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Migrating From Windows Home Server: Questions
I have been a Windows Home Server user since circa 2007 with a HP MediaSmart Multimedia Server and later a HP DataVault Server. The nice thing about both of these is the console software was very tr...
TheDoctor165 wrote:
If I have share folder "bu" that backs up all backups nightly and a subfolder under "bu" called "buimages" can I set up a snapshot schedule that both saves the entire "bu" share nightly, but also the "buimages" weekly?
No. Snapshots apply to the BTRFS subvolume, and the "bu" share is the relevant subvolume. So if you want a different snapshot schedule for the buimages folder it needs to be it's own independent share.
However, if buimages is only updated weekly, you can use a daily snapshot schedule. Snapshot space only grows when files in the main share change, so if the images are updated weekly, the snapshot space needed for those images will also grow weekly. For your specific use case, the snapshot space for images grows when Microsoft Backup deletes the current backup.
Thanx for the response! I know using the ReadyNAS for backup is not a true disaster recovery solution, but I believe, based on my research, it can be done using third party software or even Microsofts Windows inherent backup capabilities. I bought one READYNAS to try it out and in the long run will buy a total of two for home and two for work. I hope to have home backup's at work and work backups at home. Then, have each home and work ReadyNAS cloned. In case of failure, I can rely on the other one until I get a chance to repair the failed unit. I think that can be done. The problem with the HP Mediavault and Datavault was that it would take about a week after a critical failure before I could get either machine back up and running. Meanwhile, I would have no access to business data. Hoping to minimize that down time.
What I was hoping for with this discussion thread were some specific recommendations and settings that work from WHS experienced users who now usng a READYNAS for much of what they relied on the WHS. For example, there seems to be several apps that stream. I was hoping some former WHS user could make some recommendations on which app to use and provide insights and possible pitfalls for someone who is use to the WHS environment. That would go for all the other mentioned capabilities of the WHS that I used (backup, disaster recovery, etc.)
In the end, I am just trying to leverage any knowledge already hard won, so I can reduce my own workload. I am not an IT guy, rather, I run my own manufacturing business. I really don't have time to become an IT expert, nor the money to hire one. The few folks I know that run a ReadyNAS never had a WHS and those that use a WHS have kept their WHS going with spit and paperclips in the hopes something equivalent will be available before the are truly dead. I am trying to get ahead of the curve as I can.
I appreciate all the help... Thanx :)
I can't speak to WHS migration directly, because I've never deployed WHS.
On ReadyNAS itself-
-I suggest minimizing app installs, especially on a business NAS. They sometimes destabilize the NAS when you upgrade.
-I recommend NOT using the home share feature. You can disable this by turning off SMB on the home folder in the admin web ui.
-I recommend NOT using ReadyCloud. It's had too many issues over the past years. ZeroTier is one alternative, using a VPN router is another.
-Consider using RAID-6 (dual redundancy) for the business NAS. RAID-10 and RAID-50 are also reasonable, but take more overhead.
-Servers of any kind can fail, so if you use the NAS for primary storage you do need to put a backup plan in place for the ReadyNAS. Don't assume that RAID is enough to keep your data safe - it isn't. Using your second NAS for backup would be good for this. A backup NAS should have file sharing protocols like AFP, SMB and NFS turned off, to limit the risk of ransomware. In the short term, the cheapest option is to back up to USB disks.
I also use crashplan for disaster recovery. It's possible to install that on the NAS, but it's better to install it on a PC, and map the NAS data volume to a drive letter. Another option is to place the backup work NAS in your home (and perhaps the backup home NAS in your office).
-Purchase either NAS-purposed disks (WDC Red or Seagate Ironwold) or enterprise drives. Don't use consumer drives.
-In my experience the best way to back up your PCs is to use a backup program that uses a NAS share as a target. I use Acronis TrueImage myself, but any good PC backup program can write to a network share.
