Next step for backup strategy

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Vank4321
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Next step for backup strategy

Post by Vank4321 »

I am not a newbie but not experienced either. My question is, what should my next step be to improve my backup strategy?

I have a T5451: 10TB, 7TB, 7TB, 4TB = 14.5TB total with 4.9TB free. 1 Storage Pool and 1 (thick) Data Vol. Primary use is Plex. Most of the space is movies, audio books, music, family photos, etc. We add new movies, audio books and pics regularly so I will need to expand the store at some point. (Would be great getting an SSD to speed up the cache but I figure improving our backup strategy is the priority.)

I have a WD Elements 12TB external. Every 60 days or so I plug it into a desktop and use FreeFileSync app to copy all files from QNAP over and then store it at offsite location. I currently have no onsite back up. I have an 8TB WD EX2 which is doing nothing and a couple 1TB external HDDs laying around.

I need a 3-2-1 strategy. I think next step should be buy another 12TB Elements, hook directly to QNAP and use snapshot to backup once a week. Is that correct? Is snapshot the tool or is there an incremental solution that would be better? The 4TB drive in bay 4 is currently not being used at all. Should I create a Vol2 with that and use that somehow or is it just dead space?

I see all the stuff about ransomware and don't know enough to protect against it so I figure best thing I can do is make sure I have a working back up.

Appreciate any advice...
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Moogle Stiltzkin
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Re: Next step for backup strategy

Post by Moogle Stiltzkin »

huh? why are your storage capacity drives different?

they're all in the same pool? what are you doing, jbod span? i strongly don't recommend doing that. with what you have you probly should do single hdds but that is a bit troublesome to manage.

which is why i recommend get all same capacity hard drives for 4 hdds then do raid5 so you can then have a SINGLE pool for those hdd aggregates.

Then your backup can we like another nas, or something like wd elements.


anyway looking at your config, i feel you need to fix your setup for how you are combining those hard drives into a single pool, that's the first thing.

connecting an external usb storage like wd elements to qnap, you can setup Hybrid backup sync to create a backup job your your NAS to that external storage. You either setup a manual backup (you have to manually start the backup each time), or set it on automated on a schedule of your choice.

Another possible improvement which i consider as totally optional, is a remote backup. a remote backup can either be a NAS at another location offsite, to which you can connect to it via vpn then backup to there. Or, you can do a subscription service to cloud backup like backblaze or other. Or you can backup to some sort of device then move that type of device (lto tapes, or external hdd storage) offsite.

Most people the very minimum they do an external usb storage or nas on local lan since thats the easiest and fastest way to backup.


all my backups i just use the default HBS qnap native app, and that works fine for me.
I see all the stuff about ransomware and don't know enough to protect against it so I figure best thing I can do is make sure I have a working back up.
don't expose your nas online; update your nas, your router, your pc client and other connected devices on the same network; and have backups and you should be fine. i use a few qnaps and none got hit by this 8)
Last edited by Moogle Stiltzkin on Thu Jan 20, 2022 2:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
NAS
[Main Server] QNAP TS-877 (QTS) w. 4tb [ 3x HGST Deskstar NAS & 1x WD RED NAS ] EXT4 Raid5 & 2 x m.2 SATA Samsung 850 Evo raid1 +16gb ddr4 Crucial+ QWA-AC2600 wireless+QXP PCIE
[Backup] QNAP TS-653A (Truenas Core) w. 4x 2TB Samsung F3 (HD203WI) RaidZ1 ZFS + 8gb ddr3 Crucial
[^] QNAP TL-D400S 2x 4TB WD Red Nas (WD40EFRX) 2x 4TB Seagate Ironwolf, Raid5
[^] QNAP TS-509 Pro w. 4x 1TB WD RE3 (WD1002FBYS) EXT4 Raid5
[^] QNAP TS-253D (Truenas Scale)
[Mobile NAS] TBS-453DX w. 2x Crucial MX500 500gb EXT4 raid1

Network
Qotom Pfsense|100mbps FTTH | Win11, Ryzen 5600X Desktop (1x2tb Crucial P50 Plus M.2 SSD, 1x 8tb seagate Ironwolf,1x 4tb HGST Ultrastar 7K4000)


Resources
[Review] Moogle's QNAP experience
[Review] Moogle's TS-877 review
https://www.patreon.com/mooglestiltzkin
Vank4321
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Re: Next step for backup strategy

Post by Vank4321 »

Thanks for the input. I had a bunch of different size drives and didn't want to waste them. 1st three are a Raid5 group which is why total storage space is only 14tb. Figure when time comes, I will replace the two 7tb drives with 10tb drives which will give me 20tb storage.

