File copy from RN528 to RN424 - which method is fastest?

jimk1963

Luminary

Jan 02, 2024

So the Rsync setup - struggling... again:

- Main NAS is 192.168.1.80, Backup NAS is 192.168.1.82

- Creating a new backup job from the Backup NAS GUI per our earlier chats

- First (left-hand side), choose "Remote" (correct?)... otherwise, when I choose "Local", I only see the Backup NAS folders

- Choose "remote: Rsync Server"

- Host: type in the Main NAS IP (xxx.xxx.x.80) per our earlier chat (instead of the NAS name) - is this correct? i.e., the Main NAS is the host?

- Port 873 is auto-populated

- Share: When I click "Browse" I can only see the Main NAS "Pictures" share - why? Cannot see "Documents" or other shares on the Main NAS. The "Pictures" share is mapped in Windows (X:), so do I have to map every share to a drive letter for it to be visible in this backup tool? Doesn't sound right. When I manually type in "Documents", the "Test Connection" returns an error. When I manually type in "Pictures", the "Test Connection" works. So I'm stuck. I don't know how to convince this archaic tool to add the share I want to backup.

This is what I meant earlier about not liking this tool. It's not intuitive at all. Previously, the only way I could get backups to work at all was by programming them from the Main NAS, where I could see the shares I wanted to backup.

jimk1963
Luminary
Jan 02, 2024
Found at least one problem - even though Rsync is enabled on the Main NAS under System/Settings, Rsync is not enabled on a per-share basis. Looking at each share's settings individually, only Pictures has Rsync enabled under Network Settings. So that's why I'm only seeing the Pictures folder.

So what then is the purpose of the System/Settings/Rsync enable???? I thought that turning it on here would enable Rsync across the NAS but no.
- jimk1963
  Luminary
  Jan 02, 2024
  Another thing I just noticed is that on every share, on all 4 NAS boxes, these options are NOT checked on any share:
  
  - Bit Rot Protection
  - Auto-Defrag
  
  Are these important? I imagine they may slow the NAS down at times, but I thought Bit Rot Protection in particular was a key feature of these NAS boxes? Didn't realize I have to manually enable it on every share. Since it's OFF by default, now it makes me wonder if it's even a good feature to enable.
  
  Auto-defrag seems like a good idea in general. Thought Windows does some auto-defragging nowadays, doesn't seem to slow things down noticeably.
  - StephenB
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jan 03, 2024
    jimk1963 wrote:
    - Bit Rot Protection
    
    - Auto-Defrag
    
    Personally I don't think auto-defrag is all that important. But I do schedule defrag every 4 months in the NAS maintenance schedule.
    
    I do enable bit rot protection. It does two things - turning on btrfs checksums for the share, and enabling Netgear's added software that attempts to repair files with bad checksums.
    
    When you turn it on, the system will store checksums for files added to the share, but it doesn't go back and create checksums for files already in the share.
- StephenB
  Guru - Experienced User
  Jan 03, 2024
  jimk1963 wrote:
  
  Found at least one problem - even though Rsync is enabled on the Main NAS under System/Settings, Rsync is not enabled on a per-share basis. Looking at each share's settings individually, only Pictures has Rsync enabled under Network Settings. So that's why I'm only seeing the Pictures folder.
  
  Is rsync working for you now? My backup job settings are shown in post 4 here:
  
  https://community.netgear.com/t5/New-ReadyNAS-Users-General/Remote-access-ReadyNAS-214/m-p/2352429#M52996
  - jimk1963
    Luminary
    Jan 03, 2024
    Thanks StephenB ,
    
    Backups are working perfectly now. Was tripped up by not knowing I needed to enable Rsync on each individual share, even though Rsync is enabled under System/Settings already. As noted earlier, I'm unclear why there's even an Rsync setting in System/Settings. All that setting did was cause a head fake.
    
    Next move I'm about to make, after shares are copied over (it's almost done) - upgrade the RAM in the RN528. Purchased 4 sticks of 16GB:
    
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KK8XNLA?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
    Crucial CT16G4RFD4213 16GB Single DDR4 2133 MT/s (PC4-2133) CL15 DR x4 ECC Registered DIMM 288-Pin Server Memory
    
    It's used server memory, got it for next to nothing so thought I'd see if it works in the system. A tiny bit worried about bricking my NAS, but now I have multiple solid backups so am prepared.