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Forum Discussion
Backup causes NAS to freeze - Case #23083090
Hi all,
I wanted to share some experience on backup jobs with you. The system is no longer set up in the configuration described here, so I am neither looking for help nor can I continue to investigate the issue. However, I wanted to take the time and leave a summary of the problem in case someone else has the same issue.
I have had a Pro4 acting as a file server for a while. I now wanted to add off-site replication, and after comparing the Pros and Cons of ReadyNAS and Synology I decided to stick with ReadyNAS. I got a ReadyNAS 314 as my new primary NAS and installed OS6 on the Pro4, to act as backup NAS installed off-site. Both NAS are encrypted and backup was supposed to work via Replicate. I copied all data to the primary NAS, did a fresh install of OS6 on the backup NAS and connected the devices via Replicate (both in the same LAN). I then realized system replication is not possible with OS6 (http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=71993) so I couldn't perform backups as planned (incl. user shares). In addition, I had noticed by that time that snapshots also do not work for user shares. I decided to disable user shares and manually create "regular" shares for each user. For that process I wanted to remove the data from the user shares on the primary NAS and, temporarily, store it on the backup NAS. That is when the fun started...
I set up a backup job in the web frontend of the ReadyNAS 314, from a homeshare to "remote:Windows/NAS". I manually started the job and the NAS completely froze. Web frontend was no longer responding and the shares couldn't be accessed. When trying to connect to the frontend I got a messag "Device is offline". I contacted support, they asked for the status of the LEDs, checked if the NAS was visible in Raidar (it was not, only the Pro4 acting as backup NAS was visible) and suggested I do an OS reinstall via the reset button. I did, the system restarted and everything was back to normal. Frontend still reported the backup job as "in progress", but in reality it did not seem to be running. I aborted the job so it was no longer shown as "in progress". Support technician claimed faulty hard drives and recommended I run some diagnostics. I did, but the drives were reported as being OK.
During the next days I continued to investigate. I started the backup job again, everything again locked up. No web frontend, no access to shares, product not visible in Raidar. Powered the device off, turned it back on. Backup was aborted, but still showing as "in progress" in frontend. I aborted the job, restarted it (maybe third time's a charm) but no luck. Left it running for a while, and realized that there was significant network traffic between the devices (LEDs on router flashing). I captured some traffic and saw plenty of "nbss continuation message" that apparently (I am by no means an expert!) indicate SMB traffic. I then also realized that, sporadically, the device would show up in Raidar for a few seconds. Also some web services (Logitech Media Server) were accessible even if the Netgear frontend was unresponsive, and sometimes the shares were also accessible. I gave it some time, and eventually the backup finished. All files were copied successfully, the job completed and the NAS was fully responsive again. I repeated it for some other homeshares with exact same result.
I then deleted the homeshares and created "regular" shares instead. I then ran the process in reverse, copy from the backup NAS (Pro4 with OS6, encrypted) to the primary NAS (314 with OS6, encrypted). Only this time no homeshares were involved. Backup ran without any problems, frontend did not lock up and device remained fully accessible. Backup jobs completed MUCH faster than before.
That is when I stopped investigating the issue and decided to continue with ReadyNAS Replicate instead. I wanted to do replication over an Internet connection anyhow. (My experience with Replicate continues here: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=77117).
Summary: It appears that, when backing up a homeshare from an encrypted OS6 system to a Windows share, the NAS will lock up. Frontend and shares can be unresponsive until the backup is completed, and backup will take much longer than it normally should. After completion, things return to normal.
I hope nobody runs into the same issue, but if you do this will hopefully help you in identifying the problem faster. Unfortunately I can't provide a solution.
I wanted to share some experience on backup jobs with you. The system is no longer set up in the configuration described here, so I am neither looking for help nor can I continue to investigate the issue. However, I wanted to take the time and leave a summary of the problem in case someone else has the same issue.
I have had a Pro4 acting as a file server for a while. I now wanted to add off-site replication, and after comparing the Pros and Cons of ReadyNAS and Synology I decided to stick with ReadyNAS. I got a ReadyNAS 314 as my new primary NAS and installed OS6 on the Pro4, to act as backup NAS installed off-site. Both NAS are encrypted and backup was supposed to work via Replicate. I copied all data to the primary NAS, did a fresh install of OS6 on the backup NAS and connected the devices via Replicate (both in the same LAN). I then realized system replication is not possible with OS6 (http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=71993) so I couldn't perform backups as planned (incl. user shares). In addition, I had noticed by that time that snapshots also do not work for user shares. I decided to disable user shares and manually create "regular" shares for each user. For that process I wanted to remove the data from the user shares on the primary NAS and, temporarily, store it on the backup NAS. That is when the fun started...
I set up a backup job in the web frontend of the ReadyNAS 314, from a homeshare to "remote:Windows/NAS". I manually started the job and the NAS completely froze. Web frontend was no longer responding and the shares couldn't be accessed. When trying to connect to the frontend I got a messag "Device is offline". I contacted support, they asked for the status of the LEDs, checked if the NAS was visible in Raidar (it was not, only the Pro4 acting as backup NAS was visible) and suggested I do an OS reinstall via the reset button. I did, the system restarted and everything was back to normal. Frontend still reported the backup job as "in progress", but in reality it did not seem to be running. I aborted the job so it was no longer shown as "in progress". Support technician claimed faulty hard drives and recommended I run some diagnostics. I did, but the drives were reported as being OK.
During the next days I continued to investigate. I started the backup job again, everything again locked up. No web frontend, no access to shares, product not visible in Raidar. Powered the device off, turned it back on. Backup was aborted, but still showing as "in progress" in frontend. I aborted the job, restarted it (maybe third time's a charm) but no luck. Left it running for a while, and realized that there was significant network traffic between the devices (LEDs on router flashing). I captured some traffic and saw plenty of "nbss continuation message" that apparently (I am by no means an expert!) indicate SMB traffic. I then also realized that, sporadically, the device would show up in Raidar for a few seconds. Also some web services (Logitech Media Server) were accessible even if the Netgear frontend was unresponsive, and sometimes the shares were also accessible. I gave it some time, and eventually the backup finished. All files were copied successfully, the job completed and the NAS was fully responsive again. I repeated it for some other homeshares with exact same result.
I then deleted the homeshares and created "regular" shares instead. I then ran the process in reverse, copy from the backup NAS (Pro4 with OS6, encrypted) to the primary NAS (314 with OS6, encrypted). Only this time no homeshares were involved. Backup ran without any problems, frontend did not lock up and device remained fully accessible. Backup jobs completed MUCH faster than before.
That is when I stopped investigating the issue and decided to continue with ReadyNAS Replicate instead. I wanted to do replication over an Internet connection anyhow. (My experience with Replicate continues here: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=77117).
Summary: It appears that, when backing up a homeshare from an encrypted OS6 system to a Windows share, the NAS will lock up. Frontend and shares can be unresponsive until the backup is completed, and backup will take much longer than it normally should. After completion, things return to normal.
I hope nobody runs into the same issue, but if you do this will hopefully help you in identifying the problem faster. Unfortunately I can't provide a solution.
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