I did not know about Hybrid Backup Sync. I will buy another 12TB external and connect it directly to NAS for the onsite backup using HBS.

I also need to research how to avoid exposing my NAS online. It's purpose is as a Plex server so it has to be accessible but I will try to find tips on how to tighten up the access.

Thanks again.
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Moogle Stiltzkin
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Re: Next step for backup strategy

Post by Moogle Stiltzkin »

Vank4321 wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 11:53 am I had a bunch of different size drives and didn't want to waste them. 1st three are a Raid5 group which is why total storage space is only 14tb. Figure when time comes, I will replace the two 7tb drives with 10tb drives which will give me 20tb storage.
oo i see. i get it. this is why the capacity sizes are mismatched. as long as you understand that some space is wasted. i think it caps the capacity to the lowest capacity used in that raid5? as long as u know, and you plan to switch out drives eventually to make them all equal in capacity :) usually i plan in advance what capacity size fits into my budget (also including the backup storage space, something people fail to consider. e.g. they buy 8x 10tb drives, but have no plans for buying the backup for that :S )

Vank4321 wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 11:53 am I did not know about Hybrid Backup Sync. I will buy another 12TB external and connect it directly to NAS for the onsite backup using HBS.
hbs isn't the only option, but it's the native qnap app for performing backups and recovies. i've only used this and truenas rsync so far. others might have alternative recommendations beside that.
Vank4321 wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 11:53 am I also need to research how to avoid exposing my NAS online. It's purpose is as a Plex server so it has to be accessible but I will try to find tips on how to tighten up the access.

Thanks again.
fair enuff. to my understanding port forwarding plex should be safe from what i read. but... don't port forward 80 and 8080 used by qts, or any of the native qnap apps. One other possible you could do is, rather than directly port forward the plex default port, instead u port forward a custom port (not commonly used by any specific app), then redirect this port to the plex port. All this does is OBFUSCATE the fact that you are port forwarding plex. scanners that try to scan the plex default port will come up empty, cause the port ur using is non standard that redirects to the default port. It's not full proof but it's something to deter script kiddies that scans ports on the net :S also make sure you regularly update plex, your qnap qts, and router.
NAS
[Main Server] QNAP TS-877 (QTS) w. 4tb [ 3x HGST Deskstar NAS & 1x WD RED NAS ] EXT4 Raid5 & 2 x m.2 SATA Samsung 850 Evo raid1 +16gb ddr4 Crucial+ QWA-AC2600 wireless+QXP PCIE
[Backup] QNAP TS-653A (Truenas Core) w. 4x 2TB Samsung F3 (HD203WI) RaidZ1 ZFS + 8gb ddr3 Crucial
[^] QNAP TL-D400S 2x 4TB WD Red Nas (WD40EFRX) 2x 4TB Seagate Ironwolf, Raid5
[^] QNAP TS-509 Pro w. 4x 1TB WD RE3 (WD1002FBYS) EXT4 Raid5
[^] QNAP TS-253D (Truenas Scale)
[Mobile NAS] TBS-453DX w. 2x Crucial MX500 500gb EXT4 raid1

Network
Qotom Pfsense|100mbps FTTH | Win11, Ryzen 5600X Desktop (1x2tb Crucial P50 Plus M.2 SSD, 1x 8tb seagate Ironwolf,1x 4tb HGST Ultrastar 7K4000)


Resources
[Review] Moogle's QNAP experience
[Review] Moogle's TS-877 review
https://www.patreon.com/mooglestiltzkin
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