Whaler_99 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 So I have a problem... getting rid of these WHS boxes I have and going to a large, single unRaid unit. One of the things I do like about WHS is the client backup solution. Allows me to backup a "image" of all the systems in my house, maintains copies for specific periods (days, weeks, months) that I set and is a type of SIS solution, which helps minimize space. What to use with unRaid that works with Windows 7, Vista and XP? I have looked into Memeo... but this does no imaging... just a CDP like backup of specific files and folders. But does have versioning and such... Looked at Acronis. Use it for various server solutions at client sites. But for home.... Does create a image of the system... can do differential backups... but then there would be a LOT of space needed to maintain images even for a month for all the systems in the house. Looked at some other "free" solutions... all seem to be very "acronis" like or more the "memeo" road... Course, I do have a SonicWall CDP 110 unit sitting here that I could use... but would prefer to keep all my storage in one spot. Just wondering what others are using and what is your strategy about image backups versus file/folder backups, dedupe or SIS options, continuous backups or point-in-time solution, etc. As an FYI - I am backing up four Windows 7 systems, a single Windows Vista unit and two Windows XP boxes. WHS uses about 600GB to manage all these, 4 Daily, 2 Weekly and 2 monthly. Thanks! Shawn Link to comment
Rajahal Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I use Crashplan, but it also doesn't do imaging. I've found images to be less useful now that Windows 7 can be reinstalled in about 15 minutes. I run my OS's pretty minimalist, so reinstalling all my software doesn't take long. Chrome/gmail backs up all my bookmarks, and crashplan backs up all my data. I can just reformat on a whim and know that everything is safe. Link to comment
Whaler_99 Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 Thanks! I will check that out - I am more concerned about file backups and revisions and recovering a deleted file say a few days from now then I am from a "image" to reinstall OS. Only thing is, with two of the kids really customizing their systems, all I hear is "whan whan whan" everytime I have to re-install. But, I guess that helps them prepare for a life with Windows. Shawn Link to comment
kizer Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 I personally wrote some scripts using RoboCopy because for some odd reason I was having issues with CrashPlan and my patience wore out plus I was feeling geeky and wanted to command line some more. Link to comment
Whaler_99 Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Haha, to funny. I have seen a few people using RoboCopy, for some server file copies and such. I though it was more of a copy command. Not much support for versioning and/or maintain deleted copies... Shawn Link to comment
icon123 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 What I do (life now without WHS)... After I setup each of my machines (drivers, software, network, customizing, etc) and before moving back the data (unless data is kept on a seperate non-system partition), I then make an image of the system partition using the Windows 7 built in backup utility. I copy that image to my home unraid. These images allow me to have a 'clean' os restore any time I want in a matter of minutes. Then I use CrashPlan to backup files to my home unraid and work unraid which supports versioning, accidental deletion and encryption. I back them up to two servers in case of devistation to one location. I also have my home unraid backup important files to my work unraid via CrashPlan. Good luck. Link to comment
Whaler_99 Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks for the info. If I built some base images using Acronis and Universal Restore I could have PC's up and running pretty quick. Do you use the free or paid version of Crashplan? I wasn't sure if the free version supported versioning? And how do you use Crashplan to backup unRaid Home to unRaid Work? Via mapped drives on a windows PC? Of do you have the Linux version install? I was thinking to just use rsync for something like that. Thanks for your info! Shawn Link to comment
kizer Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Haha, to funny. I have seen a few people using RoboCopy, for some server file copies and such. I though it was more of a copy command. Not much support for versioning and/or maintain deleted copies... Shawn Its easy. Writeup a cron script to rotate newest archives with dates. Its amazing what you can do with Linux command line. I'm sure CrashPlan will work for most, but I personally wanted a lot more control and I like to play. Link to comment
icon123 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks for the info. If I built some base images using Acronis and Universal Restore I could have PC's up and running pretty quick. Do you use the free or paid version of Crashplan? I wasn't sure if the free version supported versioning? And how do you use Crashplan to backup unRaid Home to unRaid Work? Via mapped drives on a windows PC? Of do you have the Linux version install? I was thinking to just use rsync for something like that. Thanks for your info! Shawn I'm using the free version. I believe it still does versioning, just not as often. I built a cheap unraid server and keep it at work. So I'm using the Linux version. It works just like any of the other CrashPlan installs with using the gui, its just point and click. Link to comment
Whaler_99 Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'm using the free version. I believe it still does versioning, just not as often. I built a cheap unraid server and keep it at work. So I'm using the Linux version. It works just like any of the other CrashPlan installs with using the gui, its just point and click. Nice, thanks for the info on that - definately look into this option. I think I remember, Crashplan Pro was more a continous backup while the free version only runs once a day, which is what I have now with WHS, so that be fine. Shawn Link to comment
icon123 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 It works pretty well. The Pro version is the corporate version. The Plus version is the one you pay for that gives you more options and lets you backup to CrashPlan's servers. The free version automatically perform backups once a day. The Plus version can perform continuous backups. They both perform incremental and differential backups, but Plus allows you to change the frequecy and number of versions to keep. You can't change this in the free version, but I wouldn't want/need to, the defaults are fine for me. Link to comment
Longinus Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I've used Acronis True Image in the past, and it worked quite well. But since I just have to backup a single Windows 7 system, I just use the built-in backup now... which is pretty good and works well with unRaid. I set it to make a full disk image once in a while, and periodically backup just user data (which is not a lot, since I keep all of it on my unRaid server). Link to comment
teamhood Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Interesting topic as I was just researching this yesterday and I'm hoping someone can chime in to help with my situation. Goal: 1. Have my 3 PC's at home backup pictures/documents to a linux box I have setup @ my parents. It looks like CrashPlan's Windows GUI is very easy to use and I did test backing up from my Windows machine here to a Win machine at a friends. Now I've been trying to get CrashPlan configured on the Linux box, but I've been having trouble getting this to work and I am far from knowing much about Linux. Has anyone successfully got Win machines backing up to Linux machine? Any other software you would recommend besides CrashPlan? Link to comment
prostuff1 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 There is a thread with instruction for installing crashplan on an unRAID box. Look in the unRAID Wiki or the thread that is in the Applications forum. Link to comment
Loch Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Interesting topic as I was just researching this yesterday and I'm hoping someone can chime in to help with my situation. Goal: 1. Have my 3 PC's at home backup pictures/documents to a linux box I have setup @ my parents. It looks like CrashPlan's Windows GUI is very easy to use and I did test backing up from my Windows machine here to a Win machine at a friends. Now I've been trying to get CrashPlan configured on the Linux box, but I've been having trouble getting this to work and I am far from knowing much about Linux. Has anyone successfully got Win machines backing up to Linux machine? Any other software you would recommend besides CrashPlan? I have no problem backing up 1 local Win box and 1 remote Win box to unRaid via Crashplan. I even have unRaid backing up off-site to a friend's unRaid. That is a little more tedious since to my knowledge you can not back-up a Crashplan back-up directory, but it is mainly for irreplaceable family pics/movies and such. If you follow the guide previously mentioned, it's fairly straight forward. Heck, if you install it to the cache drive (if you have one), you don't even have to worry about the untar'ing part. Link to comment
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