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Replication Tasks

  3 minute read.

Last Modified 2023-10-26 16:14 EDT

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.

Replication Task General Overview

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.

  1. Set up the data storage for where you want to save replicated snapshots.

  2. Make sure the admin user is correctly configured.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

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