts how data is written to and read from shares.
Any other shares created to access these paths after the migration must also have Legacy AFP Compatibility selected.
Once you have sidegraded from CORE to SCALE, you can find your migrated AFP configuration in Shares >Windows Shares (SMB) with the prefix AFP_.
To make the migrated AFP share accessible, start the SMB service.
Connecting Migrated Shares
Since AFP shares migrate to SMB in SCALE, you must use SMB syntax to mount them.
On your Apple system, press +K or go to Go > Connect to Server….
Describes the iSCSI protocol and has tutorials for various configuration scenarios.
About the Block (iSCSI) Sharing Protocol
Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) represents standards for using Internet-based protocols for linking binary data storage device aggregations.
IBM and Cisco submitted the draft standards in March 2000. Since then, iSCSI has seen widespread adoption into enterprise IT environments.
iSCSI functions through encapsulation. The Open Systems Interconnection Model (OSI) encapsulates SCSI commands and storage data within the session stack. The OSI further encapsulates the session stack within the transport stack, the transport stack within the network stack, and the network stack within the data stack.
Transmitting data this way permits block-level access to storage devices over LANs, WANs, and even the Internet itself (although performance may suffer if your data traffic is traversing the Internet).
The table below shows where iSCSI sits in the OSI network stack:
OSI Layer Number
OSI Layer Name
Activity as it relates to iSCSI
7
Application
An application tells the CPU that it needs to write data to non-volatile storage.
6
Presentation
OSI creates a SCSI command, SCSI response, or SCSI data payload to hold the application data and communicate it to non-volatile storage.
5
Session
Communication between the source and the destination devices begins. This communication establishes when the conversation starts, what it talks about, and when the conversion ends. This entire dialogue represents the session. OSI encapsulates the SCSI command, SCSI response, or SCSI data payload containing the application data within an iSCSI Protocol Data Unit (PDU).
4
Transport
OSI encapsulates the iSCSI PDU within a TCP segment.
3
Network
OSI encapsulates the TCP segment within an IP packet.
2
Data
OSI encapsulates the IP packet within the Ethernet frame.
1
Physical
The Ethernet frame transmits as bits (zeros and ones).
Unlike other sharing protocols on TrueNAS, an iSCSI share allows block sharing and file sharing.
Block sharing provides the benefit of block-level access to data on the TrueNAS.
iSCSI exports disk devices (zvols on TrueNAS) over a network that other iSCSI clients (initiators) can attach and mount.
Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP): an authentication method that uses a shared secret and three-way authentication to determine if a system is authorized to access the storage device. It also periodically confirms that the session has not been hijacked by another system. In iSCSI, the client (initiator) performs the CHAP authentication.
Mutual CHAP: a CHAP type in which both ends of the communication authenticate to each other.
Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS): protocol for the automated discovery of iSCSI devices on a TCP/IP network.
Extent: the storage unit to be shared. It can either be a file or a device.
Portal: indicates which IP addresses and ports to listen on for connection requests.
Initiators and Targets: iSCSI introduces the concept of initiators and targets which act as sources and destinations respectively. iSCSI initiators and targets follow a client/server model. Below is a diagram of a typical iSCSI network. The TrueNAS storage array acts as the iSCSI target and can be accessed by many of the different iSCSI initiator types, including software and hardware-accelerated initiators.
The iSCSI protocol standards require that iSCSI initiators and targets is represented as iSCSI nodes. It also requires that each node is given a unique iSCSI name. To represent these unique nodes via their names, iSCSI requires the use of one of two naming conventions and formats, IQN or EUI. iSCSI also allows the use of iSCSI aliases which are not required to be unique and can help manage nodes.
Logical Unit Number (LUN): LUN represents a logical SCSI device. An initiator negotiates with a target to establish connectivity to a LUN. The result is an iSCSI connection that emulates a connection to a SCSI hard disk. Initiators treat iSCSI LUNs as if they were a raw SCSI or SATA hard drive. Rather than mounting remote directories, initiators format and directly manage filesystems on iSCSI LUNs. When configuring multiple iSCSI LUNs, create a new target for each LUN. Since iSCSI multiplexes a target with multiple LUNs over the same TCP connection, there can be TCP contention when more than one target accesses the same LUN. TrueNAS supports up to 1024 LUNs.
Jumbo Frames: Jumbo frames are the name given to Ethernet frames that exceed the default 1500 byte size. This parameter is typically referenced by the nomenclature as a maximum transmission unit (MTU). A MTU that exceeds the default 1500 bytes necessitates that all devices transmitting Ethernet frames between the source and destination support the specific jumbo frame MTU setting, which means that NICs, dependent hardware iSCSI, independent hardware iSCSI cards, ingress and egress Ethernet switch ports, and the NICs of the storage array must all support the same jumbo frame MTU value. So, how does one decide if they should use jumbo frames?
Administrative time is consumed configuring jumbo frames and troubleshooting if/when things go sideways. Some network switches might also have ASICs optimized for processing MTU 1500 frames while others might be optimized for larger frames. Systems administrators should also account for the impact on host CPU utilization. Although jumbo frames are designed to increase data throughput, it may measurably increase latency (as is the case with some un-optimized switch ASICs); latency is typically more important than throughput in a VMware environment. Some iSCSI applications might see a net benefit running jumbo frames despite possible increased latency. Systems administrators should test jumbo frames on their workload with lab infrastructure as much as possible before updating the MTU on their production network.
TrueNAS Enterprise
Asymmetric Logical Unit Access (ALUA): ALUA allows a client computer to discover the best path to the storage on a TrueNAS system. HA storage clusters can provide multiple paths to the same storage. For example, the disks are directly connected to the primary computer and provide high speed and bandwidth when accessed through that primary computer. The same disks are also available through the secondary computer, but speed and bandwidth are restricted. With ALUA, clients automatically ask for and use the best path to the storage. If one of the TrueNAS HA computers becomes inaccessible, the clients automatically switch to the next best alternate path to the storage. When a better path becomes available, as when the primary host becomes available again, the clients automatically switch back to that better path to the storage.
Do not enable ALUA on TrueNAS unless it is also supported by and enabled on the client computers. ALUA only works when enabled on both the client and server.
iSCSI Configuration Methods
There are a few different approaches for configuring and managing iSCSI-shared data:
TrueNAS CORE web interface: the TrueNAS web interface is fully capable of configuring iSCSI shares. This requires creating and populating zvol block devices with data, then setting up the iSCSI Share. TrueNAS Enterprise licensed customers also have additional options to configure the share with Fibre Channel.
TrueNAS SCALE web interface: TrueNAS SCALE offers a similar experience to TrueNAS CORE for managing data with iSCSI; create and populate the block storage, then configure the iSCSI share.
TrueNAS Enterprise
TrueNAS Enterprise customers that use vCenter to manage their systems can use the TrueNAS vCenter Plugin to connect their TrueNAS systems to vCenter and create and share iSCSI datastores. This is all managed through the vCenter web interface.
Contents
Adding iSCSI Block Shares: Provides instructions on setting up iSCSI block shares manually or using the wizard and starting the service.
Using an iSCSI Share: Provides information on setting up a Linux or Windows system to use a TrueNAS-configured iSCSI block share.
TrueNAS SCALE offers two methods to add an iSCSI block share: the setup wizard or the manual steps using the screen tabs.
Both methods cover the same basic steps but have some differences.
The setup wizard requires you to enter some settings before you can move on to the next screen or step in the setup process.
It is designed to ensure you configure the iSCSI share completely, so it can be used immediately.
The manual process has more configuration screens over the wizard and allows you to configure the block share in any order.
Use this process to customize your share for special uses cases.
It is designed to give you additional flexibility to build or tune a share to your exact requirements.
Before you Begin
Have the following ready before you begin adding your iSCSI block share:
Storage pool and dataset.
A path to a Device (zvol or file) that doesn’t use capital letters or spaces.
iSCSI Wizard
This section walks you through the setup process using the wizard screens.
To use the setup wizard,
Add the block device.
a. Enter a name using all lowercase alphanumeric characters plus a dot (.), dash (-), or colon (:). We recommend keeping it short or at most 63 characters.
b. Choose the Extent Type. You can select either Device or File.
If you select Device, select the zvol to share from the Device dropdown list.
If you select File, file settings display. Browse to the file location to populate the path, then enter the size in Filesize. Enter 0 to use the actual existing file size.
c. Select the type of platform using the share. For example, if you use an updated Linux OS, choose Modern OS.
d. Click Next.
Add the portal
Now you either create a new portal or select an existing one from the dropdown list.
If you create a new portal, select a Discovery Authentication Method from the dropdown list.
If you select None, you can leave Discovery Authentication Group empty.
If you select either CHAP or MUTUAL CHAP, you must also to select a Discovery Authentication Group from the dropdown list.
If no group exists, click Create New and enter a value in Group ID, User, and Secret.
Select 0.0.0.0 or :: from the IP Address dropdown list. 0.0.0.0 listens on all IPv4 addresses and :: listens on all IPv6 addresses.
Click NEXT
Add the Initiator. After adding the portal, set up the initiators that use the iSCSI share.
Decide which initiators can use the iSCSI share.
Leave the list empty to allow all initiators, or add entries to the list to limit access to those systems.
Confirm the iSCSI setup. Review your settings.
If you need or want to change any setting click Back until you reach the wizard screen with the setting.
click Save.
iSCSI Manual Setup
This procedure walks you through adding each configuration setting on the seven configuration tab screens. While the procedure places each tab screen in order, you can select the tab screen to add settings in any order.
Configure share settings that apply to all iSCSI shares.
a. Click Configure on the main Block (iSCSI) Share Targets widget.
The Target Global Configuration tab screen opens.
b. Enter a name using lowercase alphanumeric characters plus dot (.), dash (-), and colon (:) in Base Name.
Use the iqn.format for the name. See the “Constructing iSCSI names using the iqn.format” section of RFC3721.
c. Enter the host names or IP address of the ISNS servers to register with the iSCSI targets and portals of the system. Separate entries by pressing Enter.
d. The value in Pool Available Space Threshold generates an alert when the pool has this percentage of space remaining. This is typically configured at the pool level when using zvols or at the extent level for both file and device-based extents.
e. Enter the iSCSI listen port. Add the TCP port used to access the iSCSI target. The default is 3260.
f. Click Save.
Add portals. Click Portals tab.
a. Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the Add Portal screen.
b. (Optional) Enter a description. Portals are automatically assigned a numeric group.
c. Select the Discovery Authentication Method from the dropdown list.
None allows anonymous discovery and does not require you to select a Discovery Authentication Group.
CHAP and Mutual CHAP require authentication and you to select a group ID in Discovery Authentication Group.
d. (Optional) Based on your Discovery Authentication Method, select a group in Discovery Authentication Group.
e. Click Add to select an IP Address the portal listens on from the dropdown list. 0.0.0.0 listens on all IPv4 addresses and :: listens on all IPv6 addresses.
f. Click Save.
Add initiators groups to create authorized access client groups. Click on the Initiators Groups tab to open the screen.
a. Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the SHARING > ISCSI > INITIATORS > Add screen.
b. Select Allow All Initiators or configure your own allowed initiators.
Enter the iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN) in Allowed Initiators (IQN) and click + to add it to the list. Example: iqn.1994-09.org.freebsd:freenas.local.
c. Click Save.
Add network authorized access. Click on the Authorized Access tab to open the screen.
a. Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the Add Authorized Access screen.
b. Enter a number in Group ID. Each group ID allows configuring different groups with different authentication profiles.
Example: all users with a group ID of 1 inherits the authentication profile associated with Group 1.
c. Enter a user around to create for CHAP authentication with the user on the remote system. Consider using the initiator name as the user name.
d. Enter the user password of at least 12 to no more than 16 characters long in Secret and Secret (Confirm).
e. (Optional) Enter peer user details in Peer User and Peer Secret and Peer Secret (Confirm).
Peer user is only entered when configuring mutual CHAP and is usually the same value as User. The password must be different from the one entered in Secret.
f. Click Save.
Create storage resources. Click Targets tab.
a. Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the Add iSCSI Target screen.
b. Enter a name in Target Name. Use lowercase alphanumeric characters plus dot (.), dash (-), and colon (:) in the iqn.format.
See the “Constructing iSCSI names using the iqn.format” section of RFC3721.
c. (Optional) Enter a user-friendly name in Target Alias.
d. Click Add next to Authorized Networks to enter IP address information.
e. Click Add under iSCSI Group to display the group settings.
f. Select the group ID from the Portal Group ID dropdown.
g. (Optional) Select the group ID in Initiator Group ID or leave it set to None.
h. (Optional) Select the Authentication Method from the dropdown list of options.
i. (Optional) Select the Authentication Group Number from the dropdown list. This value represents the number of existing authorized accesses.
j. Click Save.
Add new share storage units (extents). Click the Extents tab.
a. Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the Add Extent screen.
b. Enter a name for the extent. If the extent size is not 0, it cannot be an existing file within the pool or dataset.
c. Leave Enabled selected.
d. In the Compatibility section, the Enable TPC checkbox is selected by default. This allows an initiator to bypass normal access control and access any scannable target.
e. Xen initiator compat mode is disabled by default. Select when using Xen as the iSCSI initiator.
f. Do not change LUN RPM when using Windows as the initiator. Only change LUN RPM in environments where you need accurate reporting statistics for devices that use a specific RPM.
g. Read-only is disabled by default. Select to prevent the initiator from initializing this LUN.
h. In the Type section, select the extent type from the Extent Type dropdown.
Device provides virtual storage access to zvols, zvol snapshots, or physical devices.
File provides virtual storage access to a single file.
i. (Optional) Select the option from the Device dropdown. This field only displays when Extent Type is set to Device.
Select the path when Extent Type is set to File. Browse to the location.
Create a new file by browsing to a dataset and appending /{filename.ext} to the path. Enter the size in Filesize.
j. Select the Logical Block Size from the dropdown list. Leave at the default of 512 unless the initiator requires a different block size.
k. Select Disable Physical Block Size Reporting if the initiator does not support physical block size values over 4K (MS SQL).
a. Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the Add Associated Target screen.
b. Select the target from the Target dropdown list.
c. Select the value or enter a value between 0 and 1023. Some initiators expect a value below 256. Leave this LUN ID blank to automatically assign the next available ID.
d. Select an existing extent from the Extent dropdown.
e. Click Save
Creating a Quick iSCSI Target
TrueNAS SCALE allows users to add iSCSI targets without having to set up another share.
