Unraid backup to Unraid

[CaptainTivo]

I have an Unraid server which has evolved over the years (inaugurated in 2012!).  The data is really in two categories:  media (DVD/Bluray rips) and personal (family video/photos).  Of course, the media rips can be recovered from the originals disks (but very painfully) but the personal data cannot so I started backing up the personal data onto a dedicated disk within the Unraid array.  I figured if a disk died and it had important data on it, I would still have a duplicated "backup" on the server.  I know, this is not a true backup.  Currently, I have about 13 TB of media and 10 TB of "important" data on the array.  Most of the disks on the array are 2,3 and 4 TB disks, the oldest from 2014.  Anyway, I thought I would add some of the newer 8 and 10 TB drives and retire the old disks.  But then, I thought: why not use the old disks as a static backup for the media files.  Just put them in boxes in case of failure of the online disks.  Of course, I would still have the problem of doing timely backups of both the media and personal data.  Then, I thought, why not just build a second Unraid server, starting with the old disks and backup all the data on the "online" server to that one.  In other words: have two servers.  One (the "hot" server) would be the everyday workhorse, getting new data and serving movies, etc and the other ("reserve or backup" server) to get a copy of any new data.  100% duplicated data!

 

I know that some people on this forum have implemented this strategy, the question is: how?  I mean, what software do you use to backup data in real time from one Unraid server to another?  I have heard about duplicity, duplicati and some other terms but are they really 100% reliable?  Anyway, I would like to hear any success stories for this strategy.  Thanks.

 

[Hoopster]

5 hours ago, CaptainTivo said:

I know that some people on this forum have implemented this strategy, the question is: how?  I mean, what software do you use to backup data in real time from one Unraid server to another?  I have heard about duplicity, duplicati and some other terms but are they really 100% reliable?  Anyway, I would like to hear any success stories for this strategy.  Thanks.

 

I did exactly what you want to do (repurposed "old" server parts into a backup server).  

 

See this thread for the process I and others have used with automated rsync scripts.  My backup server even has the advantage of having IPMI so the script not only does the backup, it powers the server on before the backup and powers it off when the backup completes. 

 

There are certainly other options such as with the docker containers you mentioned, however rsync scripting provides a lot of control over the backups.  Some find this very daunting and you can get very lost in the weeds in the first couple of pages of the linked thread, but if you can get your head around it, it s a very effective solution.  I have been running these scripts for two years without a hiccup.  When it works, you set it and forget it.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Hoopster

[FreeMan]

Saw the post title, came here to say what Hoopster said. Leaving satisfied.

 

Other than some issues with my backup server (totally unrelated to the backup process itself) I'm quite satisfied with the rsync process.

[CaptainTivo]

22 hours ago, Hoopster said:

I did exactly what you want to do (repurposed "old" server parts into a backup server).  

 

See this thread for the process I and others have used with automated rsync scripts.  My backup server even has the advantage of having IPMI so the script not only does the backup, it powers the server on before the backup and powers it off when the backup completes. 

 

There are certainly other options such as with the docker containers you mentioned, however rsync scripting provides a lot of control over the backups.  Some find this very daunting and you can get very lost in the weeds in the first couple of pages of the linked thread, but if you can get your head around it, it s a very effective solution.  I have been running these scripts for two years without a hiccup.  When it works, you set it and forget it.

Thanks.  I will check that out.  Don't need encrypted link since they will be side by side, so I will probably not do that.

Now I have to spec a new machine so I will have a look in the hardware forum.

[Hoopster]

1 minute ago, CaptainTivo said:

Thanks.  I will check that out.  Don't need encrypted link since they will be side by side, so I will probably not do that.

Now I have to spec a new machine so I will have a look in the hardware forum.

My backup server is also currently on the same LAN.  I did not do this for the encryption, but the SSH piece also allows the backup to take place unattended and completely automated by not stopping at the server password prompt.  The server login credentials are contained in the SSH keys.  It does also give you the advantage of being able to do the backup securely over the Internet should you ever decide to move your backup server offsite (I keep threatening to do that).

 

The only way to avoid the SSH piece is to have no password on your backup server or to run the script manually and enter the backup server password when prompted.