How many of you have a primary data server and a backup data server?

[NewNASguy]

Hello all,

 

I recently built my first Unraid NAS using a bunch of old PC bits I had lying around. I'm still on the trial as an indication of how recently. I wanted to do this as it looked like a fun challenge (I'm not a computer guy, but I do have a brain). So far, I'm just using it as a small PLEX server primarily. I should say this is all just for household use. I was using an ancient WD My Cloud but it recently gave up the ghost. Which leads to my subject question.

 

My current trial NAS has only 3TB of storage as those were the drives I had lying around. I'm thinking that when I buy my Unraid license, I might want to buy some new equipment for a primary server and use this old frankenstein system as a backup NAS. This is my thinking: Primary system - larger new drives. (I'm not talking a 12+ drive system. I'm thinking a case that can handle 4 or 5 3.5" HDD and using 10-16G drives).  Backup NAS - add drives as needed (from retired computers in the house) to keep up with storage demands. One of the reasons I decided to go with Unraid is the flexibility in adding/changing storage.

 

Once the systems are up and running and reliable, I would use them to back up home PCs/Laptops (about 6 or 7), PLEX duties, and my boys are getting into video editing so perhaps they could use the NAS as needed.

 

I'd appreciate general thoughts on this idea, as well as learning what you're using to back up your NAS. Seeing some of the megasystems on this forum, I have a hard time believing that they built two. Thanks for your input.

[Dutch_Master]

I'm actually working on a High-Availability system with 2 servers and some Net-App 2.5" disk shelves. One of those servers is my old NAS/file server, which started out with 2TB drives and now has 16TB drives in a RAID6. Currently powered off as new hardware is coming. Both servers have 1st gen EPYC systems from Aliexpress parts.

[Godlygamer23]

At this stage, I backup my server using two methods: I back up to a hard drive installed in my PC using SyncBack using the "backup" method primarily so data is only added, and never removed, if I accidentally deleted something from my server, and I periodically back up to Dropbox with my server using various profiles with most of the data uploaded encrypted.

 

My server has the following specs:

Chassis: Fractal Design Define R4

CPU: AMD A8-7600

CPU cooler: Hyper 212 Evo

Motherboard: ASRock FM2A78M Pro3+

RAM: G.SKILL Value Memory 16GB

Storage: Four 4TB WD Red Pros in RAID 5, and a single Seagate Nytro 960GB SSD

Power Supply: Super Flower SF-750F14HG

OS: TrueNAS

 

For the backup drive, I use a 12TB WD Red Plus. The platform is getting a bit long in the tooth for some of the things I want to use, but with the current configuration, it's keeping up.

[manikyath]

i have two servers, the old's supposed to be my backup, but i havent gotten around to migrating yet...

[Electronics Wizardy]

I got a colocated server that I backup the important data too offsite. Basically rent rack space in a datacenter, and ship them whatever hardware you want to use. 

 

I got piles of HDDs, so I typically fill up a old server with 1/2 TB drives and sync all the files every once in a while.

[voyager_]

I run two unraid servers, my main storage also runs my plex, home assistant, downloads vm, etc. the second has a vm for blue iris and backups my main server. It does a twice weekly sync and doesn't remove files it just brings the new ones over. If I make a bunch of changes I run a separate manual sync that mirrors the two again.

[m9x3mos]

On 2/4/2024 at 3:32 PM, NewNASguy said:

Hello all,

 

I recently built my first Unraid NAS using a bunch of old PC bits I had lying around. I'm still on the trial as an indication of how recently. I wanted to do this as it looked like a fun challenge (I'm not a computer guy, but I do have a brain). So far, I'm just using it as a small PLEX server primarily. I should say this is all just for household use. I was using an ancient WD My Cloud but it recently gave up the ghost. Which leads to my subject question.

 

My current trial NAS has only 3TB of storage as those were the drives I had lying around. I'm thinking that when I buy my Unraid license, I might want to buy some new equipment for a primary server and use this old frankenstein system as a backup NAS. This is my thinking: Primary system - larger new drives. (I'm not talking a 12+ drive system. I'm thinking a case that can handle 4 or 5 3.5" HDD and using 10-16G drives).  Backup NAS - add drives as needed (from retired computers in the house) to keep up with storage demands. One of the reasons I decided to go with Unraid is the flexibility in adding/changing storage.

 

Once the systems are up and running and reliable, I would use them to back up home PCs/Laptops (about 6 or 7), PLEX duties, and my boys are getting into video editing so perhaps they could use the NAS as needed.