Go to Shares and click the Block (iSCSI) Shares Targets widget.
a. Click Add at the top right of the screen to open the Add iSCSI Target screen.
b. Enter a name in Target Name. Use lowercase alphanumeric characters plus dot (.), dash (-), and colon (:) in the iqn.format.
See the “Constructing iSCSI names using the iqn.format” section of RFC3721.
c. (Optional) Enter a user-friendly name in Target Alias.
d. Click Add next to Authorized Networks to enter IP address information.
e. Click Add under iSCSI Group to display the group settings.
f. Select the group ID from the Portal Group ID dropdown.
g. (Optional) Select the group ID in Initiator Group ID or leave it set to None.
h. (Optional) Select the Authentication Method from the dropdown list of options.
i. (Optional) Select the Authentication Group Number from the dropdown list. This value represents the number of existing authorized accesses.
j. Click Save.
Starting the iSCSI Service
To turn on the iSCSI service, from the Block (iSCSI) Shares Targets widget click the more_vert and select Turn On Service.
You can also go to System Settings > Services and locate iSCSI on the list and click the Running toggle to start the service.
Set iSCSI to start when TrueNAS boots up, go to System Settings > Services and locate iSCSI on the list. Select Start Automatically.
Clicking the edit returns to the options in Shares > Block (iSCSI) Shares Targets.
Provides information on setting up a Linux or Windows system to use a TrueNAS-configured iSCSI block share.
Connecting to and using an iSCSI share can differ between operating systems.
This article provides instructions on setting up a Linux and Windows system to use the TrueNAS iSCSI block share.
Using Linux iSCSI Utilities and Service
In this section, you start the iSCSI service, log in to the share, and obtain the configured basename and target. You also partition the iSCSI disk, make a file system for the share, mount it, and share data.
Before you begin, open the command line and ensure you have installed the open-iscsi utility.
To install the utility on an Ubuntu/Debian distribution, enter command sudo apt update && sudo apt install open-iscsi.
After the installation completes, ensure the iscsid service is running using the sudo service iscsid start command.
First, with the iscsid service started, run the iscsiadm command with the discovery arguments and get the necessary information to connect to the share.
Next, discover and log into the iSCSI share.
Run the command sudo iscsiadm \--mode discovery \--type sendtargets \--portal {IPADDRESS}.
The output provides the basename and target name that TrueNAS configured.
Alternatively, enter sudo iscsiadm -m discovery -t st -p {IPADDRESS} to get the same output.
Note the basename and target name given in the output. You need them to log in to the iSCSI share.
When a Portal Discovery Authentication Method is CHAP, add the three following lines to /etc/iscsi/iscsid.conf.
discovery.sendtargets.auth.authmethod = CHAP
discovery.sendtargets.auth.username = user
discovery.sendtargets.auth.password = secret
The user for discovery.sendtargets.auth.username is set in the Authorized Access used by the iSCSI share Portal.
Likewise, the password to use for discovery.sendtargets.auth.password is the Authorized Access secret.
Without those lines, the iscsiadm does not discover the portal with the CHAP authentication method.
Enter comand sudo iscsiadm \--mode node \--targetname {BASENAME}:{TARGETNAME} \--portal {IPADDRESS} \--login,
where {BASENAME} and {TARGETNAME} is the discovery command information.
Now you partition an iSCSI disk.
When the iSCSI share login succeeds, the device shared through iSCSI shows on the Linux system as an iSCSI Disk.
To view a list of connected disks in Linux, enter command sudo fdisk -l.
Because the connected iSCSI disk is raw, you must partition it.
Identify the iSCSI device in the list and enter sudo fdisk {/PATH/TO/iSCSIDEVICE}.
Use the fdisk command defaults when partitioning the disk.
Remember to type w when finished partitioning the disk.
The w command tells fdisk to save any changes before quitting.
After creating the partition on the iSCSI disk, a partition slice displays on the device name.
For example, /dev/sdb1.
Enter fdisk -l to see the new partition slice.
Next, make a file system on the iSCSI disk.
Finally, use mkfs to make a file system on the new partition slice.
To create the default file system (ext2), enter sudo mkfs {/PATH/TO/iSCSIDEVICEPARTITIONSLICE}.
Mount the iSCSI device and share the data.
Enter sudo mount {/PATH/TO/iSCSIDEVICEPARTITIONSLICE}.
For example, sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt mounts the iSCSI device /dev/sdb1 to file /mnt.
Using the iSCSI Share with Windows
This section provides instructions on setting up Windows iSCSI Initiator Client to work with TrueNAS iSCSI shares.
To access the data on the iSCSI share, clients need to use iSCSI Initiator software. An iSCSI Initiator client is pre-installed in Windows 7 to 10 Pro, and Windows Server 2008, 2012, and 2019. Windows Professional Edition is usually required.
First, click the Start Menu and search for the iSCSI Initiator application.
Next, go to the Configuration tab and click Change to replace the iSCSI initiator with the name created earlier. Click OK.
Next, switch to the Discovery Tab, click Discover Portal, and type in the TrueNAS IP address.
If TrueNAS changed the port number from the default 3260, enter the new port number.
If you set up CHAP when creating the iSCSI share, click Advanced…, set Enable CHAP log on, and enter the initiator name and the same target/secret set earlier in TrueNAS.
Click OK.
Go to the Targets tab, highlight the iSCSI target, and click Connect.
After Windows connects to the iSCSI target, you can partition the drive.
Search for and open the Disk Management app.
The current state of your drive should be unallocated. Right-click the drive and click New Simple Volume….
Complete the wizard to format the drive and assign a drive letter and name.
Finally, go to This PC or My Computer in File Explorer. The new iSCSI volume should display under the list of drives. You should now be able to add, delete, and modify files and folders on your iSCSI drive.
Provides information on increasing available storage in zvols and file LUNs for iSCSI block shares.
Expanding LUNs
TrueNAS lets users expand Zvol and file-based LUNs to increase the available storage in an iSCSI share.
Zvol LUNs
To expand a Zvol LUN, go to Datasets and click the Zvol LUN name. The Zvol Details widget displays. Click the Edit button.
Enter a new size in Size for this zvol, then click Save.
TrueNAS prevents data loss by not allowing users to reduce the Zvol size.
TrueNAS also does not allow users to increase the Zvol size past 80% of the pool size.
File LUNs
Go to Shares and click Configure in the Block (iSCSI) Shares Targets screen, then select the Extents tab.
Enter a new size in Filesize.
Enter the new value as an integer that is one or more multiples of the logical block size (default 512) larger than the current file size.
Click Save.
Go to System Settings > Shell to access the TrueNAS SCALE CLI.
If needed, use sharing iscsi extent query to find the id number for the extent.
Enter sharing iscsi extent update id=1 filesize="1234", where 1 is the id number of the extent, and 1234 is the new value as an integer that is one or more multiples of the logical block size (default 512) larger than the current file size. Then press Enter.
The command returns an empty line when successful.
Use sharing iscsi extent get_instance id=1 to confirm changes.
Provides instructions on adding NFS shares, starting NFS service, and accessing the share.
About UNIX (NFS) Shares
Creating a Network File System (NFS) share on TrueNAS makes a lot of data available for anyone with share access.
Depending on the share configuration, it can restrict users to read or write privileges.
NFS treats each dataset as its own file system. When creating the NFS share on the server, the specified dataset is the location that client accesses. If you choose a parent dataset as the NFS file share location, the client cannot access any nested or child datasets beneath the parent.
If you need to create shares that include child datasets, SMB sharing is an option. Note that Windows NFS Client versions currently support only NFSv2 and NFSv3.
The UDP protocol is deprecated and not supported with NFS. It is disabled by default in the Linux kernel.
Using UDP over NFS on modern networks (1Gb+) can lead to data corruption caused by fragmentation during high loads.
Adding an NFS Share Dataset
Before creating an NFS share, create the dataset you want the share to use for data storage.
It is best practice to use a dataset instead of a full pool for SMB and/or NFS shares.
Sharing an entire pool makes it more difficult to later restrict access if needed.
We recommend creating a new dataset with the Share Type set to Generic for the new NFS share.
To create a dataset using the default settings, go to Datasets.
Default settings include the settings datasets inherit from the parent dataset.
Select a dataset (root, parent, or child), then click Add Dataset.
You can create datasets optimized for SMB shares or with customized settings for your dataset use cases.
If you plan to deploy container applications, the system automatically creates the ix-applications dataset, but it is not used for application data storage.
If you want to store data by application, create the dataset first, then deploy your application.
When creating a dataset for an application, select App as the Share Type setting. This optimizes the dataset for use by an application.
Review the Share Type and Case Sensitivity options on the configuration screen before clicking Save.
You cannot change these or the Name setting after clicking Save.
Creating an NFS Share
Go to Shares > Unix (NFS) Shares and click Add to open the Add NFS Share configuration screen.
Enable Service turns the NFS service on and changes the toolbar status to Running.
If you wish to create the share without immediately enabling it, select Cancel.
Adding NFS Share Networks and Hosts
If you want to enter allowed networks, click Add to the right of Networks.
Enter an IP address in Network and select the mask CIDR notation.
Click Add for each network address and CIDR you want to define as an authorized network.
Defining an authorized network restricts access to all other networks. Leave empty to allow all networks.
If you want to enter allowed systems, click Add to the right of Hosts.
Enter a host name or IP address to allow that system access to the NFS share.
Click Add for each allowed system you want to define.
Defining authorized systems restricts access to all other systems.
Press the X to delete the field and allow all systems access to the share.
Adjusting Access Permissions
If you want to tune the NFS share access permissions or define authorized networks, click Advanced Options.
Select Read-Only to prohibit writing to the share.
To map user permissions to the root user, enter a string or select the user from the Maproot User dropdown list.
To map the user permissions to all clients, enter a string or select the user from the Mapall User dropdown list.
To map group permissions to the root user, enter a string or select the group from the Maproot Group dropdown list.
To map the group permissions to all clients, enter a string or select the group from the Mapall Group dropdown list.
Select an option from the Security dropdown. If you select KRB5 security, you can use a Kerberos ticket. Otherwise, everything is based on IDs.
Setting
Description
SYS
Uses locally acquired UIDs and GIDs. No cryptographic security.
KRB5
Uses Kerberos for authentication.
KRB5I
Uses Kerberos for authentication and includes a hash with each transaction to ensure integrity.
KRB5P
Uses Kerberos for authentication and encrypts all traffic between the client and server. KRB5P is the most secure but also incurs the most load.
Editing an NFS Share
To edit an existing NFS share, go to Shares > Unix Shares (NFS) and click the share you want to edit.
The Edit NFS screen settings are identical to the share creation options.
Starting the NFS Service
To begin sharing, click the more_vert on the toolbar and select Turn On Service. Turn Off Service displays if NFS is on. Turn On Service displays if NFS is off.
Or you can go to System Settings > Services, locate NFS, and click the toggle to running.
Select Start Automatically if you want NFS to activate when TrueNAS boots.
The NFS service does not automatically start on boot if all NFS shares are encrypted and locked.
Configuring NFS Service
To configure NFS service settings, click edit on the System Settings > Services screen.
Unless you need specific settings, we recommend using the default NFS settings.
When TrueNAS is already connected to Active Directory, setting NFSv4 and Require Kerberos for NFSv4 also requires a Kerberos Keytab.
Connecting to the NFS Share
Although you can connect to an NFS share with various operating systems, we recommend using a Linux/Unix OS.
First, download the nfs-common kernel module.
You can do this using the installed distribution package manager.
For example, on Ubuntu/Debian, enter command sudo apt-get install nfs-common in the terminal.
After installing the module, connect to an NFS share by entering sudo mount -t nfs {IPaddressOfTrueNASsystem}:{path/to/nfsShare} {localMountPoint}.
Where {IPaddressOfTrueNASsystem} is the remote TrueNAS system IP address that contains the NFS share, {path/to/nfsShare} is the path to the NFS share on the TrueNAS system, and {localMountPoint} is a local directory on the host system configured for the mounted NFS share.
For example, sudo mount -t nfs 10.239.15.110:/mnt/Pool1/NFS_Share /mnt mounts the NFS share NFS_Share to the local directory /mnt.
You can also use the Linux nconnect function to let your NFS mount support multiple TCP connections.
To enable nconnect, enter sudo mount -t nfs -o rw,nconnect=16 {IPaddressOfTrueNASsystem}:{path/to/nfsShare} {localMountPoint}.
Where {IPaddressOfTrueNASsystem}, {path/to/nfsShare}, and {localMountPoint} are the same ones you used when connecting to the share.
For example, sudo mount -t nfs -o rw,nconnect=16 10.239.15.110:/mnt/Pool1/NFS_Share /mnt.
By default, anyone that connects to the NFS share only has read permission.
To change the default permissions, edit the share, open the Advanced Options, and change the Access settings.
You must have ESXI 6.7 or later for read/write functionality with NFSv4 shares.
Provides instructions on setting up SMB and NFSv4 mixed-mode shares.
About Multiprotocol Shares
A multiprotocol or mixed-mode NFS and SMB share supports both NFS and SMB protocols for sharing data.
Multiprotocol shares allow clients to use either protocol to access the same data.
This can be useful in environments with a mix of Windows systems and Unix-like systems, especially if some clients lack an SMB client.
Carefully consider your environment and access requirements before configuring a multiprotocol share.
For many applications, a single protocol SMB share provides better user experience and ease of administration. Linux clients can access SMB shares using mount.cifs.
It is important to properly configure permissions and access controls to ensure security and data integrity when using mixed-mode sharing.
To maximize security on the NFS side of the multiprotocol share, we recommend using NFSv4 and Active Directory (AD) for Kerberos authentication.
It is also important that NFS clients preserve extended attributes when copying files, or SMB metadata could be discarded in the copy.
First Steps
Before adding a multiprotocol SMB and NFS share to your system:
Configure and start the SMB and NFS services.
Ensure that NFS is configured to require Kerberos authentication.
Join the TrueNAS server to an existing Active Directory domain.
Configure a container, Kerberos admin, and user accounts in AD.
Set up a dataset for the new share with Share Type set to Multiprotocol.
