Cross Server BTRFS backups?

[Jaster 6]

Hi,

 

is it possible to work with BTRFS snapshots across two server?

I'm running a cache on one server and would like to create snapshot backups (+ deltas) on the other one.

[JorgeB 3725]

Yes, you can use btrfs send/receive over ssh, that's how I backup all my servers.

[Jaster 6]

Could you elaborate a little bit or send me a resource to read up please?

[JorgeB 3725]

There's some info here on how btrfs snapshots and send/receive work, difference is there it's sending locally, to send changes to another server you'd use for example:

 

btrfs send -p /mnt/data/old_snaphot /mnt/data/new_snaphot | ssh root@ip "btrfs receive /mnt/backups"

 

There's no GUI support, so you have to use the console or a script.

[Jaster 6]

I don't mind scripting

 

but I still need a full snapshot on the source server?

[JorgeB 3725]

1 minute ago, Jaster said:

but I still need a full snapshot on the source server?

 

Initial snapshot need to be sent in full to the dest server:

 

btrfs send /mnt/data/1st_snaphot | ssh root@ip "btrfs receive /mnt/backups"

 

After that you send only the changes:

 

btrfs send -p /mnt/data/1st_snaphot /mnt/data/2nd_snaphot | ssh root@ip "btrfs receive /mnt/backups"

 

and so on.

 

 

[Jaster 6]

so on the first server I have the data, the initial snapshot and one delta?

or can I get rid/avoid the initial duplicate/snapshot on the source server?

[JorgeB 3725]

18 hours ago, Jaster said:

so on the first server I have the data, the initial snapshot and one delta?

Yep.

 

18 hours ago, Jaster said:

or can I get rid/avoid the initial duplicate/snapshot on the source server?

No, but before you change that data that it refers to snapshots don't take any space.