Thanx much for the recommendations! RAID-6 especially looks like a good recommendation. As far as disks go, I put 4 Ironwolf disks in (2Tb each). My total storage with that is about 5Tb in RAID-5... I assume that goes to about 2.5Tb in RAID-6? Not sure of the storage overhead losses in many of the other RAID configurations. Also, I need to convert from XRAID to Flex-Raid to get to RAID-6, right? Can I do that while the NAS has data on it, or do I need to assume everything will get wiped? While I am exploring it, there is nothing critical on the ReadyNAS, so I don't really care, I just don't want to spend a lot of time with settings, backup jobs, etc if I will lose it all.
Do you know of any way to image the ReadyNAS in case of a complete failure. I would hate to set it up and finally get the configuration and functionality I like only to have to reinvent all the settings, backup jobs, etc. all over again in the case of failure.
Also, I just discovered last night that the snapshot feater (ReadyDR) only works from ReadyNAS to ReadyNAS... is there a what to get snapshots of my PC to the ReadyNAS (App or somethings)?
Sorry for all the questions... very new at this.
Again.. thanx for the responses! (I am also generating a list of questions for the support people when I call and take advantage of the support period)
TheDoctor165 wrote:
As far as disks go, I put 4 Ironwolf disks in (2Tb each). My total storage with that is about 5Tb in RAID-5... I assume that goes to about 2.5Tb in RAID-6?
Ironwolf disks are a good choice (as are WDC Reds).
The NAS shows you volume size in TiB (1024*1024*1024*1024 bytes) but the drive manufacturers use TB (1000*1000*1000*1000). That often creates some confusion.
RAID-5 gives you 6 TB (or ~5.4 Tib). RAID-6 gives you 4 TB (or ~ 3.6 TiB).
To increase capacity later, with RAID-5 you'd need to upgrade two disks. With RAId-6 you'll need to upgrade all four.
TheDoctor165 wrote:
Also, I need to convert from XRAID to Flex-Raid to get to RAID-6, right?
Yes. I think the simplest way is to start with 3 disks, let the volume fully build, and then switch to flex-raid. You can then insert the last disk, and add it for redundancy. With OS 6, that is non-destructive.
TheDoctor165 wrote:
Also, I just discovered last night that the snapshot feater (ReadyDR) only works from ReadyNAS to ReadyNAS... is there a what to get snapshots of my PC to the ReadyNAS (App or somethings)?
ReadyDR is a backup mechanism that uses snapshots. It only is available on ReadyNAS business models (x86), so both systems would need to be RN3xx or better.
I found this particular mechanism didn't meet my needs. I want to be able to immediately switch over to the backup NAS - so I want my backups to have the shares. ReadyDR doesn't do that - you need to restore the ReadyDR backup in order to access the data.
Personally I run daily rsync backup jobs on each backup ReadyNAS (I have a couple). Snapshots are enabled on the backup NAS, but the versions available to restore on the backup will be the previous backed versions - not the same set as on the primary NAS. For me that's close enough.
If you aren't familiar with BTRFS, you might want to look through the snapshot info here: https://community.netgear.com/t5/ReadyNAS-in-Business/ReadyNAS-312-Need-Help-Understanding-Snapshots/m-p/936586/highlight/true#M3041
TheDoctor165 wrote:
Do you know of any way to image the ReadyNAS in case of a complete failure. I would hate to set it up and finally get the configuration and functionality I like only to have to reinvent all the settings, backup jobs, etc. all over again in the case of failure.
You can't image it 100%. You can save the NAS configuration file (and restore it on the new NAS) but there are a couple of settings that aren't kept there. One is the volume maintenance schedule, there are a couple of others. Most settings (including shares, user accounts, and backup jobs) are preserved.
So you might want to keep a record of your config. Making screenshots is one approach (fairly easy on a dual monitor system).
The process for rebuilding from scratch is
- factory default. In your case that's with 3 disks in place, then switch to flexraid and go to RAID-6.
- reinstall any apps
- reapply the configuration file (do this after reinstalling apps)
- restore data
- fix up any configuration items that weren't restored.
That could be simpler, but it's not as bad as it looks.
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