Configuring and Starting Services
Before joining AD and creating a dataset for the share to use, first start both the SMB and NFS services and configure the NFS Service for Kerberos authentication. Configure the NFS service before joining AD for simpler Kerberos credential creation.
Configuring the SMB Service
Configure the SMB service by clicking Config Service from the more_vert dropdown menu on the Shares screen or by clicking edit on the Services screen.
Unless you need a specific setting or are configuring a unique network environment, we recommend using the default settings.
Starting the SMB Service
Start the service from the Windows SMB Share header on the Sharing screen or in System Settings > Services.
Starting the Service Using the Windows SMB Share
From the Sharing screen, click on the Windows (SMB) Sharesmore_vert to display the service options, which are Turn Off Service if the service is running or Turn On Service if the service is not running.
Each SMB share on the list also has a toggle to enable or disable the service for that share.
Starting the Service Using System Settings
Go to System Settings > Services and click the toggle for SMB.
Set Start Automatically if you want the service to activate when TrueNAS boots.
Configuring the NFS Service
Configure the NFS service by clicking Config Service from the more_vert dropdown menu on the Shares screen or by clicking edit on the Services screen.
Under NFSv4, ensure the NFSv4 protocol is selected from the Enabled Protocols dropdown menu.
For security hardening, we recommend disabling the NFSv3 protocol.
Select Require Kerberos for NFSv4 to enable using a Kerberos ticket.
If Active Directory is already joined to the TrueNAS server, click Save and then reopen the NFS configuration screen.
Click Add SPN to open the Add Kerberos SPN Entry dialog.
Click Yes when prompted to add a Service Principal Name (SPN) entry.
Enter the AD domain administrator user name and password in Name and Password.
TrueNAS SCALE automatically applies SPN credentials if the NFS service is enabled with Require Kerberos for NFSv4 selected before joining Active Directory.
Starting the NFS Service
Start the service from the Unix Shares (NFS) header on the Sharing screen or in System Settings > Services.
Starting the Service Using the Unix Shares (NFS) Share
From the Sharing screen, click on the Unix Shares (NFS)more_vert to display the service options, which are Turn Off Service if the service is running or Turn On Service if the service is not running.
Each NFS share on the list also has a toggle to enable or disable the service for that share.
Starting the Service Using System Settings
Go to System Settings > Services and click the toggle for NFS.
Set Start Automatically if you want the service to activate when TrueNAS boots.
The NFS service does not automatically start on boot if all NFS shares are encrypted and locked.
Joining Active Directory
Mixed-mode SMB and NFS shares greatly simplify data access for client running a range of operating systems.
They also require careful attention to security complexities not present in standard SMB shares.
NFS shares do not respect permissions set in the SMB Share ACL.
Protect the NFS export with proper authentication and authorization controls to prevent unauthorized access by NFS clients.
We recommend using Active Directory to enable Kerberos security for the NFS share.
Configure a container (group or organizational unit), Kerberos admin, and user accounts in AD.
Creating a Multiprotocol Share Dataset
Before creating a mixed-mode share, create the dataset you want the share to use for data storage.
It is best practice to use a dataset instead of a full pool for SMB and/or NFS shares.
Sharing an entire pool makes it more difficult to later restrict access if needed.
We recommend creating a new dataset with the Share Type set to Multiprotocol for the new mixed-mode share.
To create a dataset using the default settings, go to Datasets.
Default settings include the settings datasets inherit from the parent dataset.
Select a dataset (root, parent, or child), then click Add Dataset.
You can create datasets optimized for SMB shares or with customized settings for your dataset use cases.
If you plan to deploy container applications, the system automatically creates the ix-applications dataset, but it is not used for application data storage.
If you want to store data by application, create the dataset first, then deploy your application.
When creating a dataset for an application, select App as the Share Type setting. This optimizes the dataset for use by an application.
Review the Share Type and Case Sensitivity options on the configuration screen before clicking Save.
You cannot change these or the Name setting after clicking Save.
Adjusting the Dataset ACL
After joining AD and creating a dataset, adjust the dataset/file system ACL to match the container and users configured in AD.
Go to Datasets.
Click on the name of the dataset created for the multiprotocol share to use.
Scroll down to the Permissions widget. Click Edit to open the Edit ACL screen.
Check the Access Control List to see if the AD group you created is on the list and has the correct permissions. If not, add this Access Control Entry (ACE) item.
a. Enter Group in the Who field or use the dropdown list to select Group.
b. Type or select the appropriate group in the Group field.
c. Verify Full Control displays in Permissions. If not, select it from the dropdown list.
d. Click Save Access Control List to add the ACE item or save changes.
See Permissions for more information on editing dataset permissions.
Adding a Multiprotocol Share
To configure a multiprotocol share on your system:
Enter the path or use the arrow_right icon to the left of folder/mnt to locate the dataset you created for the multiprotocol share.
The Name is the SMB share name, which forms part of the share pathname when SMB clients perform an SMB tree connect.
Because of how the SMB protocol uses the name, it must be less than or equal to 80 characters. It cannot have invalid characters as specified in Microsoft documentation MS-FSCC section 2.1.6.
If you do not enter a name, the share name becomes the last component of the path.
If you change the name, follow the naming conventions for:
Select Multi-protocol (NFSv4/SMB) shares from the Purpose dropdown list to apply pre-determined Advanced Options settings for the share.
(Optional) Enter a Description to help explain the share purpose.
Select Enabled to allow sharing of this path when the SMB service is activated.
Leave it cleared if you want to disable the share without deleting the configuration.
If needed, use Advanced Options to set up guest access, read only access, to set up allowed and denied hosts. or to optimize the SMB share for Apple OS.
See Adding SMB Shares for more information.
Click Save to create the share and add it to the Shares > Windows (SMB) Shares list.
Creating the NFS Share
To create the NFS share, go to Shares.
Click on Unix (NFS) Shares to select it and then click Add. The Add NFS Share configuration screen displays the Basic Options settings.
Enter the path or use the arrow_right icon to the left of folder/mnt to locate the dataset you created for the multiprotocol share.
Enter text to help identify the share in Description.
If needed, enter allowed networks and hosts.
If you want to enter allowed networks, click Add to the right of Networks.
Enter an IP address in Network and select the mask CIDR notation.
Click Add for each network address and CIDR you want to define as an authorized network.
Defining an authorized network restricts access to all other networks. Leave empty to allow all networks.
If you want to enter allowed systems, click Add to the right of Hosts.
Enter a host name or IP address to allow that system access to the NFS share.
Click Add for each allowed system you want to define.
Defining authorized systems restricts access to all other systems.
Press the X to delete the field and allow all systems access to the share.
If needed, select Read-Only to prohibit writing to the share.
Select KRB5 from the Security dropdown to enable the Kerberos ticket that generated when you joined Active Directory.
Click Save to create the share.
Connecting to a Multiprotocol Share
After you create and configure the shares, connect to your mulitprotocol share using either SMB or NFS protocols from a variety of client operating systems including Windows, Apple, FreeBSD, and Linux/Unix systems.
For more information on accessing shares, see Mounting the SMB Share and Connecting to the NFS Share.
Using SMB Shadow Copy: Provides information on SMB share shadow copies, enabling shadow copies, and resolving an issue with Microsoft Windows 10 v2004 release.
Provides instructions to add an SMB share, start the service, and mount the share.
About Windows (SMB) Shares
SMB (also known as CIFS) is the native file-sharing system in Windows.
SMB shares can connect to most operating systems, including Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
TrueNAS can use SMB to share files among single or multiple users or devices.
SMB supports a wide range of permissions, security settings, and advanced permissions (ACLs) on Windows and other systems, as well as Windows Alternate Streams and Extended Metadata.
SMB is suitable for managing and administering large or small pools of data.
TrueNAS uses Samba to provide SMB services.
The SMB protocol has multiple versions. An SMB client typically negotiates the highest supported SMB protocol during SMB session negotiation.
Industry-wide, SMB1 protocol (sometimes referred to as NT1) usage is deprecated for security reasons.
As of SCALE 22.12 (Bluefin) and later, TrueNAS does not support SMB client operating systems that are labeled by their vendor as End of Life or End of Support.
This means MS-DOS (including Windows 98) clients, among others, cannot connect to TrueNAS SCALE SMB servers.
The upstream Samba project that TrueNAS uses for SMB features notes in the 4.11 release that the SMB1 protocol is deprecated and warns portions of the protocol might be further removed in future releases.
Administrators should work to phase out any clients using the SMB1 protocol from their environments.
However, most SMB clients support SMB 2 or 3 protocols, even when not default.
Legacy SMB clients rely on NetBIOS name resolution to discover SMB servers on a network.
TrueNAS disables the NetBIOS Name Server (nmbd) by default. Enable it on the Network > Global Settings screen if you require this functionality.
MacOS clients use mDNS to discover SMB servers present on the network. TrueNAS enables the mDNS server (avahi) by default.
Windows clients use WS-Discovery to discover the presence of SMB servers, but you can disable network discovery by default depending on the Windows client version.
Discoverability through broadcast protocols is a convenience feature and is not required to access an SMB server.
Adding an SMB Share
Adding an SMB share to your system involves several steps to add the share and get it working.
Create local user accounts.
You can also use directory services like Active Directory or LDAP to provide additional user accounts.
Modify the dataset ACL. After adding or modifying local users, edit the dataset permissions.
Create the SMB share.
You can create a basic SMB share, or for more specific share types or feature requirements, use the Advanced Options instructions before saving the share.
Before creating the SMB share, create the dataset you want the share to use for data storage.
It is best practice to use a dataset instead of a full pool for SMB and/or NFS shares.
Sharing an entire pool makes it more difficult to later restrict access if needed.
We recommend creating a new dataset with the Share Type set to SMB for the new SMB share.
TrueNAS creates the ZFS dataset with these settings:
ACL Mode set to Restricted
The ACL Type influences the ACL Mode setting. When ACL Type is set to Inherit, you cannot change the ACL Mode setting.
When ACL Type is set to NFSv4, you can change the ACL Mode to Restricted.
Case Sensitivity set to Insensitive
TrueNAS also applies a default access control list to the dataset.
This default ACL is restrictive and only grants access to the dataset owner and group.
You can modify the ACL later according to your use case.
To create a dataset using the default settings, go to Datasets.
Default settings include the settings datasets inherit from the parent dataset.
Select a dataset (root, parent, or child), then click Add Dataset.
You can create datasets optimized for SMB shares or with customized settings for your dataset use cases.
If you plan to deploy container applications, the system automatically creates the ix-applications dataset, but it is not used for application data storage.
If you want to store data by application, create the dataset first, then deploy your application.
When creating a dataset for an application, select App as the Share Type setting. This optimizes the dataset for use by an application.
Review the Share Type and Case Sensitivity options on the configuration screen before clicking Save.
You cannot change these or the Name setting after clicking Save.
Creating Local User Accounts
Use Credentials > Local Users to add new users to your TrueNAS.
By default, all new local users are members of a built-in SMB group called builtin_users.
For more information on the builtin_users group, go to Credentials > Local Users and click Toggle Built-In Users at the top right of the screen.
Scroll down to the smbguest user and click on the name.
Click Edit to view the Edit User screen. The Auxiliary Group field displays the builtin_user group.
You can use the group to grant access to all local users on the server or add more groups to fine-tune permissions to large numbers of users.
You cannot access SMB shares using the root user, TrueNAS built-in user accounts, or those without the smb flag.
Anonymous or guest access to the share is possible, but it is a security vulnerability.
Major SMB client vendors are deprecating it, partly because signing and encryption are impossible for guest sessions.
If you want LDAP server users to access the SMB share, go to Credentials > Directory Services.
If you configured an LDAP server, select the server and click Edit to display the LDAP configuration screen.
If not configured, click Configure LDAP to display the LDAP configuration screen.
Click Advanced Options and select Samba Schema (DEPRECATED - see the help text).
Only enable LDAP authentication for the SMB share if you require it. Your LDAP server must have Samba attributes.
Support for Samba Schema is officially deprecated in Samba 4.13. Samba Schema is no longer in Samba after 4.14.
Users should begin upgrading legacy Samba domains to Samba AD domains.
Local TrueNAS user accounts can no longer access the share.
Tuning the Dataset ACL
After creating a dataset and accounts, you need to investigate your access requirements and adjust the dataset ACL to match.
Many home users typically add a new ACL entry that grants FULL_CONTROL to the builtin_users group with the flags set to INHERIT.
To change or add permissions for the builtin_users group, go to Datasets:
Click on the name of the dataset you created for the SMB share to use.
Scroll down to the Permissions widget. Click Edit to open the Edit ACL screen.
Check the Access Control List to see if this user is on the list and has the correct permissions. If not, add this ACE item.
a. Enter Group in the Who field or use the dropdown list to select Group.
b. Begin typing builtin_users in the Group field to display a filtered list of groups you can select from, then select builtin_users.
c. Verify Full Control displays in Permissions. If not, select it from the dropdown list.
d. Click Save Access Control List to add the ACE item or save changes.
If you want to allow users to move through directories within an SMB share without having read or write privileges, you must use the Traverse permission. Use Traverse if you intend to have nested groups within an SMB share with different access levels.
See Permissions for more information on editing dataset permissions.
You cannot access SMB shares with the root user. Always change SMB dataset ownership to the intended SMB user.
Creating the SMB Share
To create a basic Windows SMB share, go to Shares.
Click on Windows Shares (SMB) to select it and then click Add. The Add SMB configuration screen displays the Basic Options settings.
The Path is the directory tree on the local file system that TrueNAS exports over the SMB protocol.
The Name is the SMB share name, which forms part of the share pathname when SMB clients perform an SMB tree connect.
Because of how the SMB protocol uses the name, it must be less than or equal to 80 characters. It cannot have invalid characters as specified in Microsoft documentation MS-FSCC section 2.1.6.
If you do not enter a name, the share name becomes the last component of the path.
If you change the name, follow the naming conventions for:
(Optional) Select a preset from the Purpose dropdown list to apply and lock or unlock pre-determined Advanced Options settings for the share.
To retain control over all the share Advanced Options settings, select No presets.
(Optional) Enter a Description to help explain the share purpose.
Select Enabled to allow sharing of this path when the SMB service is activated.
Leave it cleared if you want to disable the share without deleting the configuration.
