Maybe its just me, and maybe I dont understand enough about backups (full / incremental / differential etc), but I am really struggling to find a simple solution for a simple problem.
Problem:
I have two RN104 ReadyNAS' in separate physical locations (with 4-5TB of data).
Each connected to the internet via a consumer level router (although I have admin access to both and can probably add port mappings if required).
I want them to talk across the internet and constantly synchronise so they are a clone of each other.
Obviously at 4-5TB I cannot wait for a full backup as it'll take weeks. I cloned the Shares on the NAS' whilst on the same LAN and have now split them to their dedicated location.
As I work at both locations, the sync'ing process must be intelligent enough to realise when a file on one NAS is a later version and update the other NAS.
And in case there is a conflict (like the internet link was broken and both have been worked on in the last week), I want to be asked what do to - not just overwrite my changes from one location or copy both files but dont alert me to this fact until I find a duplicate file with a (1) after its name.
Solutions:
a) BitTorrent Sync - looks like the software is changing all of the time (Resillio; BitTorrent Sync 1.14; Sync 2.0) - help files mainly on 1.14 so is anyone seriously developing this - nothing confirming how and whether BitTorrent Sync is built for 'working' files, ie ones that'll change regularly in content and time-stamps but not necessarily size. Feels like it's built for syncing my music or film library - ie files that are added and removed, but unlikely to be changed.
b) ReadyNas Replicate UI looks like it was invented in the 1970s and never updated. I cannot find a manual that isn't confusing, as all manuals look out of date and relate to license keys and installing software. Skipping all of this and getting to the bit that looks like it satyed the same - its not clear how to use or how it works in detail - doesn't even explain how to clone.
c) FreeFileSync - fantastic app and works perfectly when cloning the NAS Shares to a local PC - although can't work out how to get this working across two NAS' separated by the internet...
d) RSYNC - can't find a simple guide. Looks over simplified and not sure it'll manage the newer files in both locations or ask what to do about conflicts. Would probably work OK if i treated one NAS as the master, managed to get RSYNC talking over the internet and through the routers and then worked on files from that master NAS in both locations - which would present a new bandwidth issue...
e) OwnCloud - haven't tried it yet as still working on the other solutions above. You Tube installation video for my ReadyNAS looked more complex that I was expecting (install packages, install PHP etc etc). I generally get a little nervous when I am installing really powerful software that people will know more about hacking that I know about simply installing - let alone patching with security updates! Dont know how it'll handle working file conflicts.
Any advice much appreciated.
Jon
Model: RN10400|ReadyNAS 100 Series 4- Bay (Diskless)
Another option is to use the amazon cloud sync app, though you'd need to pay Amazon for the hosting.
rsync is one-way, it doesn't do two-way sync. Neither does replicate (or any of the built-in backup jobs in the NAS). Backup isn't the same as sync, and you are looking for sync.
It is missing the port forwarding information (you need to forward port 22 on the system that is responding to the backup job). Also, you'll want ddns configured on that router, so you can reach the far-end system with a URL instead of the public IP address.
Thanks Stephen - good clarity over sync vs backup - and yes I have been mixing the two.
Will do some more research into "NAS sync over internet" then but presume the sync options from this post are:
1) OwnCloud
2) Amazon Cloud
3) BitTorrent Sync
Any preference?
My main method for remote access is openVPN, and I'm not attempting to sync my NAS to other NAS over the internet (though I do have backup NAS on my home network).
I use BT sync some (the selective sync is one way to get NAS files onto my mobile devices). Since I'm still just playing with it, I've chosen to run it on a PC though (the NAS is mapped to a PC drive letter). The appeal for me is that it works in the background. The ability to use QR codes to add folders to mobile devices is also pretty convenient. So my use is quite different from what you want to do. It seems to work ok, though I have seen folders I've deleted on one device re-appear later.
I haven't tried the other two. The files in the Amazon Cloud aren't encrypted (though the connection to the cloud is). If the data is sensitive, that might be a concern. And of course it won't be free. The advantage is that the data is accessible via the cloud no matter where you are - even if the NAS are turned off or not accessible for some reason.
Hopefully other users (particularly folks using OwnCloud) will chime in.
The lack of bandwidth at one of the locations is going to be a problem if I try and use one as the master (and access over openVPN or similar) - its rather rural. Although, as I can leave the NAS connected at that location, I am hoping that running all the time means it can sync effectively. And as it takes me 3+ hours to travel between the two, should be enough for any working files to be sync'd.
I am now testing BTSync at one of the locations and will give it a few conflicts to deal with whilst syncing between my NAS and PC and see what it does.
Paid for cloud services is the one thing I am trying to avoid, as I dont trust them - not 'cos the data is sensitive particularly - although as I didn't employ their server admins I do sometimes wonder... its really because I have been using Livedrive for a number of years, and it's only when I come back to files which are years old do I find some of them unavailable!
I doubt all Cloud services are the same, and some take very good care of your data, but as they're all commercial organisations whose strategy / inverstment / service policies aren't in my control, I subscribe to the view that they are all inherantly unreliable.
As you say, would be good to see how OwnCloud matches up against BT Sync if anyone has used both?
