Window 8 or 10 backing up to unRAID server (anyone doing it?)

[stuckless]

Now that several people here have unRAID setups, I was wondering if any of you backup your windows Desktop to the unRAID server? I'm not a Windows person, but I have friend that is using Windows and I've recently set him up with a unRAID server and he's looking to backup his desktop onto the unRAID server. I'm curing if there's something built into windows and if there are guides on how to configure it to backup to network share, etc.

[reggie14]

I use Acronis Backup and Recovery 11.5 to perform nightly backups under a Grandfather-Father-Son scheme (i.e., full backups every month, differential backups every week, and incremental backups every night). Acronis attempts to automatically delete backups after they get past a certain age, but it isn't entirely reliable. Initially it was really bad when I let backup files get arbitrarily large, since deleting is really slow on large files under ReiserFS. I configured Acronis to split backup files into 20GB chunks which helped, but I still run into problems occasionally. Maybe the newer filesystems won't have these problems, but I imagine the problems are partially on Acronis' support for SMB.

At the time I went with Backup and Recovery, TrueImage didn't have great support for scheduled backups with automatic clean-up. That's changed with the newer versions, so if I were buying something today I'd probably take a closer look at TrueImage.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by reggie14

I use Acronis Backup and Recovery 11.5 to perform nightly backups under a Grandfather-Father-Son scheme (i.e., full backups every month, differential backups every week, and incremental backups every night). Acronis attempts to automatically delete backups after they get past a certain age, but it isn't entirely reliable. Initially it was really bad when I let backup files get arbitrarily large, since deleting is really slow on large files under ReiserFS. I configured Acronis to split backup files into 20GB chunks which helped, but I still run into problems occasionally. Maybe the newer filesystems won't have these problems, but I imagine the problems are partially on Acronis' support for SMB.

At the time I went with Backup and Recovery, TrueImage didn't have great support for scheduled backups with automatic clean-up. That's changed with the newer versions, so if I were buying something today I'd probably take a closer look at TrueImage.

Backup is one of those things that takes advantage of block (local or iSCSI drive) vs file level (SMB, NFS, etc.) devices. In fact, you get into doing MS SQL Server database backups and you absolutely cannot do incremental backups to a file share. It has to be a block device of some kind.

That being said. I've not started doing backups to unRAID yet. It is in my plan. Just trying to get SageTV moved over for now. But I'm not going to do full OS backups. I'll only backup what's necessary. As painful as it can be to have to reinstall an OS and all the software that was installed that's a lot of redundant stuff between computers. IMHO, it's more practical to backup documents, photos, and anything else important. Those are the things that really matter.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Backup is one of those things that takes advantage of block (local or iSCSI drive) vs file level (SMB, NFS, etc.) devices. In fact, you get into doing MS SQL Server database backups and you absolutely cannot do incremental backups to a file share. It has to be a block device of some kind.

Are you sure? It's not clear to me why it would matter where you're storing the backup. It seems like you ought to be able to perform a block-based backup with VSS and store it on a file share. That's what I do, but I admittedly don't have anything that probably break if I wasn't using VSS.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by reggie14

Are you sure? It's not clear to me why it would matter where you're storing the backup. It seems like you ought to be able to perform a block-based backup with VSS and store it on a file share. That's what I do, but I admittedly don't have anything that probably break if I wasn't using VSS.

It's the way the files are accessed. My understanding is that under a file level device such as an SMB share access to the files is not as granular.

I don't know the technical limitations of doing random access in a file across SMB/CIFS.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

It's the way the files are accessed. My understanding is that under a file level device such as an SMB share access to the files is not as granular.

I don't know the technical limitations of doing random access in a file across SMB/CIFS.

Again, are you sure this applies to where you're sending the backup? Or just how you're reading the data? I agree you can't use VSS across SMB, so database backups aren't going to work. But I really think you can store those backups to a network location. At least, I'm pretty sure you can with Acronis' products.

[panteragstk]

I use the crashplan docker with unRAID and set up crashplan on all my PCs. Simple and it works very well and is free.

If you want to pay you can also store backups in their cloud.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Now that several people here have unRAID setups, I was wondering if any of you backup your windows Desktop to the unRAID server? I'm not a Windows person, but I have friend that is using Windows and I've recently set him up with a unRAID server and he's looking to backup his desktop onto the unRAID server. I'm curing if there's something built into windows and if there are guides on how to configure it to backup to network share, etc.

Crashplan.

There's a unRAID docker container, and Windows versions. You can configure the Windows machine to backup to the unRAID server for free, online/cloud backup is a bonus if you want to pay for it.

That will work great for files/documents etc. If you want to make an image, Macrium Reflect is free and will make images easily.

IMO you really don't need to do regular OS images/backups, not unless you're a power user, or maybe someone who really breaks things regularly.


I'll just add, my "favorite" use case for unRAID and the backup topic is I put all my important stuff on my unRAID server, like my photos. That way they're accessible from any machine on my network, and then I have the Crashplan docker setup to backup those "important" folders to the cloud. It means all my important stuff is accessible at the same location from all my computers, in redundant storage (local) and backed up off site.