Click Save to create the share and add it to the Shares > Windows (SMB) Shares list.
Enable the SMB service when prompted.
Configuring Share Advanced Options Settings
For a basic SMB share, you do not need to use the Advanced Options settings, but if you set Purpose to No Presets, click Advanced Options to finish customizing the SMB share for your use case.
The following are possible use cases, but for all settings, see SMB Shares Screens.
Enabling ACL Support
To add ACL support to the share, select Enable ACL, and then see Managing SMB Shares for more on configuring permissions for the share and the file system.
Setting Up Guest Access
If you want to allow guest access to the share, select Allow Guest Access.
The privileges are the same as the guest account.
Windows 10 version 1709 and Windows Server version 1903 disable guest access by default.
Additional client-side configuration is required to provide guest access to these clients.
MacOS clients: Attempting to connect as a user that does not exist in TrueNAS does not automatically connect as the guest account.
Connect As: Guest Specifically choose this option in macOS to log in as the guest account.
See the Apple documentation for more details.
Setting Up Read or Write Access
To prohibit writes to the share, select Export Read-Only.
To restrict share visibility to users with read or write access to the share, select Access Based Share Enumeration. See the smb.conf manual page.
Setting Up Host Allow and Host Deny
Use the Host Allow and Host Deny options to allow or deny specific host names and IP addresses.
Use the Hosts Allow field to enter a list of allowed hostnames or IP addresses. Separate entries by pressing Enter. You can find a more detailed description with examples here.
Use the Hosts Deny field to enter a list of denied hostnames or IP addresses. Separate entries by pressing Enter.
Hosts Allow and Hosts Deny work together to produce different situations:
If neither Hosts Allow nor Hosts Deny contains an entry, any host can access the SMB share.
If you create a Hosts Allow list, but no Hosts Deny list, the share only allows hosts on the Hosts Allow list.
If you create a Hosts Deny list, but no Hosts Allow list, the share allows all hosts not on the Hosts Deny list.
If you create both a Hosts Allow and Hosts Deny list, the share allows all hosts on the Hosts Allow list. The share also allows hosts not on the Hosts Allow or Hosts Deny list.
Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) Compatibility
AFP shares are deprecated and not available in SCALE. To customize your SMB share to work with a migrated AFP share or with your MacOS, use the Advanced Options settings provided for these use cases.
Legacy AFP Compatibility controls how the SMB share reads and writes data. Leave unset for the share to behave like a standard SMB share. Only set this when the share originated as an AFP sharing configuration. Pure SMB shares or macOS SMB clients do not require legacy compatibility.
Use Apple-style Character Encoding converts NTFS illegal characters in the same manner as MacOS SMB clients. By default, Samba uses a hashing algorithm for NTFS illegal characters.
Starting the SMB Service
To connect to an SMB share, you must start the related system service.
You can start the service from the Windows SMB Share header on the Sharing screen or in System Settings > Services.
Starting the Service Using the Windows SMB Share
From the Sharing screen, click on the Windows (SMB) Sharesmore_vert to display the service options, which are Turn Off Service if the service is running or Turn On Service if the service is not running.
Each SMB share on the list also has a toggle to enable or disable the service for that share.
Starting the Service Using System Settings
To make SMB share available on the network, go to System Settings > Services and click the toggle for SMB.
Set Start Automatically if you want the service to activate when TrueNAS boots.
Service Configuration
Configure the SMB service by clicking Config Service from the more_vert dropdown menu on the Shares screen or by clicking edit on the Services screen.
Unless you need a specific setting or are configuring a unique network environment, we recommend using the default settings.
Mounting the SMB Share
The instructions in this section cover mounting the SMB share on a system with the following operating systems.
Mounting on a Linux System
Verify that your Linux distribution has the required CIFS packages installed.
Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/smb_share.
Mount the volume. sudo mount -t cifs //computer_name/share_name /mnt/smb_share.
If your share requires user credentials, add the switch -o username= with your username after cifs and before the share address.
Mounting on a Windows System
Have the information on the Windows drive letter, computer name, and share name ready before you start.
To mount the SMB share to a drive letter on Windows, open the command line and run the following command with the appropriate drive letter, computer name, and share name.
net use Z: \\computer_name\share_name /PERSISTENT:YES
Mounting on an Apple System
Have the user name and password for the user assigned to the pool or for the guest if the share has guest access ready before you begin.
Open Finder > Go > Connect To Server
Enter the SMB address: smb://192.168.1.111.
Input the username and password for the user assigned to that pool or guest if the share has guest access.
Mounting on a FreeBSD System
Mounting on a FreeBSD system involves creating the mount point, then mounting the volume.
Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/smb_share.
Mount the volume. sudo mount_smbfs -I computer_name\share_name /mnt/smb_share.
Provides instructions on managing existing SMB share permissions, adding share ACLs, and managing file system ACLs.
To access SMB share management options from the Sharing > Windows (SMB) Shares screen you need to access the Sharing >SMB screen that lists all SMB shares on the system.
To access this, after going to Shares, click the Windows (SMB) Shares launch launch icon.
If the system is part of a cluster, you cannot add or edit SMB shares. Configure the share through TrueCommand.
Managing SMB Shares
To manage an SMB share use the Sharing > SMB details screen.
Click the for the share you want to manage.
Click on the dropdown list option for the operation you want to perform.
Click Edit to open the Edit SMB screen where you can change any setting for the share.
Click Edit Share ACL to open the Sharing > SMB > Share ACL screen where you can add or edit ACL entries.
Click Edit Filesystem ACL to open the Storage > Edit ACL screen.
The dataset Share Type option determine the ACL type and therefore the ACL Editor screen that opens.
Click Delete to open a delete confirmation dialog where you delete the share and remove it from the system. Delete does not affect shared data.
Modifying ACL Permissions for SMB Shares
You have two options that modify ACL permissions for SMB shares:
To modify SMB share ACL permissions that apply to the users and groups and permissions of the entire SMB share use Edit Share ACL.
To modify ACL permissions at the dataset level for the users and groups that own or have specific permissions to the shared dataset.
See both the Permissions article for more details on configuring ACLs and Edit ACL Screen article for more information on the ACL editor screens and setting options.
Also see Tuning the Dataset ACL for an example of modifying ACL permissions for an SMB share.
Configuring SMB Share ACL
To configure an Access Control List (ACL) entry for an SMB share use the Edit Share ACL option. This opens the SMB> Share ACL screen.
This screen is separate from file system permissions and applies at the entire SMB share level.
Changes made to permissions on this screen for the selected SMB share do not apply to other file sharing protocol clients or other SMB shares that export the same share Path.
You cannot access SMB shares with the root user. Always change SMB dataset ownership to the intended SMB user.
This ACL determines the browse list if you enable Access Based Share Enumeration.
See SMB Share Screens for more information on settings.
Open is the default.
From the main Sharing screen, click on either Windows (SMB) Share or View Details to open the Sharing > SMB details screen.
Click the more_vert icon for the SMB share you want to edit ACL permissions for and then click Edit Share ACL.
Either select new values for the ACL entry or click Add to add a new block of Add share_ACL settings.
Click Save when you finish your changes.
Configuring Dataset File System ACL
To configure an Access Control List (ACL) entry for the SMB share the path (defined in Path) at the dataset level, use the Edit Filesystem ACL option.
The ACL type setting on the Add Dataset or Edit Dataset configuration screen, in Advanced Options, determines the ACL editor screen or windows you see when you click Edit Filesystem ACL.
If you set the dataset ACL Type to POSIX, the Select a preset ACL window displays first.
After you select a preset and click Continue a POSIX type ACL Editor screen displays.
If you set the dataset ACL Type to NFSv4, the NFSv4 type ACL Editor displays.
Since SCALE gives users the option to use either POSIX or NFSv4 share ACL types, the ACL Editor screen differs depending on which ACL type the file system uses.
Both the POSIX and NFSv4 ACL Editors allow you to define ACL user accounts or groups that own or have specific permissions to the shared dataset.
The User and Group values show which accounts own or have full permissions to the dataset.
Change the default settings to your preferred primary account and group and select Apply permissions recursively before saving any changes.
To define permissions for a specific user account or group for this SMB share at the dataset level, click Add Item.
Select a User or Group from the Who dropdown list, then select a specific user or group account.
Define how the settings apply to the account, then specify the permissions to apply.
For example, to only allow the newuser user permission to view dataset contents but not make changes, set the ACL Type to Allow and Permissions to Read.
See both the Permissions for more details on configuring ACLs and Edit ACL Screen for information on the ACL editor screens and setting options.
Using Preset ACL Entries (ACEs) on an NFSv4 ACL Editor
To rewrite the current ACL with a standardized preset, click Use Preset and select an option:
NFS4_OPEN gives the owner and group full dataset control. All other accounts can modify the dataset contents.
NFS4_RESTRICTED gives the owner full dataset control. Group can modify the dataset contents.
NFS4_HOME gives the owner full dataset control. Group can modify the dataset contents. All other accounts can navigate the dataset.
NFS4_DOMAIN_HOME gives the owner full dataset control. Group can modify the dataset contents. All other accounts can navigate the dataset.
NFS4_ADMIN gives the admin user and builtin_administrators group full dataset control. All other accounts can navigate the dataset.
When finished, click Save Access Control List to add this to the Access Control List.
Using ACL Entries (ACEs) on a POSIX ACL Editor
If the file system uses a POSIX ACL, the first option presented is to select a preset.
To rewrite the current ACL with a standardized preset, click Use Preset and select an option:
POSIX_OPEN gives owner and group full dataset control. All other accounts can modify the dataset contents.
POSIX_RESTRICTED gives owner full dataset control. Group can modify the dataset contents.
POSIX_HOME gives owner full dataset control. Group can modify the dataset contents. All other accounts can navigate the dataset.
POSIX_ADMIN gives the admin user and builtin_administrators group full dataset control. All other accounts can navigate the dataset.
You can create datasets optimized for SMB shares or with customized settings for your dataset use cases.
If you plan to deploy container applications, the system automatically creates the ix-applications dataset, but it is not used for application data storage.
If you want to store data by application, create the dataset first, then deploy your application.
When creating a dataset for an application, select App as the Share Type setting. This optimizes the dataset for use by an application.
Review the Share Type and Case Sensitivity options on the configuration screen before clicking Save.
You cannot change these or the Name setting after clicking Save.
Select this dataset as the mount path when you create your SMB share that uses the Basic time machine share setting.
Modify the SMB Service
Go to System Settings > Services and scroll down to SMB.
Click the toggle to turn off the SMB service if it is running, then click editConfigure to open the SMB Service settings screen..
Click Advanced Settings.
Verify or select Enable Apple SMB2/3 Protocol Extension to enable it, then click Save
Click the toggle to restart the SMB service.
Create the Basic Time Machine SMB Share
Go to Shares and click Add on the Windows SMB Share widget to open the Add SMB Share screen.
Enter the SMB share Path and Name.
The Path is the directory tree on the local file system that TrueNAS exports over the SMB protocol.
The Name is the SMB share name, which forms part of the full share pathname when SMB clients perform an SMB tree connect.
Because of how the SMB protocol uses the name, it must be less than or equal to 80 characters. It cannot have invalid characters as specified in Microsoft documentation MS-FSCC section 2.1.6.
If you do not enter a name, the share name becomes the last component of the path.
If you change the name, follow the naming conventions for:
Select a Basic time machine share from the Purpose dropdown list.
(Optional) Enter a Description to help explain the share purpose.
Select Enabled to allow sharing of this path when the SMB service is activated.
Leave it cleared if you want to disable the share without deleting the configuration.
Click Save to create the share and add it to the Shares > Windows (SMB) Shares list.
You can also choose to enable the SMB service at this time.
Provides information on SMB share shadow copies, enabling shadow copies, and resolving an issue with Microsoft Windows 10 v2004 release.
Enable Shadow Copies exports ZFS snapshots as Shadow Copies for Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) clients.
About SMB Shadow Copies
Shadow Copies, also known as the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) or Previous Versions, is a Microsoft service for creating volume snapshots.
You can use shadow copies to restore previous versions of files from within Windows Explorer.
By default, all ZFS snapshots for a dataset underlying an SMB share path are presented to SMB clients through the volume shadow copy service or are accessible directly with SMB when the hidden ZFS snapshot directory is within the SMB share path.
Before you activate Shadow Copies in TrueNAS, there are a few caveats:
Shadow Copies might not work if you haven’t updated the Windows system to the latest service pack.
If previous versions of files to restore are not visible, use Windows Update to ensure the system is fully up-to-date.
Shadow Copies support only works for ZFS pools or datasets.
You must configure SMB share dataset or pool permissions appropriately.
Enabling Shadow Copies
To enable shadow copies, go to Shares > Windows (SMB) Shares and click Windows (SMB) Shares launch launch icon to display the list view Sharing > SMB screen.
Click the more_vert for the share you want to change, and then click Edit. The Edit SMB screen displays.
Scroll down to the bottom and click Advanced Options.
Scroll down to Other Options and select Enable Shadow Copies.
Click Save
Some users might experience issues in the Windows 10 v2004 release where they cannot access network shares.
The problem appears to come from a bug in gpedit.msc, the Local Group Policy Editor.
Unfortunately, setting the Allow insecure guest logon flag value to Enabled in Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Lanman Workstation in Windows does not affect the configuration.
To work around this issue, edit the Windows registry.
Use Regedit and go to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters.
The DWORD AllowInsecureGuestAuth is an incorrect value: 0x00000000. Change this value to 0x00000001 (Hexadecimal 1) to allow adjusting the settings in gpedit.msc.
You can use a Group Policy Update to apply the edit to a fleet of Windows machines.
Deleting Shadow Copies
Users with an SMB client cannot delete Shadow copies. Instead, the administrator uses the TrueNAS web interface to remove snapshots.
Disable shadow copies for an SMB share by clearing the Enable shadow copies checkbox on the Edit SMB screen for the SMB share.
Disabling does not prevent access to the hidden .zfs/snapshot directory for a ZFS dataset when it is within the path for an SMB share.
TrueNAS offers the Use as Home Share option for organizations or SMEs that want to use a single SMB share to provide a personal directory to every user account.
Each user is given a personal home directory when connecting to the share.
These home directories are not accessible by other users.
