How to back up home folders with rsync?

Question

I need a way to incrementally back up user home folders from our ReadyNAS Pro 6 main server to our ReadyNAS 104 backup server. Both are firmware current at 6.8.1.

I've tried setting up rsync backup jobs, both pulling from the 104 and pushing from the Pro 6, but I get permissions errors and the backups fail.

I need a simple way to do incremental home folder backup. Any advice on steps that will work?

Thanks!

Sandshark · Answer

StephenB wrote:This is a push backup (the source is local, the destination is remote).&nbsp; Of course you'd need to have rsync enabled for "home" in the RN104.Which is not possible in the UI, it's greyed out.&nbsp; It's probably possible via SSH, but Netgear has probably disallowed it for a good reason (somethng to do with permissions or other security, perhaps).&nbsp; And any changes made in SSH are subject to being overwritten by the NAS and/or mess up something you didn't intend.&nbsp;This could be tricky since the NAS itself creates the "private" shares in home when new users access the NAS.&nbsp; The simplest approach is to create a HomeBackup share on the RN104, and make that the destination of the push backup that runs on the Pro.Or use a protocol other than rsync.&nbsp; Is there a reason Windows Timestamp doesn't work for you?&nbsp; It's less efficient than rsync, but can get the job done.&nbsp;A&nbsp;more complicated way that might work is to create symlinks to the home folders in a share to which only admin has access but rsync is allowed.&nbsp;Rrsync can access a local home folder, just not a remote one where the protocol is not enabled, so the links need to be on the&nbsp;remote system regardless of whether it's a push or pull.&nbsp; But&nbsp;I'm not sure what rsync does with symlinks on the ReadyNAS --&nbsp;follow the link or copy the link.&nbsp; Rsync has options for both,&nbsp;and I don't know what options are default&nbsp;on the NAS.&nbsp;The only advantage I can see to this over the separate folder on the 104 is if the users need access to their backup directories and you have way too many users or constant flux in users&nbsp;where creating separate shares outside of home (for&nbsp;permissions control by user)&nbsp;and separate backup jobs for each of them is not practical.&nbsp;I believe there is a suggestion in the Idea Exchange to allow rsync in home folders.&nbsp; I'm pretty sure that OS 4.x had it.

Sandshark · Answer

Windows timestamp will do incremental, but not as efficiently as rsync.&nbsp; If the timestamp of a file has changed, it will back up the entire file.&nbsp; Windows timestamp will not delete files that were deleted on the source (sometimes good, sometimes not).&nbsp; If you have any virtual drive files, you may have a special problem.&nbsp; They can be big, so copying the whole thing instead of the changed portion takes a lot of time,&nbsp;and some applications retain the&nbsp;file date even if the contents are changed in a fixed-sized file.&nbsp; Neither will do versioning, but snapshots can give you some of the benefits of versioning, you just need enough extra space that they are retained for the desired time.&nbsp;Will a moderator please approve the screen captures so we can all see them?

StephenB · Answer

Can you post the details (source/destination, etc) of the backup jobs?

dhl · Answer

StephenB&nbsp;Here's a screenshot of the backup job pulling from the 104:&nbsp;and this is the error when testing the connection:&nbsp;What's the correct way to specify the home share on the destination?&nbsp;Thanks!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

StephenB · Answer

This is a push backup (the source is local, the destination is remote).&nbsp; Of course you'd need to have rsync enabled for "home" in the RN104.
&nbsp;
This could be tricky since the NAS itself creates the "private" shares in home when new users access the NAS.&nbsp; The simplest approach is to create a HomeBackup share on the RN104, and make that the destination of the push backup that runs on the Pro.

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How to back up home folders with rsync?

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