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Re: best way of backing up files

carlocki
Luminary

best way of backing up files

as the subject which is the best strategy to backing up 4x4tb in xraid configuration?

I think a copy over a 4tb external drive, I actually have, is a good solution but someone talking me about snapshots...

Model: RN214|4 BAY Desktop ReadyNAS Storage
Message 1 of 9

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rn_enthusiast
Virtuoso

Re: best way of backing up files

My external USBs are formatted with BTRFS. I do this because I can snapshot the filesystem and thus make easy revisional backups. But what you need to think of most, is access to the USB. EXT4 and BTRFS are Linux only filesystems and thus can only be read by the NAS itself or other Linux computers. NTFS on the other hand, is for Windows.

 

If you plan being able to use the USB in a Windows laptop/desktop, in order to retrieve your backups in case something goes wrong, then use NTFS.

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No1Mportnt
Luminary

Re: best way of backing up files

Personally, I like backing up my critical files everytime I update them.  

Message 2 of 9
Sandshark
Sensei

Re: best way of backing up files

Snapshots are not backup.  Backup is on a separate device that can be accessed if the original fails.  Snapshots are complimentary to backup.  Their main use is recovery of inadvertently deleted files.  That's critical if the creation of or a change to the file occurred after the last backup, but doesn't help if it was also after the last snapshot.  Snapshots, however, are very fast to create and also faster than recovery from backup, especially for a large number of files.  They can be taken at a much more frequent interval with minimal system impact.

 

BTRFS snapshots don't take a lot of extra space with data that does not "churn" a lot, as the snapshot points to the same data as the main directory listing for all files that have not changed, so only data changed or deleted takes up snapshot space.  Backup, on the other hand, takes as much space as the original.  Biut the fact that they point to the same data is also what makes them absolutely not backup, as a file system or drive error can (and usually will) be present in both the main and snapshot data.

Message 3 of 9
carlocki
Luminary

Re: best way of backing up files

so I can do a big data area in the nas leaving it out of snapshot. I put an external device, formatted Ext4 and waiting for the first bck tomorrow

Message 4 of 9
Sandshark
Sensei

Re: best way of backing up files

EXT4 is probably not the best format to use if you want to be able to access the files if the NAS fails.  NTFS is a better choice for most unless they have another Linux based system with which to read it.

 

Backup and snapshots are entirely separate.  You can chose to do neither, both, or just one on any given share.  You can even backup specific folders within a share, but you cannot control snapshots at lower than share level.

Message 5 of 9
carlocki
Luminary

Re: best way of backing up files

i followed netgear suggestions for ext4. I thought it was the best...

i need to format again...

Message 6 of 9
Sandshark
Sensei

Re: best way of backing up files

Where did you find the recommendation for EXT4?  While that was the recommendation for earlier NAS with much slower USB ports, it should not (IMHO) be the suggestion for an OS6 based NAS.  While there can be some difference in file access control in the translation from the NAS to NTFS that is not present when using EXT4, that's easy enough to reset when the files are restored using a backup job.  And while there is an EXT driver available for Windows, I believe being able to read the backup in a native Windows format if one is not trying to restore the NAS (such as a NAS failure not yet resolved) is much more important.

Message 7 of 9
carlocki
Luminary

Re: best way of backing up files

and what about BTRFS?

Message 8 of 9
rn_enthusiast
Virtuoso

Re: best way of backing up files

My external USBs are formatted with BTRFS. I do this because I can snapshot the filesystem and thus make easy revisional backups. But what you need to think of most, is access to the USB. EXT4 and BTRFS are Linux only filesystems and thus can only be read by the NAS itself or other Linux computers. NTFS on the other hand, is for Windows.

 

If you plan being able to use the USB in a Windows laptop/desktop, in order to retrieve your backups in case something goes wrong, then use NTFS.

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