Only one share can be used as the home share, but other non-home shares can be created.
Creating an SMB home share requires configuring the system storage and joining Active Directory.
Set the Purpose to No presets, then click Advanced Options and set Use as Home Share. Click Save.
Enable the SMB service in System Settings > Services to make the share is available on your network.
Adding Users
Go to Credentials > Local Users and click Add.
Create a new user name and password.
By default, the user Home Directory title comes from the user account name and is added as a new subdirectory of Home_Share_Dataset.
If existing users require access to the home share, go to Credentials > Local Users and edit an existing account.
Adjust the user home directory to the appropriate dataset and give it a name to create their own directory.
After adding the user accounts and configuring permissions, users can log in to the share and see a folder matching their user name.
As of SCALE 22.12 (Bluefin) and later, TrueNAS does not support SMB client operating systems that are labeled by their vendor as End of Life or End of Support.
This means MS-DOS (including Windows 98) clients, among others, cannot connect to TrueNAS SCALE SMB servers.
The upstream Samba project that TrueNAS uses for SMB features notes in the 4.11 release that the SMB1 protocol is deprecated and warns portions of the protocol might be further removed in future releases.
Administrators should work to phase out any clients using the SMB1 protocol from their environments.
10.5.6 - SMB Share MacOS Client Limitations When Using Decomposed Unicode Characters
Provides information on SMB share MacOS client limitation when using decomposed unicode characters.
There are normalize forms for a unicode character with diacritical marks: decomposed (NFD) and pre-composed (NFC).
Take for example the character ä (a + umlaut) and the encoding differences between NFC (b’\xc3\xa4’) and NFD (b’a\xcc\x88’).
The MacOS SMB client historically and at present forces normalization of unicode strings to NFC prior to generating network traffic to the remote SMB server.
The practical impact of this is that a file that contains NFD diacritics on a remote SMB server (TrueNAS, Windows, etc.) might be visible in the directory listing in the MacOS SMB client and thereby Finder, but any operations on the file (edits, deletions, etc.) have undefined behaviors since a file with NFC diacritics does not exist on the remote server.
>>> os.listdir(".")
['220118_M_HAN_MGK_X_4_Entwässerung.pdf']
>>> os.unlink('220118_M_HAN_MGK_X_4_Entwässerung.pdf')
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '220118_M_HAN_MGK_X_4_Entwässerung.pdf'
>>> os.listdir(".")
['220118_M_HAN_MGK_X_4_Entwässerung.pdf']
Above is a short example of a MacOS SMB client attempting to delete a file with NFD normalization on remote Windows server.
Short of Apple providing a fix for this, the only strategy for an administrator to address these issues is to rename the files with pre-composed (NFC) form. Unfortunately, normalization is not guaranteed to be lossless.
Provides information on setting up SMB multichannel.
SMB multichannel allows servers to use multiple network connections simultaneously by combining the bandwidth of several network interface cards (NICs) for better performance.
SMB multichannel does not function if you combine NICs into a LAGG.
Activating Multichannel in TrueNAS Scale
If you already have clients connected to SMB shares, disconnect them before activating multichannel.
Go to System Settings > Services and click the edit edit icon for the SMB service.
Click Advanced Settings, then enable Multichannel.
Save and restart the SMB service, then reconnect all clients to their SMB Shares.
Validating Multichannel Activated In Windows
After you connect a client to their SMB share, open Powershell as an administrator on a client, then enter Get-SmbMultichannelConnection. The terminal should list multiple server IPs.
Tutorials for configuring the system management options in the System Settings area of the TrueNAS SCALE web interface.
SCALE system management options are collected in this section of the UI and organized into a few different screens:
Update controls when the system applies a new version.
There are options to download and install an update, have the system check daily and stage updates, or apply a manual update file to the system.
General shows system details and has basic, less intrusive management options, including web interface access, localization, and NTP server connections.
This is also where users can input an Enterprise license or create a software bug ticket.
Advanced contains options that are more central to the system configuration or meant for advanced users.
Specific options include configuring the system console, log, and dataset pool, managing sessions, adding custom system controls, kernel-level settings, scheduled scripting or commands, global two-factor authentication, and determining any isolated GPU devices.
Warning: Advanced settings can be disruptive to system function if misconfigured.
Boot lists each ZFS boot environment stored on the system.
These restore the system to a previous version or specific point in time.
Services displays each system component that runs continuously in the background.
These typically control data sharing or other external access to the system.
Individual services have their own configuration screens and activation toggles, and can be set to run automatically.
Shell allows users to use the TrueNAS Operating System command-line interface (CLI) directly in the web UI.
Includes an experimental TrueNAS SCALE-specific CLI for configuring the system separately from the web interface.
See the CLI Reference Guide for more information.
Alert Settings allows users to configure Alert Services and to adjust the threshold and frequency of various alert types. See Alerts Settings Screens for more information.
Enclosure appears when the system is attached to compatible SCALE hardware.
This is a visual representation of the system with additional details about disks and other physical hardware components.
Contents
Updating SCALE: Provides instructions on updating SCALE releases in the UI.
General Settings: Tutorials for configuring many general TrueNAS SCALE settings.
Managing the System Configuration: Provides information on downloading your TrueNAS SCALE configuration to back up system settings, uploading a new configuration file, and resetting back to default settings.
Managing General Settings: Provides information on configuring GUI options, localizing TrueNAS SCALE to your region and language, and adding NTP servers.
Setting Up System Email: Provides instructions on configuring email using SMTP or GMail OAuth and setting up the email alert service in SCALE.
Advanced Settings: Tutorials for configuring advanced system settings in TrueNAS SCALE.
Managing Cron Jobs: Provides information on adding or modifying cron jobs in TrueNAS SCALE.
Managing the Console Setup Menu: Provides information on the Console setup menu configuration settings including the serial port, port speed, password protection, and the banner users see.
Managing System Logging: Provides information on setting up or changing the syslog server, the level of logging and the information included in the logs, and using TLS as the transport protocol.
FTP: Provides instructions on configuring the FTP service including storage, user, and access permissions.
NFS: Provides information on configuring NFS service in TrueNAS SCALE.
S.M.A.R.T.: Provides information on S.M.A.R.T. service screen settings.
SMB: Provides instructions on configuring the SMB service in TrueNAS SCALE.
SNMP: Provides information on configuring SNMP service in TrueNAS SCALE.
SSH: Provides information on configuring the SSH service in TrueNAS SCALE and using an SFTP connection.
UPS: Provides information on configuring UPS service in TrueNAS SCALE.
Using Shell: Provides information on using the TrueNAS SCALE Shell.
11.1 - Updating SCALE
Provides instructions on updating SCALE releases in the UI.
TrueNAS has several software branches (linear update paths) known as trains. If SCALE is in a prerelease train it can have various preview/early build releases of the software.
The Update Screen only displays the current train. For more information on other available trains, see Release Schedules.
See the Software Status page for the latest recommendations for software usage.
Do not change to a prerelease or nightly release unless the system is intended to permanently remain on early versions and is not storing any critical data.
If you are using a non-production train, be prepared to experience bugs or other problems.
Testers are encouraged to submit bug reports and debug files.
For information on how to file an issue ticket see Filing an Issue Ticket in SCALE.
The TrueNAS SCALE Update screen provides users with two different methods to update the system, automatic or manual.
We recommend updating SCALE when the system is idle (no clients connected, no disk activity, etc.).
The system restarts after an upgrade.
Update during scheduled maintenance times to avoid disrupting user activities.
All auxiliary parameters are subject to change between major versions of TrueNAS due to security and development issues.
We recommend removing all auxiliary parameters from TrueNAS configurations before upgrading.
Click Confirm, then Continue to start the automatic installation process.
TrueNAS SCALE downloads the configuration file and the update file, then starts the install.
After updating, clear the browser cache (CTRL+F5) before logging in to SCALE. This ensures stale data doesn’t interfere with loading the SCALE UI.
Performing a Manual Update
If the system detects an available update, to do a manual update click Download Updates and wait for the file to download to your system.
Click Install Manual Update File.
The Save configuration settings from this machine before updating? window opens.
Click Export Password Secret Seed then click Save Configuration.
The Manual Update screen opens.
Click Choose File to locate the update file on the system.
Select a temporary location to store the update file. Select Memory Device or select one of the mount locations on the dropdown list to keep a copy in the server.
Click Apply Update to start the update process. A status window opens and displays the installation progress. When complete, a Restart window opens.
Click Confirm, then Continue to restart the system.
Updating Pools
After updating, you might find that you can update your storage pools and boot-pool to enable new supported and requested features that are not enabled on the pool.
Go to System Settings > Shell and enter cli to enter the CLI if Shell does not open in the CLI.
To show which pools you can update, first enter a query command to see the list of pools on your system and the id number for each pool.
storage pool query
Next, check the update status:
storage pool is_upgraded id=2
where 2 is the pool ID number you want to check the update status for.
To update the pool, enter:
storage pool upgrade id=2
Upgrading pools is a one-way operation. After upgrading pools to the latest zfs features, you might not be able to boot into older versions of TrueNAS.
Provides instructions on how to update SCALE releases on Enterprise (HA) systems.
TrueNAS Enterprise
This procedure only applies to SCALE Enterprise (HA) systems.
If attempting to migrate from CORE to SCALE, see Migrating from TrueNAS CORE.
Updating Enterprise (HA) Systems
If the system does not have an administrative user account, create the admin user as part of this procedure.
Take a screenshot of the license information found on the Support widget on the System Settings > General screen. You use this to verify the license after the update.
To update your Enterprise (HA) system to the latest SCALE release, log into the SCALE UI using the virtual IP (VIP) address and then:
Check for updates. Go to the main Dashboard and click Check for Updates on the System Information widget for the active controller.
This opens the System Settings > Update screen. If an update is available it displays on this screen.
Save the password secret seed and configuration settings to a secure location. Click Install Manual Updates. The Save configuration settings window opens.
Select Export Password Secret Seed then click Save Configuration. The system downloads the file. The file contains sensitive system data and should be maintained in a secure location.
Select the update file and start the process.
Click Choose File and select the update file downloaded to your system, then click Apply Update to start the update process.
After the system to finishes updating it reboots.
Sign into the SCALE UI. If using root to sign in, create the admin account now.
If using admin, continue to the next step.
Verify the system license after the update. Go to System Settings > General.
Verify the license information in the screenshot of the Support widget you took before the update matches the information on the Support widget after updating the system.
Verify the admin user settings, or if not created, create the admin user account now.
If you want the admin account to have the ability to execute sudo commands in an SSH session, select the option for the sudo access you want to allow.
Also, verify Shell is set to bash if you want the admin user to have the ability to execute commands in Shell.
To set a location where the admin user can save to, browse to, and select the dataset in Home Directory. If set to the default /nonexistent files are not saved for this user.
Test the admin user access to the UI.
a. Log out of the UI.
b. Enter the admin user credentials in the sign-in splash screen.
After validating access to the SCALE UI using the admin credentials, disable the root user password.
Go to Credentials > Local User and edit the root user. Select Disable Password and click Save.
Tutorials for configuring many general TrueNAS SCALE settings.
The TrueNAS SCALE General Settings section provides settings options for support, graphic user interface, localization, NTP servers, and system configuration.
Contents
Managing the System Configuration: Provides information on downloading your TrueNAS SCALE configuration to back up system settings, uploading a new configuration file, and resetting back to default settings.
Managing General Settings: Provides information on configuring GUI options, localizing TrueNAS SCALE to your region and language, and adding NTP servers.
Setting Up System Email: Provides instructions on configuring email using SMTP or GMail OAuth and setting up the email alert service in SCALE.
11.3.1 - Managing the System Configuration
Provides information on downloading your TrueNAS SCALE configuration to back up system settings, uploading a new configuration file, and resetting back to default settings.
TrueNAS SCALE allows users to manage the system configuration by uploading or downloading configurations, or by resetting the system to the default configuration.
System Configuration Options
The Manage Configuration option on the system Settings > General screen provides three options:
Download File that downloads your system configuration settings to a file on your system.
Upload File that allows you to upload a replacement configuration file.
Reset to Defaults that resets system configuration settings back to factory settings.
Downloading the File
The Download File option downloads your TrueNAS SCALE current configuration to the local machine.
When you download the configuration file, you have the option to Export Password Secret Seed, which includes encrypted passwords in the configuration file.
This allows you to restore the configuration file to a different operating system device where the decryption seed is not already present.
Users must physically secure configuration backups containing the seed to prevent unauthorized access or password decryption.
We recommend backing up the system configuration regularly.
Doing so preserves settings when migrating, restoring, or fixing the system if it runs into any issues.
Save the configuration file each time the system configuration changes.
If you plan to set up a cluster that includes this TrueNAS SCALE, wait to download your system configuration file until after the cluster is set up and working.
Go to System Settings > General and click on Manage Configuration. Select Download File.
The Save Configuration dialog displays.
Click Export Password Secret Seed and then click Save. The system downloads the system configuration. Save this file in a safe location on your network where files are regularly backed up.
Anytime you change your system configuration, download the system configuration file again and keep it safe.
Uploading the File
The Upload File option gives users the ability to replace the current system configuration with any previously saved TrueNAS SCALE configuration file.
All passwords are reset if the uploaded configuration file was saved without selecting Save Password Secret Seed.
Resetting to Defaults
TrueNAS Enterprise
Enterprise High Availability (HA) systems should never reset their system configuration to defaults.
Contact iXsystems Support if a system configuration reset is required.
Customers who purchase iXsystems hardware or that want additional support must have a support contract to use iXsystems Support Services. The TrueNAS Community forums provides free support for users without an iXsystems Support contract.
Save the current system configuration with the Download File option before resetting the configuration to default settings!
If you do not save the system configuration before resetting it, you could lose data that was not backed up, and you cannot revert to the previous configuration.
The Reset to Defaults option resets the system configuration to factory settings.
After the configuration resets, the system restarts and users must set a new login password.
Users can manually back up the SCALE config file by downloading and saving the file to a location that is automatically backed up.
11.3.2 - Managing General Settings
Provides information on configuring GUI options, localizing TrueNAS SCALE to your region and language, and adding NTP servers.
The TrueNAS SCALE General Settings section provides settings options for support, graphic user interface, localization, NTP servers, and system configuration.