 

I'd appreciate general thoughts on this idea, as well as learning what you're using to back up your NAS. Seeing some of the megasystems on this forum, I have a hard time believing that they built two. Thanks for your input.

I am doing this now. I have one main truenas system that runs 2 vms and is iscsi storage target for a vm server. 

Then I have a mini pc running windows that has a truenas vm and passing in the drives from a 5 disk usb enclosure that gets nightly syncs from the main machine. 

I know a lot of people in the truenas community hate the usb connection but it has been running well for about 2 years now. 

Thinking of doing a write up on how to make the mini pc setup as it is a cheaper way to make a NAS if you are tight on budget. 

[Display Name is REQUIRED]

I have a basic home NAS running Debian with 2 x 8tb drives mirrored using zfs.

 

Did not take long to set up, just followed some guides. But I really should figure out a backup solution.

[Bdavis]

I have two houses across the street from each other (rental property)I have a ubiquiti gigabit point to point between them and sync two trueNAS servers nightly.

[elfensky]

I don't (yet). 
 

I'm saving up to get an RS1221.
Once it is set up, my current DS415+ will go to my grandma's house to act as an offsite backup. 

[Jarsky]

If youre working with 3TB disks and looking at 4-5 disks giving a total of 12-15TB, then I wouldnt bother with a 'Backup NAS'. Its just an unnecessary amount of hardware; Id just use an external drive to copy a backup of your NAS too. Most likely less than half of that is actually critical data so could possibly get away with even an 8TB WD MyBook etc... 

[m9x3mos]

8 hours ago, Jarsky said:

If youre working with 3TB disks and looking at 4-5 disks giving a total of 12-15TB, then I wouldnt bother with a 'Backup NAS'. Its just an unnecessary amount of hardware; Id just use an external drive to copy a backup of your NAS too. Most likely less than half of that is actually critical data so could possibly get away with even an 8TB WD MyBook etc... 

I mainly did it that if the main one goes down all I need to do is switch the iscsi connections for my vms and be back up and running right away (albeit with slower performance) without taking the time to fix the primary and very to it when I can. 

I use mine for work data and losing 1 day of data while it is out isn't a concern. 

[m9x3mos]

8 hours ago, Jarsky said:

If youre working with 3TB disks and looking at 4-5 disks giving a total of 12-15TB, then I wouldnt bother with a 'Backup NAS'. Its just an unnecessary amount of hardware; Id just use an external drive to copy a backup of your NAS too. Most likely less than half of that is actually critical data so could possibly get away with even an 8TB WD MyBook etc... 

I should also clarify that my truenas in a vm on windows hasn't really had issues in over 4 years it's been running. 

[Jarsky]

14 hours ago, m9x3mos said:

switch the iscsi connections for my vms

Well that's a key point that was left out, using it for iSCSi targets. In that case if its mission critical that you're back up straight away then yeah that might be a good idea. Personally I just have spare parts (I have spare motherboards, CPU's, memory, PSU's, HDD's) in case of a failure. I do backup critical data to cloud, but otherwise I just maintain a single NAS. 

[m9x3mos]

50 minutes ago, Jarsky said:

Well that's a key point that was left out, using it for iSCSi targets. In that case if its mission critical that you're back up straight away then yeah that might be a good idea. Personally I just have spare parts (I have spare motherboards, CPU's, memory, PSU's, HDD's) in case of a failure. I do backup critical data to cloud, but otherwise I just maintain a single NAS. 

Yeah. I have a pretty unique use case. The only reason I didn't go the spare parts way is if it goes down while I'm working I don't want to take that time and troubleshoot the issue right then but delay it till later. 

The spares that I have would be a full platform change and that would take some time. 

[NewNASguy]

On 2/6/2024 at 11:48 AM, Jarsky said:

If youre working with 3TB disks and looking at 4-5 disks giving a total of 12-15TB, then I wouldnt bother with a 'Backup NAS'. Its just an unnecessary amount of hardware; Id just use an external drive to copy a backup of your NAS too. Most likely less than half of that is actually critical data so could possibly get away with even an 8TB WD MyBook etc... 

You made some incorrect assumptions. My post said 4-5 drives of 10-16Gb... That said, not all of the data is critical, but I don't want to spend time ripping discs which have already been ripped. I also asked what you use as your backup solution. I'm trying to get a handle on what a reasonable backup strategy would be with a NAS as described. Thanks