NAS to NAS replication

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toufic
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NAS to NAS replication

Post by toufic »

Hi,
i have two QNAP units, i use the second one to replicate the first one using "NAS to NAS replication" built-in function,
both QNAPS are TS-EC880 Pro, i was running an older version of firmware 4.1xxxxx that had this capability.

after i upgraded to version number 4.5.4.2280 i found out that the NAS to NAS option is omitted from that version of firmware, and i didn't backup my older version.
can someone please let me know where to find older versions of firmware, or at least how can i replicate my NAS to another NAS using 4.5.4.2280


Thank you in advance for your thoughts
P3R
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by P3R »

You don't upgrade the firmware that often. :wink:

The Hybrid Backup Sync 3 app replaced Backup Station as the Qnap backup solution long ago. If you don't have HBS3 installed already, look for it in the App Center of your unit.
RAID have never ever been a replacement for backups. Without backups on a different system (preferably placed at another site), you will eventually lose data!

A non-RAID configuration (including RAID 0, which isn't really RAID) with a backup on a separate media protects your data far better than any RAID-volume without backup.

All data storage consists of both the primary storage and the backups. It's your money and your data, spend the storage budget wisely or pay with your data!
toufic
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by toufic »

Thank you very much P3R, much appreciated.
yes, it has been a long time since my last upgrade.

I just checked and the HBS 3 was installed on my QNAP but I didn't see it. i also found all my previous backup configurations.

Much appreciated.
Toufic
P3R
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by P3R »

You're welcome!

Yes the jobs should be automatically migrated. I actually deliberatly ommited that information to not disappoint you in case it wouldn't work when you did such a mega jump in versions. I hoped that it would come as a nice surprise and I'm happy that it worked as it should. :D
RAID have never ever been a replacement for backups. Without backups on a different system (preferably placed at another site), you will eventually lose data!

A non-RAID configuration (including RAID 0, which isn't really RAID) with a backup on a separate media protects your data far better than any RAID-volume without backup.

All data storage consists of both the primary storage and the backups. It's your money and your data, spend the storage budget wisely or pay with your data!
FSC830
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by FSC830 »

And just as an information: if you de-install HBS3, the "old" backup station appears again.
At least, up to some QTS versions. But jobs created with HBS are not backwards compatible.

Regards
P3R
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by P3R »

FSC830 wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 5:06 am And just as an information: if you de-install HBS3, the "old" backup station appears again.
At least, up to some QTS versions.
You're right but the last version where that worked was 4.5.1 so Backup Station have been dead well over two years now, except on legacy systems stuck on old firmware versions. But I see no reason to mourn Backup Station as HBS is better.

HBS3 backup versioning (I use it without QuDedup) between Qnaps is a truly wonderful feature. Yes backup versioning was possible in Backup Station as well but then only as a beta add-on. Backup versioning in HBS3 works also with old legacy Qnap models on older HBS versions as backup destinations so it's a great way reuse old outdated Qnaps. Backup versioning could also be the reason you need to get that new Qnap model that you want but couldn't really justify...
RAID have never ever been a replacement for backups. Without backups on a different system (preferably placed at another site), you will eventually lose data!

A non-RAID configuration (including RAID 0, which isn't really RAID) with a backup on a separate media protects your data far better than any RAID-volume without backup.

All data storage consists of both the primary storage and the backups. It's your money and your data, spend the storage budget wisely or pay with your data!
toufic
Starting out
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Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:10 pm

Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by toufic »

Which is better, the backup "NAS to NAS" or the two-way sync? and why.
thank you
P3R
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by P3R »

toufic wrote: Fri Apr 21, 2023 2:39 am Which is better, the backup "NAS to NAS" or the two-way sync? and why.
NAS to NAS is terminology from the old and unsupported Backup Station application and for clarity it's better if we stop using that unless we specifically talk about the legacy Backup Station.

So are you talking about Hybrid Backup Sync version 3 or something else?

Your question is about two very different type of jobs and which is better depend on the objective so tell us what it is that you want to do and what equipment your're using (on both sides)...
RAID have never ever been a replacement for backups. Without backups on a different system (preferably placed at another site), you will eventually lose data!

A non-RAID configuration (including RAID 0, which isn't really RAID) with a backup on a separate media protects your data far better than any RAID-volume without backup.

All data storage consists of both the primary storage and the backups. It's your money and your data, spend the storage budget wisely or pay with your data!
toufic
Starting out
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:10 pm

Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by toufic »

Thank you for clarifying

i have two TS-EC880 Pro, both configured as RAID6 and I have them at two different sites.

we are at the present time, saving data on one of QNAP, and backing up daily to the second QNAP using the Hybrid Backup Sync version 3.

I am wondering if the way that I am doing now is better, or if it is better to let the people save each one on his site and configure the two-way synchronization.

thank you
P3R
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by P3R »

@toufic,
  • If the main objective with having two servers is to have a backup copy, a backup job is superior.
  • If the main objective with having two servers is a redundant work environment, a two-way sync is probably better.
That said, if performance is acceptable for the users on the remote site what you do now is in my opinion a great solution as that could probably (with a bit of administration) give you both a decently redundant work environment and an excellent backup. So depending on what you need most in a s**t-hit-the-fan-situation, it could probably be used as either.

If you don't do versioned backups yet, that is something to investigate as a possible huge improvement for your backup usefullness.
RAID have never ever been a replacement for backups. Without backups on a different system (preferably placed at another site), you will eventually lose data!

A non-RAID configuration (including RAID 0, which isn't really RAID) with a backup on a separate media protects your data far better than any RAID-volume without backup.

All data storage consists of both the primary storage and the backups. It's your money and your data, spend the storage budget wisely or pay with your data!
dosborne
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by dosborne »

Keep in mind that "sync" is not a "backup". If a file gets corrupted or deleted, it syncs and is gone from both.
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P3R
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Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by P3R »

dosborne wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 10:29 am Keep in mind that "sync" is not a "backup". If a file gets corrupted or deleted, it syncs and is gone from both.
Yes it's a sad trend that many nowadays think constant syncing is a great backup tool but in HBS3 there are no continuously ongoing syncs.

So if backup copy protection is the objective, there's in that regard no difference between a Sync job and a non-versioned Backup job in HBS3. Hence my recommendation to look into versions to hugely improve the usefulness and protection of the backup.
RAID have never ever been a replacement for backups. Without backups on a different system (preferably placed at another site), you will eventually lose data!

A non-RAID configuration (including RAID 0, which isn't really RAID) with a backup on a separate media protects your data far better than any RAID-volume without backup.

All data storage consists of both the primary storage and the backups. It's your money and your data, spend the storage budget wisely or pay with your data!
toufic
Starting out
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:10 pm

Re: NAS to NAS replication

Post by toufic »

Thank you very much guys for all the info, you explained it well. i will take the info to our team, and we'll decide what's best.
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