The GUI widget allows users to configure the TrueNAS SCALE web interface address. Click Settings to open the GUI Settings configuration screen.
Changing the GUI SSL Certificate
The system uses a self-signed certificate to enable encrypted web interface connections. To change the default certificate, select a different certificate that was created or imported in the Certificates section from the GUI SSL Certificate dropdown list.
Setting the Web Interface IP Address
To set the WebUI IP address, if using IPv4 addresses, select a recent IP address from the Web Interface IPv4 Address dropdown list. This limits the usage when accessing the administrative GUI. The built-in HTTP server binds to the wildcard address of 0.0.0.0 (any address) and issues an alert if the specified address becomes unavailable. If using an IPv6 address, select a recent IP address from the Web Interface IPv6 Address dropdown list.
Configuring HTTPS Options
To allow configuring a non-standard port to access the GUI over HTTPS, enter a port number in the Web Interface HTTPS Port field.
Select the cryptographic protocols for securing client/server connections from the HTTPS Protocols dropdown list. Select the Transport Layer Security (TLS) versions TrueNAS SCALE can use for connection security.
To redirect HTTP connections to HTTPS, select Web Interface HTTP -> HTTPS Redirect. A GUI SSL Certificate is required for HTTPS.
Activating this also sets the HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) maximum age to 31536000 seconds (one year).
This means that after a browser connects to the web interface for the first time, the browser continues to use HTTPS and renews this setting every year.
A warning displays when setting this function.
Special consideration should be given when TrueNAS is installed in a VM, as VMs are not configured to use HTTPS. Enabling HTTPS redirect can interfere with the accessibility of some apps. To determine if HTTPS redirect is active, go to System Settings > General > GUI > Settings and locate the Web Interface HTTP -> HTTPS Redirect checkbox. To disable HTTPS redirects, clear this option and click Save, then clear the browser cache before attempting to connect to the app again.
To send failed HTTP request data which can include client and server IP addresses, failed method call tracebacks, and middleware log file contents to iXsystems, select Crash Reporting.
Sending Usage Statistics to iXsystems
To send anonymous usage statistics to iXsystems, select the Usage Collection option.
Showing Console Messages
To display console messages in real time at the bottom of the browser, select the Show Console Messages option.
Localizing TrueNAS SCALE
To change the WebUI on-screen language and set the keyboard to work with the selected language, click Settings on the System Settings > General > Localization widget. The Localization Settings configuration screen opens.
Select the language from the Language dropdown list, and then the keyboard layout in Console Keyboard Map.
Enter the time zone in Timezone and then select the local date and time formats to use.
Click Save.
Adding NTP Servers
The NTP Servers widget allows users to configure Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers.
These sync the local system time with an accurate external reference.
By default, new installations use several existing NTP servers. TrueNAS SCALE supports adding custom NTP servers.
Setting Up System Email
The Email widget displays information about current system mail settings.
When configured, an automatic script sends a nightly email to the administrator account containing important information such as the health of the disks.
To configure the system email send method, click Settings to open the Email Options screen.
Select either SMTP or GMail OAuth to display the relevant configuration settings.
Provides instructions for SCALE Enterprise users to add their system license and set up proactive support.
Adding a License
For users with a valid TrueNAS license, click Add License. Copy your license into the box and click Save.
You are prompted to reload the page for the license to take effect, click RELOAD NOW.
Log back into the WebUI where the End User License Agreement (EULA) displays.
Read it thoroughly and completely.
After you finish, click I AGREE. The system information updates to reflect the licensing specifics for the system.
Silver and Gold level Support customers can also enable Proactive Support on their hardware to automatically notify iXsystems if an issue occurs.
To find more details about the different Warranty and Service Level Agreement (SLA) options available, see iXsystems Support.
When the system is ready to be in production, update the status by selecting This is a production system and then click the Proceed button. This sends an email to iXsystems declaring that the system is in production.
While not required for declaring the system is in production, TrueNAS has the option to include an initial debug with the email that can assist support in the future.
Setting Up Proactive Support
Silver/Gold Coverage Customers can enable iXsystems Proactive Support. This feature automatically emails iXsystems when certain conditions occur in a TrueNAS system.
To configure proactive support, click Get Support on the Support widget located on the System Settings > General screen. Select Proactive Support from the dropdown list.
Complete all available fields and select Enable iXsystems Proactive Support, then click Save.
Provides instructions on configuring email using SMTP or GMail OAuth and setting up the email alert service in SCALE.
An automatic script sends a nightly email to the administrator account containing important information such as the health of the disks.
Configure the system to send these emails to the administrator remote email account for fast awareness and resolution of any critical issues.
Configure the email address for the admin user as part of your initial system setup or using the procedure below.
You can also configure email addresses for additional user accounts as needed.
Configuring the Admin User Email Address
Before configuring anything else, set the local administrator email address.
Go to Credentials > Local Users, click on the admin user row to expand it. Select Edit to display the Edit User configuration screen.
In the Email field, enter a remote email address that the system administrator regularly monitors (like admin@example.com) and click Save.
Configuring User Emails
Add a new user as an administrative or non-administrative account and set up email for that user.
Follow the directions in Configuring the Admin User Email Address above for an existing user or see Managing Users for a new user.
Setting Up System Email
After setting up the admin email address, you need to set up the send method for email service.
There are two ways to access email configuration options.
Go to the Systems Settings > General screen and locate the Email widget to view current configuration or click the Alerts icon in the top right of the UI, then click the gear icon, and select Email to open the General settings screen.
Click Settings on the Email Widget to open the Email Options configuration screen.
The configuration options change based on the selected method.
After configuring the send method, click Send Test Mail to verify the configured email settings are working.
If the test email fails, verify that the Email field is correctly configured for the admin user.
Return to Credentials > Users to edit the admin user.
Save stores the email configuration and closes the Email Options screen.
Configuring Email Using SMTP
To set up SMTP service for the system email send method, you need the outgoing mail server and port number for the email address.
Enter the email address you want to use in From Email and the name in From Name.
This is the email that sends the alerts and the name that appears before the address.
Enter the host name or IP address of the SMTP server to use in Outgoing Mail Server.
Enter the SMTP port number in Mail Server Port.
Typically, this is 25/465 (secure SMTP) or 587 (submission).
Select the level of security from the Security dropdown list.
Options are Plain (No Encryption), SSL (Implicit TLS), or TLS (STARTTLS).
Select SMTP Authentication for TrueNAS to reuse authentication credentials from the SMTP server.
Enter the SMTP credentials in the new fields that appear.
Typically, Username is the full email address and Password is the password for that account.
Click Send Test Email to verify you receive an email.
Click Save.
Configuring Email Using GMail OAuth
To set up the system email using Gmail OAuth, you need to log in to your Gmail account through the TrueNAS SCALE web UI.
Select the account to use for authentication or select Use another account.
If prompted, enter the Gmail account credentials.
Type in the GMail account to use and click Next.
Enter the password for the GMail account you entered.
When the TrueNAS wants to access your Google Account window displays, scroll down and click Allow to complete the set up or Cancel to exit set up and close the window.
After setting up Gmail OAuth authentication, the Email Options screen displays Gmail credentials have been applied and the button changes to Log In To Gmail Again.
Click Send Test Email to verify you receive an email.
Click Save.
Setting Up the Email Alert Service
If the system email send method is configured, the admin email receives a system health email every night/morning.
You can also add/configure the Email Alert Service to send timely warnings when a system alert hits a warning level that is specified in Alert Settings.
From the Alertsnotifications panel, select the settings icon and then Alert Settings, or go to System Settings > Alert Settings.
Locate Email under Alert Services, select the more_vert icon, and then click Edit to open the Edit Alert Service screen.
Tutorials for configuring advanced system settings in TrueNAS SCALE.
Advanced Settings provides configuration options for the console, syslog, Kernel, sysctl, replication, cron jobs, init/shutdown scripts, system dataset pool, isolated GPU device(s), self-encrypting drives, sessions, and global two-factor authentication.
Advanced settings have reasonable defaults in place. A warning message displays for some settings advising of the dangers of making changes.
Changing advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before saving changes.
This article provides information on sysctl, system dataset pool, setting the maximum number of simultaneous replication tasks the system can perform, and managing sessions.
Managing Sysctl Variables
Use Add on the Sysctl widget to add a tunable that configures a kernel module parameter at runtime.
The Add Sysctl or Edit Sysctl configuration screens display the settings.
Enter the sysctl variable name in Variable. Sysctl tunables configure kernel module parameters while the system runs and generally take effect immediately.
Enter a description and then select Enabled. To disable but not delete the variable, clear the Enabled checkbox.
Click Save.
Managing the System Dataset Pool
Storage widget displays the pool configured as the system dataset pool and allows users to select the storage pool they want to hold the system dataset.
The system dataset stores core files for debugging and keys for encrypted pools. It also stores Samba4 metadata, such as the user and group cache and share-level permissions.
Configure opens the Storage Settings configuration screen.
Storage Settings Configuration Screen
If the system has one pool, TrueNAS configures that pool as the system dataset pool. If your system has more than one pool, you can set the system dataset pool using the Select Pool dropdown. Users can move the system dataset to an unencrypted pool, or an encrypted pool without passphrases.
Users can move the system dataset to a key-encrypted pool, but cannot change the pool encryption type afterward. If the encrypted pool already has a passphrase set, you cannot move the system dataset to that pool.
Swap Size lets users enter an amount (in GiB) of hard disk space to use as a substitute for RAM when the system fully utilizes the actual RAM.
By default, the system creates all data disks with the specified swap amount. Changing the value does not affect the amount of swap on existing disks, only disks added after the change. Swap size does not affect log or cache devices.
Setting the Number of Replication Tasks
The Replication widget displays the number of replication tasks that can execute simultaneously configured on the system. It allows users to adjust the maximum number of replication tasks the system can execute simultaneously.
Click Configure to open the Replication configuration screen.
Enter a number for the maximum number of simultaneous replication tasks you want to allow the system to process and click Save.
The Sessions widget displays a list of all active sessions, including the user who initiated the session and what time it started.
It also displays the Token Lifetime setting for your current session.
It allows administrators to manage other active sessions and to configure the token lifetime for their account.
The Terminate Other Sessions button ends all sessions except for the one you are currently using.
You can also end individual sessions by clicking the logout button next to that session.
You must check a confirmation box before the system allows you to end sessions.
The logout button is inactive for your current session and active for all other current sessions.
It cannot be used to terminate your current session.
Token Lifetime displays the configured token duration for your current session (default five minutes).
TrueNAS SCALE logs out user sessions that are inactive for longer than that user’s configured token setting.
New activity resets the token counter.
If the configured token lifetime is exceeded, TrueNAS SCALE displays a Logout dialog with the exceeded ticket lifetime value and the time that the session is scheduled to terminate.
Click Extend Session to reset the token counter.
If the button is not clicked, the TrueNAS SCALE terminates the session automatically and returns to the log in screen.
Click Configure to open the Token Settings screen and configure Token Lifetime for the current account.
Select a value that fits your needs and security requirements.
Enter the value in seconds.
The default lifetime setting is 300 seconds, or five minutes.
The minimum value allowed is 30 seconds.
The maximum is 2147482 seconds, or 24 days, 20 hours, 31 minutes, and 22 seconds.
Click Save.
Section Contents
Managing Cron Jobs: Provides information on adding or modifying cron jobs in TrueNAS SCALE.
Managing the Console Setup Menu: Provides information on the Console setup menu configuration settings including the serial port, port speed, password protection, and the banner users see.
Managing System Logging: Provides information on setting up or changing the syslog server, the level of logging and the information included in the logs, and using TLS as the transport protocol.
Provides information on adding or modifying cron jobs in TrueNAS SCALE.
Cron jobs allow users to configure jobs that run specific commands or scripts on a regular schedule using cron(8). Cron jobs help users run repetitive tasks.
Advanced settings have reasonable defaults in place. A warning message displays for some settings advising of the dangers of making changes.
Changing advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before saving changes.
The Cron Jobs widget on the System > Advanced screen displays No Cron Jobs configured until you add a cron job, and then it displays information on cron job(s) configured on the system.
Click Add to open the Add Cron Job configuration screen and create a new cron job. If you want to modify an existing cron job, click anywhere on the item to open the Edit Cron Jobs configuration screen populated with the settings for that cron job.
The Add Cron Job and Edit Cron Job configuration screens display the same settings.
Enter a description for the cron job.
Next, enter the full path to the command or script to run in Command. For example, for a command string to create a list of users on the system and write that list to a file, enter cat /etc/passwd > users_$(date +%F).txt.
Select a user account to run the command from the Run As User dropdown list. The user must have permissions allowing them to run the command or script.
Select a schedule preset or choose Custom to open the advanced scheduler.
An in-progress cron task postpones any later scheduled instances of the task until the one already running completes.
Cron job schedules use six asterisks that represent minutes, hours, days of the month, days of the week, and months in that order.
For example, a schedule of 1 1 1 * sat,sun would run at 01:01 AM, on day 1 of the month, and only on Saturday and Sunday.
Separate multiple values for a segment with commas, not spaces.
If you want to hide standard output (stdout) from the command, select Hide Standard Output. If left cleared, TrueNAS emails any standard output to the user account cron that ran the command.
To hide error output (stderr) from the command, select Hide Standard Error. If left cleared, TrueNAS emails any error output to the user account cron that ran the command.
Select Enabled to enable this cron job. Leave this checkbox cleared to disable the cron job without deleting it.
Provides information on the Console setup menu configuration settings including the serial port, port speed, password protection, and the banner users see.
Advanced settings have reasonable defaults in place. A warning message displays for some settings advising of the dangers of making changes.
Changing advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before saving changes.
The Console widget on the System Setting > Advanced screen displays current console settings for TrueNAS.
Click Configure to open the Console configuration screen. The Console configuration settings determine how the Console setup menu displays, the serial port it uses and the speed of the port, and the banner users see when it is accessed.
To display the console without being prompted to enter a password, select Show Text Console without Password Prompt. Leave it clear to add a login prompt to the system before showing the console menu.
Select Enable Serial Console to enable the serial console but do not select this if the serial port is disabled.
Enter the serial console port address in Serial Port and set the speed (in bits per second) from the Serial Speed dropdown list. Options are 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 or 115200.
Finally, enter the message you want to display when a user logs in with SSH in MOTD Banner.