[stuckless]

I'm pretty sure this guy is not all that technical and likely just wants to backup his home directory to an unRAID share. He mentioned that he was using a program built into window and that before he was just backing up to a usb drive, but now wanted to backup to unRAID instead.

He's in a different city, so I can't just go over to his house, easily, and help him out. I also don't want to support it

Crashplan sounds good, but it's something that I'd have to setup for him (and I don't want to), but I'll likely check it out for myself

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Crashplan.
IMO you really don't need to do regular OS images/backups, not unless you're a power user, or maybe someone who really breaks things regularly.

Probably true. I do it, but it's definitely overkill. It at least came in handy a couple times when my old Sage server had a tendency to corrupt my wiz.bin, but the only times I've had to use it on my workstation was when I upgraded my SSD and when I had some failed Win10 upgrade attempts.

[KarylFStein]

There is Windows Backup and Restore. I don't use it, but checking on a couple Win10 systems (Pro and Home) it allows you to save to a network share.

I used to use Acronis and it worked well *depending on the version*. I only use it for "Try & Decide" now which lets me install some software or make changes and revert if I don't like things.

These days I store things on central storage and back that up to the cloud, (using my own certificate which is backed up elsewhere--I'm not a big fan of the cloud). That way things can be accessed from any device in the house and I only have to buy an "individual" (one computer) plan with a service.

Linux is backed up with duplicity to the central server, Windows images are on WHS2011, (just for quick recovery in case of a HDD/SDD failure--not backed up to the cloud), Android uses Titanium Backup (rooted devices only I think) and Folder Sync to store on the central server.

[graywolf]

Worst case if the software he is using won't do UNC, could always map the UNC to a drive letter and backup to that "drive"

[alfi33]

+1 for Crashplan on unRAID. The Docker makes it very easy.

[NetworkGuy]

I use AOMEI for the system drive and SyncBack Free for the data drives. They are scheduled to run in the middle of the night and backup to a local NAS.

[something fishy]

True image works for me backing up my Windows 10 desktop to an unraid server and my Win 7 SageTV server.

I've used the backup to switch system drives in my desktop and my Sage box a couple of times without incident and recover Wiz.bin files and a failed Sage 9 install (I know not why it failed).

I've never really tried the inbuilt Windows backup software but I do know it's slower than Acronis.

I'm now trying Acronis for OSX also onto the unraid box (and it's much faster in the backup than sync based solutions).

Eric

[patja]

I used to believe in image-based backups with Windows Home Server, but with the improved OS recovery options and system checkpoints I feel my need for backup is just my data/files, not the OS or applications.

I just point Windows 10 file history at my networked ZFS RAIDZ2 file share to do file history snapshots of documents, media, source code, etc. from all of our PCs.

[stanger89]

So resurrecting this a bit. I've been using Crashplan (both computer to computer and cloud) for backing up my computers, but now that Crashplan is eliminating their home service (and specifically the family plan that allowed 10 computers). I'm looking into options.

Right now I'm leaning toward just migrating to Crashplan Small Business for my unRAID server. That would actually be cheaper than my current Family Plan, and would be a painless transition, but would only cover one machine.

So the other (windows) machines are really what I'm interested in.

Originally Posted by patja

I just point Windows 10 file history at my networked ZFS RAIDZ2 file share to do file history snapshots of documents, media, source code, etc. from all of our PCs.

I only just started looking, but how did you do this? I'm not seeing an obvious way to point file history to a network drive.

Nevermind, that was easy, "Show all network locations"

[Fuzzy]

I also use crashplan here. But really it's just for my user folders on my desktops, and some select other shares on the unRAID server. The multiple destinations system of crashplan is great. I have a large harddrive on my main desktop that is a destination, as well as a share on the unRAID that is one, and use the Cloud. I am likely going to setup my brother and parents to backup to my unRAID tower as well, and I think store a harddrive at my parents house on their computer to work as a destination for my stuff as well. The 'friend' backup is great.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

I am likely going to setup my brother and parents to backup to my unRAID tower as well, and I think store a harddrive at my parents house on their computer to work as a destination for my stuff as well. The 'friend' backup is great.

You're not going to be able to do that anymore:
https://www.crashplan.com/en-us/consumer/nextsteps/
https://support.crashplan.com/Subscr...Small_Business

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You're not going to be able to do that anymore:
https://www.crashplan.com/en-us/consumer/nextsteps/
https://support.crashplan.com/Subscr...Small_Business

Yeah, I need to look into that. It still supports backing up to a 'folder', typically an external drive. I wouldn't be surprised if there were methods of mapping or mounting a folder such as this and continuing to back up over a network to another computer. Still, and especailly since I don't really NEED cloud backup, I'd like to find a similar backup software that works across multiple platforms (especially one as nice as the crashplan docker) to move to - but I honestly haven't looked deeply into it yet - mainly because I've still got a bit of time (like 8 more months) on my current crashplan for home subscription.