Add Crashplan client

works perfect for me.

However, the crashplan instruction for running the client from PC is really not need. Here is what I did and works perfectly (I did have some help from an IT geek at work:) :

- Access your NAS through SSH and go into the folder where CrashPlan is installed
- Edit (vi) conf/my.service.xml
- There's a line that says ServiceHost. Fill out the IP of your NAS (the one from your LAN like 192.168.1.2)
- Save the file and restart the CrashPlan service
- On your computer (the one you want to control your NAS backups from), look for a file called ui.properties in Program Files/CrashPlan
- Edit the file and uncomment the serviceHost line and modify 127.0.0.1 with the IP of your NAS (for instance 192.168.1.2).


Finally, open CrashPlan.

I'm just trying out CrashPlan. After using ReadyNAS Vault for a few years at one customer, we have started to have tons of problems with extremely high load averages when ReadyNASVault is running (mostly memory and IO wait), to the point where all the shares on the ReadyNAS become extremely slow or non-responsive. Vault Services has been trying (somewhat, their support effort leaves a lot to be desired) to figure it out for weeks now and cannot (I even gave their developers SSH access to the box). So now I'm looking for an alternative and this looks promising.

One concern I have about allowing the CrashPlan client to bind to the actual IP of the ReadyNAS is security. I wonder if they recommend doing an SSH tunnel because there is no real security between the CrashPlan client and the CrashPlan Daemon. There doesn't appear to be any authentication mechanism and I'm not sure if the traffic between the client and daemon is even encrypted (I'll take a trace and look at it when I have a chance). At least with SSH you have to authenticate and the communication between the CrashPlan client and daemon is going to be encrypted.

For a home user, this may not be a big concern, but I tend to be pretty paranoid about security :)

I do have a few additional questions:

1. Do future Radiator updates cause any issues with Java and/or Crashplan? Do you have to re-install Java and/or Crashplan after an update? Do you lose your configuration?
2. Any long time performance issues with Java? Seems that Java wouldn't be the most efficient choice for a backup client.
3. How is Crashplan support? Better than Vault Services?
4. What is the local backup location on the ReadyNAS used for (when you install Crashplan it asks you to pick a directory this)? Is that if you have other Crashplan clients backup to the ReadyNAS?

Thanks.

Matt

fs1011 wrote:

works perfect for me. However, the crashplan instruction for running the client from PC is really not need. Here is what I did and works perfectly (I did have some help from an IT geek at work:) : - Access your NAS through SSH and go into the folder where CrashPlan is installed - Edit (vi) conf/my.service.xml - There's a line that says ServiceHost. Fill out the IP of your NAS (the one from your LAN like 192.168.1.2) - Save the file and restart the CrashPlan service - On your computer (the one you want to control your NAS backups from), look for a file called ui.properties in Program Files/CrashPlan - Edit the file and uncomment the serviceHost line and modify 127.0.0.1 with the IP of your NAS (for instance 192.168.1.2). Finally, open CrashPlan.

fs1011 wrote:

works perfect for me. However, the crashplan instruction for running the client from PC is really not need. Here is what I did and works perfectly (I did have some help from an IT geek at work:) : - Access your NAS through SSH and go into the folder where CrashPlan is installed - Edit (vi) conf/my.service.xml - There's a line that says ServiceHost. Fill out the IP of your NAS (the one from your LAN like 192.168.1.2) - Save the file and restart the CrashPlan service - On your computer (the one you want to control your NAS backups from), look for a file called ui.properties in Program Files/CrashPlan - Edit the file and uncomment the serviceHost line and modify 127.0.0.1 with the IP of your NAS (for instance 192.168.1.2). Finally, open CrashPlan.

Thanks, this worked.

archey wrote:

fs1011 wrote: works perfect for me. However, the crashplan instruction for running the client from PC is really not need. Here is what I did and works perfectly (I did have some help from an IT geek at work:) : - Access your NAS through SSH and go into the folder where CrashPlan is installed - Edit (vi) conf/my.service.xml - There's a line that says ServiceHost. Fill out the IP of your NAS (the one from your LAN like 192.168.1.2) - Save the file and restart the CrashPlan service - On your computer (the one you want to control your NAS backups from), look for a file called ui.properties in Program Files/CrashPlan - Edit the file and uncomment the serviceHost line and modify 127.0.0.1 with the IP of your NAS (for instance 192.168.1.2). Finally, open CrashPlan. Thanks, this worked.

Worked for me as well..

Thank you!!!

Once installed according to dkerrs recommendations, how do I get a GUI to interface with Crashplan client on the ReadyNAS?
Under OSX there are 2 clients: one that actually takes care of the backup and one that provides a GUI. I suppose that with dkerrs recommendations, the first mentioned client is installed.

Just a word of warning, I don't think allowing incoming GUI connections to the remote server is secure. I found this reply on a similar post from someone from Crashplan:
http://www.schwer.us/journal/2011/04/29/connect-to-a-headless-crashplan-desktop/

Matthew Dornquast says:
01 May 2011 at 1:06 pm
Hi! bonus points for figuring out an alternative way! The reason we don’t recommend doing it this way is the gui listener is not considered “secure”. In theory, someone could connect to your service now and do things you don’t want them to.

That’s why our instructions show you how to do this over SSH. That being said, if it’s not available from the internet, only your LAN (i.e. media server), this is a great alternative.
~Matthew

dingfwen wrote:
Just a word of warning, I don't think allowing incoming GUI connections to the remote server is secure...

I agree. The suggested SSH tunneling certainly creates an encrypted connection. Though if someone does guess the password, they have full access to the NAS.

On the other hand, changing the servicehost results in an unencrypted connection between the client and the server. If the NAS is in the DMZ (or if you forward the crashplan port in your router), then this creates its own security risk. Also in a corporate setting, this unencrypted connection is a vulnerability. If someone can read the crashplan login/password, they have full access to your data (and can directly connect to the crashplan cloud servers to get it).

On the whole, I prefer the SSH method (and keeping the SSH access contained to my local LAN).

sphardy wrote:
lagreca wrote: Will this only work on an x86 ReadyNAS? I have a ReadyNAS NV which uses their old processor architecture and would LOVE to do this, but I have a feeling it only works on current x86 variants of the ReadyNAS. Can anyone tell me for sure if this is the case? The requirement for java will prevent this being run on sparc-based NAS like Duo & NV+

I don't suppose anyone has been able to get Crashplan running on a Duo yet?

No.

You'd need the Duo/NV+ v2 (ARM) or Ultra/Pro (x86). Note that due to the different RAID format you can't migrate your disks between different CPU architectures so if you got a newer NAS you would need to transfer your data across your network.

Anyone able to tell me how to access Crashplan and alter settings (via a Graphical User Interface) after installing according to the instructions in this topic?