Provides information on setting up or changing the syslog server, the level of logging and the information included in the logs, and using TLS as the transport protocol.
Advanced settings have reasonable defaults in place. A warning message displays for some settings advising of the dangers of making changes.
Changing advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before saving changes.
By default, TrueNAS writes system logs to the system boot device.
The Syslog widget on the System > Advanced screen allows users determine how and when the system sends log messages to a connected syslog server.
The Syslog widget displays the existing system logging settings.
Before configuring your syslog server to use TLS as the Syslog Transport method, first make sure you add a certificate and certificate authority (CA) to the TrueNAS system. Go to Credentials > Certificates and use the Certificate Authority (CA) and Certificates widgets to verify you have the required certificates or to add them.
Click Configure to open the Syslog configuration screen.
The Syslog configuration screen settings specify the logging level the system uses to record system events, the syslog server DNS host name or IP, the transport protocol it uses, and if using TLS, the certificate and certificate authority (CA) for that server, and finally if it uses the system dataset to store the logs.
Enter the remote syslog server DNS host name or IP address in Syslog Server. To use non-standard port numbers like mysyslogserver:1928, add a colon and the port number to the host name. Log entries are written to local logs and sent to the remote syslog server.
Enter the transport protocol for the remote system log server connection in Syslog Transport. Selecting Transport Layer Security (TLS) displays the Syslog TLS Certificate and Syslog TSL Certificate Authority fields.
Next, select the transport protocol for the remote system log server TLS certificate from the Syslog TLS Certificate dropdown list, and select the TLS CA for the TLS server from the Syslog TLS Certificate Authority dropdown list.
Select Use FQDN for Logging to include the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) in logs to precisely identify systems with similar host names.
Select the minimum log priority level to send to the remote syslog server from Syslog Level the dropdown list.
The system only sends logs at or above this level.
Provides information on adding or modifying init/shutdown scripts in TrueNAS SCALE.
The Init/Shutdown Scripts widget on the System > Advanced screen allows you to add scripts to run before or after initialization (start-up), or at shutdown. For example, creating a script to backup your system or run a systemd command before exiting and shutting down the system.
Init/shutdown scripts are capable of making OS-level changes and can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before creating script or command tasks.
The Init/Shutdown Scripts widget displays No Init/Shutdown Scripts configured until you add either a command or script, and then the widget lists the scripts configured on the system.
Enter a description and then select Command or Script from the Type dropdown list. Selecting Script displays additional options.
Enter the command string in Command, or if using a script, enter or use the browse to the path in Script. The script runs using dash(1).
Select the option from the When dropdown list for the time this command or script runs.
Enter the number of seconds after the script runs that the command should stop in Timeout.
Select Enable to enable the script. Leave clear to disable but not delete the script.
Click Save.
Editing an Init/Shutdown Script
Click a script listed on the Init/Shutdown Scripts widget to open the Edit Init/Shutdown Script configuration screen populated with the settings for that script.
You can change from a command to a script, and modify the script or command as needed.
To disable but not delete the command or script, clear the Enabled checkbox.
Provides information on adding or modifying self-encrypting drive (SED) user and global passwords in TrueNAS SCALE.
Advanced settings have reasonable defaults in place. A warning message displays for some settings advising of the dangers of making changes.
Changing advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before saving changes.
The Self-Encrypting Drive(s) widget on the System > Advanced screen allows you set the user and global SED password in SCALE.
Managing Self-Encrypting Drives
The Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) widget displays the ATA security user and password configured on the system.
Click Configure to open the Self-Encrypting Drive configuration screen.
The Self-Encrypting Drive configuration screen allows users set the ATA security user and create a SED global password.
Select the user passed to camcontrol security -u to unlock SEDs from the ATA Security User dropdown list. Options are USER or MASTER.
Enter the global password to unlock SEDs in SED Password and in Confirm SED Password.
Provides information on isolating Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) installed in your system.
Systems with more than one graphics processing unit (GPU) installed can isolate additional GPU device(s) from the host operating system (OS) and allocate them for use by configured applications or a virtual machine (VM).
Advanced settings have reasonable defaults in place. A warning message displays for some settings advising of the dangers of making changes.
Changing advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before saving changes.
To isolate a GPU, you must have at least two in your system; one allocated to the host system for system functions and the other available to isolate for use by either a VM or applications.
It is possible for some specific GPUs to allocate individual cores between the OS and applications, but this is highly hardware dependent.
To allocate an isolated GPU device, select it while creating or editing VM configuration, in the GPU Configuration settings of individual applications that support GPU allocation, or in the Resource Reservation settings of Install Custom App.
When allocated to a VM, the isolated GPU connects to the VM as if it were physically installed in that VM and becomes unavailable for any other allocations.
One isolated GPU device can be used by a single VM or multiple applications, but not both.
Isolating GPU Device(s)
Click Configure on the Isolated GPU Device(s) widget to open the Isolate GPU PCI’s Ids screen, where you can select a GPU device to isolate.
11.4.7 - Managing Global 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)
Provides information on SCALE two-factor authentication, setting it up, and logging in with it enabled.
Global Two-factor authentication (2FA) is great for increasing security.
TrueNAS offers global 2FA to ensure that entities cannot use a compromised administrator root password to access the administrator interface.
Advanced settings have reasonable defaults in place. A warning message displays for some settings advising of the dangers of making changes.
Changing advanced settings can be dangerous when done incorrectly. Use caution before saving changes.
To use 2FA, you need a mobile device with the current time and date, and an authenticator app installed. We recommend Google Authenticator.
You can use other authenticator applications, but you must confirm the settings and QR codes generated in TrueNAS are compatible with your particular app before permanently activating 2FA.
Two-factor authentication is time-based and requires a correct system time setting.
Ensure Network Time Protocol (NTP) is functional before enabling is strongly recommended!
2FA adds an extra layer of security to your system to prevent someone from logging in, even if they have your password.
2FA requires you to verify your identity using a randomized 6-digit code that regenerates every 30 seconds (unless modified) to use when you log in.
Benefits of 2FA
Unauthorized users cannot log in since they do not have the randomized 6-digit code.
Authorized employees can securely access systems from any device or location without jeopardizing sensitive information.
Internet access on the TrueNAS system is not required to use 2FA.
Drawbacks of 2FA
2FA requires an app to generate the 2FA code.
If the 2FA code is not working or users cannot get it, the system is inaccessible through the UI and SSH (if enabled). You can bypass or unlock 2FA using the CLI.
Enabling 2FA
Set up a second 2FA device as a backup before proceeding.
Before you begin, download Google Authenticator to your mobile device.
Go to System Settings > Advanced, scroll down to the Global Two Factor Authentication widget, and click Config.
When using Google Authenticator, set Interval to 30 or the authenticator code might not function when logging in.
Click Show QR and scan the QR code using Google Authenticator.
After scanning the code click CLOSE to close the dialog on the Two-Factor Authentication screen.
Disabling or Bypassing 2FA
Go to System Settings > Advanced, scroll down to the Global Two Factor Authentication widget, and click Config. Uncheck Enable Two-Factor Authentication Globally and click Save.
If the device with the 2FA app is not available, you can use the system CLI to bypass 2FA with administrative IPMI or by physically accessing the system.
To unlock 2FA in the SCALE CLI, enter: auth two_factor update enabled=false'
Reactivating 2FA
If you want to enable 2FA again, go to System Settings > Advanced, scroll down to the Global Two Factor Authentication widget, and click Config.
Check Enable Two Factor Authentication Globally, then click Save.
To change the system-generated Secret, go to Credentials > 2FA and click Renew 2FA Secret.
Using 2FA to Log in to TrueNAS
Enabling 2FA changes the login process for both the TrueNAS web interface and SSH logins.
Logging In Using the Web Interface
The login screen adds another field for the randomized authenticator code. If this field is not immediately visible, try refreshing the browser.
Enter the code from the mobile device (without the space) in the login window and use the root User name and password.
If you wait too long, a new number code displays in Google Authenticator, so you can retry.
Logging In Using SSH
Confirm that you set Enable Two-Factor Auth for SSH in System Settings > Advanced > Global Two Factor Authentication.
Go to System Settings > Services and edit the SSH service.
a. Set Log in as Admin with Password, then click Save.
b. Click the SSH toggle and wait for the service status to show that it is running.
Open the Google Authentication app on your mobile device.
Open a terminal (such as Windows Shell) and SSH into the system using either the host name or IP address, the administrator account user name and password, and the 2FA code.
Provides instructions on managing TrueNAS SCALE boot environments.
TrueNAS supports a ZFS feature known as boot environments. These are snapshot clones that TrueNAS can boot into. Only one boot environment can be used for booting.
A boot environment allows rebooting into a specific point in time and greatly simplifies recovering from system misconfigurations or other potential system failures.
With multiple boot environments, the process of updating the operating system becomes a low-risk operation.
The updater automatically creates a snapshot of the current boot environment and adds it to the boot menu before applying the update.
If anything goes wrong during the update, the system administrator can boot TrueNAS into the previous environment to restore system functionality.
Managing Boot Environments
To view the list of boot environments on the system, go to System Settings > Boot. Each boot environment entry contains this information:
Name: the name of the boot entry as it appears in the boot menu.
Active: indicates which entry boots by default if a boot environment is not active.
Date Created: indicates the boot environment creation date and time.
Space: shows boot environment size.
Keep: indicates whether or not TrueNAS deletes this boot environment when a system update does not have enough space to proceed.
To access more options for a boot environment, click to display the list of options.
Activating a Boot Environment
The option to activate a boot environment only displays for boot entries not set to Active
Activating an environment means the system boots into the point of time saved in that environment the next time it is started.
Click the more_vert for an inactive boot environment, and then select Activate to open the Activate dialog.
Click Confirm, and then click Activate.
The System Boot screen status changes to Reboot and the current Active entry changes from Now/Reboot to Now, indicating that it is the current boot environment but is not used on next boot.
Cloning a Boot Environment
Cloning copies the selected boot environment into a new entry.
Click the more_vert for a boot environment, and then select Clone to open the Clone Boot Environment window.
Enter a new name using only alphanumeric characters, and/or the allowed dashes (-), underscores (_), and periods (.) characters.
The Source field displays the boot environment you are cloning. If the displayed name is incorrect, close the window and select the correct boot environment to clone.
Click Save.
Renaming a Boot Environment
You can change the name of any boot environment on the System Settings > Boot screen.
Click the more_vert for a boot environment, and then select Rename to open the Rename Boot Environment window.
Enter a new name using only alphanumeric characters, and/or the allowed dashes (-), underscores (_), and periods (.) characters.
Verify the boot environment in Name is the one you want to rename.
Click Save.
Deleting a Boot Environment
Deleting a boot environment removes it from the System Settings > Boot screen and from the boot menu.
Click the more_vert for a boot environment, and then select Delete to open the Delete dialog.
Select Confirm and then click Delete.
You cannot delete the default or any active entries.
Because you cannot delete an activated boot entry, this option does not display for activated boot environments
To delete the active boot environment, first activate another entry and then delete the environment you want to remove.
Keeping a Boot Environment
Keep toggles with the Unkeep option, and they determine whether the TrueNAS updater can automatically delete this boot environment if there is not enough space to proceed with an update.
Click the more_vert for a boot environment, and then select Keep to open the Keep dialog.
Select Confirm and then click Keep Flag.
The boot environment action list removes the Keep option and adds Unkeep.
This makes the boot environment subject to automatic deletion if the TrueNAS updater needs space for an update.
Adding a Boot Environment
You can make a new boot environment to your TrueNAS.
To add a new boot environment, from the System Settings > Boot screen, click the Add button to open the Create Boot Environment window.
Enter a new name using only alphanumeric characters, and/or the allowed dashes (-), underscores (_), and periods (.) characters.
Click Save.
Changing the Scrub Interval
The Stats/Settings option displays current system statistics and provides the option to change the scrub interval, or how often the system runs a data integrity check on the operating system device.
Go to System Settings > Boot screen and click Stats/Settings.
The Stats/Settings window displays statistics for the operating system device: Boot pool Condition as ONLINE or OFFLINE, Size in GiB and the space in use in Used, and Last Scrub Run with the date and time of the scrub.
By default, the operating system device is scrubbed every 7 days.
To change the default scrub interval, input a different number in Scrub interval (in days) and click Update Interval.
Checking Boot Pool Status
You an attach or replace the boot environment.
From the System Settings > Boot screen, click the Boot Pool Status button to open the Boot Pool Status screen. This screen shows the current operating system device (boot pool), the path for the pool, and the read, write, or checksum errors for the device.
Click the more_vert to open the Actions options.
Click Attach, then select a device from the Member Disk dropdown.
Select Use all disk space to use the entire capacity of the new device.
Click Save.
If you want to replace the device, click the more_vert to open the Actions options. Click Replace, select the device from the Member Disk dropdown, and then click Save.
Scrubbing a Boot Pool
You can perform a manual data integrity check (scrub) of the operating system device at any time.
On the System Settings > Boot screen, and click Scrub Boot Pool to open the Scrub dialog.
Click Confirm and then Start Scrub.
Changing Boot Environments
Sometimes, rolling back to an older boot environment can be useful.
For example, if an update process does not go as planned, it is easy to roll back to a previous boot environment.
TrueNAS automatically creates a boot environment when the system updates.
Use the Activate option on the more_vert for the desired boot environment.
This changes the Active column to Reboot for the boot environment, and means the boot environment becomes active on the next system boot.
The system configuration also changes to the state it was in when the boot environment was created.
System Settings > Services displays each system component that runs continuously in the background. These typically control data-sharing or other external access to the system. Individual services have configuration screens and activation toggles, and you can set them to run automatically.
Documented services related to data sharing or automated tasks are in their respective Shares and Tasks articles.
Contents
FTP: Provides instructions on configuring the FTP service including storage, user, and access permissions.
NFS: Provides information on configuring NFS service in TrueNAS SCALE.
S.M.A.R.T.: Provides information on S.M.A.R.T. service screen settings.
SMB: Provides instructions on configuring the SMB service in TrueNAS SCALE.
SNMP: Provides information on configuring SNMP service in TrueNAS SCALE.
SSH: Provides information on configuring the SSH service in TrueNAS SCALE and using an SFTP connection.
