Error while backing up w/ RSync on 4.2.12

After doing some searching (Google/etc) on rsync, I've come to one simple conclusion,
buoyed up by 30+ years experience in the IT field where I've worked with/on various
flavors of Unix professionally as well as every Windows version since 3.1 and DOS
before that.

rsync is simply NOT a flawless or mature protocol in it's linux implementation.

It is NOT ready for prime-time - aka use in a PRODUCTION environment.

It fails - for many people - without any definable cause or permanent solution/fix.

(Well, no one has defined the cause of these current failures to MY satisfaction!)

It IS a perfect example of a "horse made by committee" and Netgear needs to get IN GEAR
to provide its BUSINESS users with a protocol that "just WORKS" for synchronizing one NAS
unit with another NAS unit - both of their manufacture.

I can consistently make rsync fail, yet a CIFS backup (sorry, mdgm - it just WORKS!) works
and completes - even if dreadfully slow.

For those that doubt rsync's "cruftiness" - please just google:

error in rsync protocol data stream (code 12) at io.c(760) [receiver=3.0.7]

or

error in rsync protocol data stream (code 12) at io.c(601) [generator=3.0.7]

You will find currently 300+ hits on the first, and 600+ on the second.

We don't ALL have "network errors"

I know I don't.

Neither NAS logs any errors, nor does my HP Procurve 2824 switch.

The cables connecting the NAS units to the Procurve are 5ft Cat6 cables that
have each individually been CERTIFIED by ME using a FLUKE analyzer to well
beyond 350MHz.

(Yes, I have the toys that most don't have to find network errors - it was cheaper
to buy all the tools/toys than to bring in a commercial electrician to wire up all
the networking (over 50 runs of cat6E) in my new house - Analyzers, Sniffers, TDR's)

So how about it, Netgear?

Can we have a RELIABLE NAS-to-NAS backup?

Or do I keep using CIFS - as I did for 4 years on my Infrant RN600's?

I find Rsync just works for me. I wouldn't use CIFS for backups NAS to NAS.

NFS and Rsync are native Linux protocols. I use NFS for full backups and Rsync for incrementals.

Unfortunately rsync doesn't work for everyone.

That's the problem mdgm.

It's an open source horse-by-committee and it only takes a few minutes
with Google to see that it doesn't work for "everyone".

Hell, other users/customers on this very board are having the same (or similar)
problems with rsync as I am having - as well as many hundreds of people on the
internet - all on 3.0.7 - the latest rsync available.

(There are whispers of a kernel issue - other whispers of an out-of-memory
condition - and yet others of an interaction between certain NIC hardware
and rsync - but nothing proven - and nothing "fixed")

Even other linux-based NAS manufacturers (like QNAP) have the SAME problem
with rsync for SOME users.

Now, if I wanted to debug a linux kernel - I wouldn't have bought a pre-made
business-class NAS.

When you release a product for BUSINESS - it should "just work" for
EVERYONE - and this part of Linux, well, just doesn't work (for everyone).

So I've had to use CIFS/Timestamp backups for now.

Trust me, I wish rsync "just worked". It doesn't.

Jim

lndshrk wrote:
(There are whispers of a kernel issue - other whispers of an out-of-memory condition - and yet others of an interaction between certain NIC hardware and rsync - but nothing proven - and nothing "fixed")

Memory should not be an issue with the Pro. The stock 1GB should be fine.

Hopefully NetGear can help with your issue.

lndshrk wrote:
Trust me, I wish rsync "just worked". It doesn't.

Well I guess our experiences differ.

I hope NetGear can help you with your issue.

Btw have you tried creating a snapshot and backing up a snapshot of your data. Do you still get the issue then?

I have not gone the snapshot route - I'd like to solve the rsync problem
if I can....

If you take a snapshot under Volumes > Snapshot and then backup sharename-snap you can use this to rule out files changing on the source ReadyNAS during the backup job as the issue. You still use Rsync to backup the share, you just backup sharename-snap instead of sharename.

I can already "rule out" filenames changing on the source NAS....

I was the only one who could access it - and I wasn't accessing it.

The whole point of this exercise was moving data from the old NAS to
to "primary" new NAS (worked via CIFS) - then to move a copy of that
data from the "primary" NAS to the "backup" NAS while setting up all
of the needed daily/weekly backup jobs to keep both NAS's synchronized.

(failed via rsync, worked via CIFS)

No one had access to either of the "new" NAS units before this was
finished - so filenames didn't change.

I've been to the rodeo before, and rsync is just broken!

lndshrk: Have you made any progress with this? My rsync appears broken now as well. After working perfect for about 9 months.

Are you able to update to 4.2.13 and give that a try?

Sorry - I should have been more clear. My production box is at 4.2.12 and my backup box is at 4.2.13. I'm not sure if I am willing to try upgrading my production box yet - only because my backup box has fallen off the network twice in the last week since I moved up to 4.2.13.