UPS: Provides information on configuring UPS service in TrueNAS SCALE.
11.6.1 - FTP
Provides instructions on configuring the FTP service including storage, user, and access permissions.
The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a simple option for data transfers.
The SSH options provide secure transfer methods for critical objects like configuration files, while the Trivial FTP options provide simple file transfer methods for non-critical files.
Options for configuring FTP, SSH, and TFTP are in System Settings > Services.
Click the edit to configure the related service.
Configuring FTP For Any Local User
FTP requires a new dataset and a local user account.
Go to Storage to add a new dataset to use as storage for files.
Next, add a new user. Go to Credentials > Local Users and click Add to create a local user on the TrueNAS.
Assign a user name and password, and link the newly created FTP dataset as the user home directory.
You can do this for every user or create a global account for FTP (for example, OurOrgFTPaccnt).
Edit the file permissions for the new dataset. Go to Datasets, then click on the name of the new dataset. Scroll down to Permissions and click Edit.
Enter or select the new user account in the User and Group fields.
Select Apply User and Apply Group.
Select the Read, Write, and Execute for User, Group, and Other you want to apply.
Click Save.
Configuring FTP Service
To configure FTP, go to System Settings > Services and find FTP, then click edit to open the Services > FTP screen.
Configure the options according to your environment and security considerations. Click Advanced Settings to display more options.
To confine FTP sessions to the home directory of a local user, select both chroot and Allow Local User Login.
Do not allow anonymous or root access unless it is necessary.
Enable TLS when possible (especially when exposing FTP to a WAN). TLS effectively makes this FTPS for better security.
Click Save and then start the FTP service.
Configuring FTP Services For FTP Group
FTP requires a new dataset and a local user account.
Go to Storage and add a new [dataset]](/scaletutorials/storage/datasets/datasetsscale/).
Next, add a new user. Go to Credentials > Local Users and click Add to create a local user on the TrueNAS.
Assign a user name and password, and link the newly created FTP dataset as the user home directory. Then, add ftp to the Auxiliary Groups field and click Save.
Edit the file permissions for the new dataset. Go to Datasets, then click on the name of the new dataset. Scroll down to Permissions and click Edit.
Enter or select the new user account in the User and Group fields.
Enable Apply User and Apply Group.
Select the Read, Write, and Execute for User, Group, and Other you want to apply, then click Save.
Configuring FTP Service
Go to System Settings > Services and find FTP, then click edit to open the Services > FTP screen.
Configure the options according to your environment and security considerations. Click Advanced Settings to display more options.
When configuring FTP bandwidth settings, we recommend manually entering the units you want to use, e.g. KiB, MiB, GiB.
To confine FTP sessions to the home directory of a local user, select chroot.
Do not allow anonymous or root access unless it is necessary.
Enable TLS when possible (especially when exposing FTP to a WAN). TLS effectively makes this FTPS for better security.
Click Save, then start the FTP service.
Connecting with FTP
Use a browser or FTP client to connect to the TrueNAS FTP share.
The images below use FileZilla, which is free.
The user name and password are those of the local user account on the TrueNAS system.
The default directory is the same as the user home directory.
After connecting, you can create directories and upload or download files.
Provides information on configuring NFS service in TrueNAS SCALE.
The Services > NFS configuration screen displays settings to customize the TrueNAS NFS service.
You can access it from System Settings > Services screen. Locate NFS and click edit to open the screen, or use the Config Service option on the Unix (NFS) Share widget options menu found on the main Sharing screen.
Select Start Automatically to activate NFS service when TrueNAS boots.
Configuring NFS Service
Unless a specific setting is required, we recommend using the default NFS settings.
Select the IP address from the Bind IP Addresses dropdown list if you want to use a specific static IP address, or to list on all available addresses leave this blank.
Enter an optimal number of threads used by the kernel NFS server in Number of threads.
If you are using NFSv4 select NFSv4 from Enabled Protocols. NFSv3 ownership model for NFSv4 clears, allowing you to select or leave it clear.
If you want to force NFS shares to fail if the Kerberos ticket is unavailable, select Require Kerberos for NFSv4.
Next enter a port to bind to in the field that applies:
Enter a port to bind mountd(8) in mountd(8) bind port.
Enter a port to bind rpc.statd(8)in rpc.statd(8) bind port.
Enter a port to bind rpc.lockd(8) in rpc.lockd(8) bind port.
The UDP protocol is deprecated and not supported with NFS. It is disabled by default in the Linux kernel.
Using UDP over NFS on modern networks (1Gb+) can lead to data corruption caused by fragmentation during high loads.
Select Allow non-root mount only if required by the NFS client to allow serving non-root mount requests.
Select Support > 16 groups when a user is a member of more than 16 groups. This assumes group membership is configured correctly on the NFS server.
Click Save.
Start the NFS service.
When TrueNAS is already connected to Active Directory, setting NFSv4 and Require Kerberos for NFSv4 also requires a Kerberos Keytab.
Provides information on S.M.A.R.T. service screen settings.
There is a special consideration when installing TrueNAS in a Virtual Machine (VM), as S.M.A.R.T services monitor actual physical devices, which are abstracted in a VM. After the installation of TrueNAS completes on the VM, go to System Settings > Services > and click the blue toggle button on the S.M.A.R.T. service to stop the service from running. Clear the Start Automatically checkbox so the service does not automatically start when the system reboots.
Use the Services > S.M.A.R.T. screen to configure when S.M.A.R.T. tests run and when to trigger alert warnings and send emails.
Click the editConfigure icon to open the screen.
Enter the time in minutes smartd to wake up and check if any tests are configured to run in Check Interval.
Select the Power Mode from the dropdown list. Choices include Never, Sleep, Standby, and Idle. TrueNAS only performs tests when you select Never.
Set the temperatures that trigger alerts in Difference, Informational and Critical.
Provides instructions on configuring the SMB service in TrueNAS SCALE.
The Services > SMB screen displays after going to the Shares screen, finding the Windows (SMB) Shares section, and clicking more_vert + Config Service.
Alternatively, you can go to System Settings > Services and click the edit edit icon for the SMB service.
Configuring SMB Service
The SMB Services screen displays setting options to configure TrueNAS SMB settings to fit your use case.
In most cases, you can set the required fields and accept the rest of the setting defaults. If you have specific needs for your use case, click Advanced Options to display more settings.
Enter the name of the TrueNAS host system if not the default displayed in NetBIOS Name. This name is limited to 15 characters and cannot be the Workgroup name.
Enter any alias name or names that do not exceed 15 characters in the NetBIOS Alias field. Separate each alias name with a space between them.
Enter a name that matches the Windows workgroup name in Workgroup. TrueNAS detects and sets the correct workgroup from these services when unconfigured with enabled Active Directory or LDAP active.
When using SMB1 clients, select Enable SMB1 support to allow legacy SMB1 clients to connect to the server.
As of SCALE 22.12 (Bluefin) and later, TrueNAS does not support SMB client operating systems that are labeled by their vendor as End of Life or End of Support.
This means MS-DOS (including Windows 98) clients, among others, cannot connect to TrueNAS SCALE SMB servers.
The upstream Samba project that TrueNAS uses for SMB features notes in the 4.11 release that the SMB1 protocol is deprecated and warns portions of the protocol might be further removed in future releases.
Administrators should work to phase out any clients using the SMB1 protocol from their environments.
If you plan to use the insecure and vulnerable NTLMv1 encryption, select NTLMv1 Auth to allow smbd attempts to authenticate users. This setting enables backward compatibility with older versions of Windows, but we don’t recommend it. Do not use on untrusted networks.
Enter any notes about the service configuration in Description
Use Auxiliary Parameters to enter additional smb.conf options, or to log more details when a client attempts to authenticate to the share, add log level = 1, auth_audit:5. Refer to the Samba Guide for more information on these settings.
Provides information on configuring SNMP service in TrueNAS SCALE.
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) monitors network-attached devices for conditions that warrant administrative attention.
TrueNAS uses Net-SNMP to provide SNMP.
To configure SNMP, go to System Settings > Services page, find SNMP, and click the edit.
To download an MIB from your TrueNAS system, you can enable SSH and use a file transfer command like scp.
When using SSH, make sure to validate the user logging in has SSH login permissions enabled and the SSH service is active and using a known port (22 is default).
Management Information Base (MIB) files are located in /usr/local/share/snmp/mibs/.
Example (replace mytruenas.example.com with your system IP address or hostname):
Allowing external connections to TrueNAS is a security vulnerability!
Do not enable SSH unless you require external connections.
See Security Recommendations for more security considerations when using SSH.
Configuring SSH Service
To configure SSH go to System Settings > Services, find SSH, and click edit to open the basic settings General Options configuration screen.
Use the Password Login Groups and Allow Password Authentication settings to allow specific TrueNAS account groups the ability to use password authentication for SSH logins.
Click Save. Select Start Automatically and enable the SSH service.
Configuring Advanced SSH Settings
If your configuration requires more advanced settings, click Advanced Settings.
The basic options continue to display above the Advanced Settings screen.
Configure the options as needed to match your network environment.
These Auxiliary Parameters can be useful when troubleshooting SSH connectivity issues:
Increase the ClientAliveInterval if SSH connections tend to drop.
Increase the MaxStartups value (10 is default) when you need more concurrent SSH connections.
Remember to enable the SSH service in System Settings > Services after making changes.
To create and store specific SSH connections and keypairs, go to Credentials > Backup Credentials.
Using SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) is available by enabling SSH remote access to the TrueNAS system.
SFTP is more secure than standard FTP as it applies SSL encryption on all transfers by default.
Go to System Settings > Services, find the SSH entry, and click the edit to open the Services > SSH basic settings configuration screen.
Select Allow Password Authentication and decide if you need Log in as Root with Password and Log in as Admin with Password.
SSH with root is a security vulnerability. It allows users to fully control the NAS remotely with a terminal instead of providing SFTP transfer access.
Review the remaining options and configure them according to your environment or security needs.
Using SFTP Connections
Open an FTP client (like FileZilla) or command line.
This article shows using FileZilla as an example.
Using FileZilla, enter SFTP://{TrueNAS IP} {username} {password} {port 22}. Where {TrueNAS IP} is the IP address for your TrueNAS system, {username} is the administrator login user name, and {password} is the adminstrator password, and {port 22} to connect.
SFTP does not offer chroot locking.
While chroot is not 100% secure, lacking chroot lets users move up to the root directory and view internal system information.
If this level of access is a concern, FTP with TLS might be the more secure choice.
Provides information on configuring UPS service in TrueNAS SCALE.
TrueNAS uses Network UPS Tools NUT to provide UPS support.
After connecting the TrueNAS system UPS device, configure the UPS service by going to System settings > Services, finding UPS, and clicking edit.
TrueNAS High Availability (HA) systems are not compatible with uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
Some UPS models are unresponsive with the default polling frequency (default is two seconds).
TrueNAS displays the issue in logs as a recurring error like libusb_get_interrupt: Unknown error.
If you get an error, decrease the polling frequency by adding an entry to Auxiliary Parameters (ups.conf): pollinterval = 10.
For USB devices, the easiest way to determine the correct device name is to set Show console messages in System Settings > Advanced.
Plug in the USB device and look for a /dev/ugen or /dev/uhid device name in the console messages.
A UPS with adequate capacity can power multiple computers.
One computer connects to the UPS data port with a serial or USB cable.
This primary system makes UPS status available on the network for other computers.
The UPS powers the secondary computers, and they receive UPS status data from the primary system.
See the NUT User Manual and NUT User Manual Pages.
Provides information on using the TrueNAS SCALE Shell.
The SCALE Shell is convenient for running command lines tools, configuring different system settings, or finding log files and debug information.
Warning! The supported mechanisms for making configuration changes are the TrueNAS WebUI, CLI, and API exclusively.
All other are not supported and result in undefined behavior that can result in system failure!
The Set font size slider adjusts the Shell displayed text size.
Restore Default resets the font size to default.
The Shell stores the command history for the current session.
Leaving the Shell screen clears the command history.
Click Reconnect to start a new session.
Navigating In Shell
This section provides keyboard navigation shortcuts you can use in Shell.
Action
Keyboard/Command
Description
Scroll up
Up arrow expand_less
Scroll up through previous commands.
Scroll down
Down arrow expand_more
Scroll down through following commands.
Re-enter command
Enter
After entering a command, press Enter to re-enter the command.
Top of screen
Home
Moves the cursor to the top of the screen entries and results.
Bottom of screen
End
Moves the cursor to the bottom of the screen command entries and results.
Delete
Delete
Deletes what you highlight.
Auto-fill text
Tab
Type a few letters and press Tab to complete a command name or filename in the current directory.
right-click
Right-clicking in the terminal window displays a reminder about using Command+c and Command+v or Ctrl+Insert and Shift+Insert for copy and paste operations.
Exit to root prompt
exit
Entering exit leaves the session.
Copy text
Ctrl+Insert
Enter Ctrl+Insert to copy highlighted text in Shell.
Paste text
Shift+Insert
Enter Shift+Insert to paste copied text in Shell.
Kill running process
Ctrl+c
Enter Ctrl+c to kill a process running in Shell. For example, the ping command.
Changing the Default Shell
zsh is the default shell, but you can change this by going to Credentials > Local Users.
Select the admin or other user to expand it.
Click Edit to open the Edit User screen.
Scroll down to Shell and select a different option from the dropdown list. Most Linux command-line utilities are available in the Shell.
Click Save.
Admin users can set the Shell to default to the TrueNAS CLI by selecting TrueNAS CLI in Shell on the Edit User screen.
See SCALE CLI Reference Guide for more information on using the TrueNAS CLI.
To change the Shell to default to the Console Setup Menu, select TrueNAS Console in Shell on the Edit User screen.
Clicking other SCALE UI menus options closes the shell session and stops commands running in the Shell screen.
Tmux allows you to detach sessions in Shell and then reattach them later.
Commands continue to run in a detached session.
TrueNAS CLI
The new SCALE command-line interface (CLI) lets you directly configure SCALE features using namespaces and commands based on the SCALE API.
TrueNAS CLI is still in active development.
We are not accepting bug reports or feature requests at this time.
We intend the CLI to be an alternative method for configuring TrueNAS features.
Because of the variety of available features and configurations, we include CLI-specific instructions in their respective UI documentation sections.
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