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

[stuckless]

I ended up using Duplicati (there's an unRAID docker app for it as well).

[KarylFStein]

I'm glad I didn't start migrating to Crashplan. But if I move to unRAID that causes a wrinkle because my Carbonite plan is Windows only...

[wayner]

I am still looking for a way to replace the Windows client backups that WHS allowed you to do. These backups allow for bare metal restores and they have saved my bacon several times through the years.

I have an unRAID server that is my primary SageTV server and my file server. It also runs a bunch of other server functions like the controller for my Unifi networking, etc. But the one thing I haven't found is a good way to do automated backups of all of the Windows client on my LANs. I tried installing WHS in a VM on the unRAID server and had some issues that I was not able to resolve - that is still an option also.

Windows Backup and Restore may also be an option but I am not sure that it fully replicates the functionality of WHS, including backing up every night without requiring reboots.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by stuckless

I ended up using Duplicati (there's an unRAID docker app for it as well).

Can Duplicati create backups of client machines that use unRAID storage rather than online storage?

[KarylFStein]

Originally Posted by wayner

Windows Backup and Restore may also be an option but I am not sure that it fully replicates the functionality of WHS, including backing up every night without requiring reboots.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Acronis True Image Home (not free) is what I used before WHS. There is a free tool in this or another backup thread that I was going to try. I like WHS, but think it's time to retire it.

[jusjoken]

I use Veeam End Point Free which is now called Veeam Agent for Windows.

No issues with it and numerous successful restores.

It is NOT centrally managed...ie: each end point needs configuring manually but it is rather simple.

k

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Can Duplicati create backups of client machines that use unRAID storage rather than online storage?

Duplicati will backup to local directory, or use ftp, or use cloud storage. But, it's not a agent backup service. ie, I don't think you can install an agent on windows and then use unRAID/Duplicati to back it up. It's more about backing up local content to another location. For me, the only thing that I'm backing up is the unRAID boot usb drive (to google drive), so if I lose the usb drive, I have a backup of the configuration.

All in all, I used it because it's pretty simple.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by KarylFStein

Acronis True Image Home (not free) is what I used before WHS. There is a free tool in this or another backup thread that I was going to try. I like WHS, but think it's time to retire it.

But I think licensing is on a per machine basis, although you can buy 5 packs. So if you have a bunch of machines to backup it may not be cheap.

I have to play around with the Windows System Image functionality - this may be built into Windows now and hopefully you can backup to a system volume - like an unRAID SMB disk.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by stuckless

For me, the only thing that I'm backing up is the unRAID boot usb drive (to google drive), so if I lose the usb drive, I have a backup of the configuration.

Do you not also back up your appdata volumes so that you have all of the Sage properties, wiz.bin, etc backed up. Or do you use a different method for that?

[NetworkGuy]

Originally Posted by KarylFStein

Acronis True Image Home (not free) is what I used before WHS. There is a free tool in this or another backup thread that I was going to try. I like WHS, but think it's time to retire it.

I am also using Acronis True Image for the system drives and SyncBackFree to mirror the data drives to my NAS.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by wayner

I tried installing WHS in a VM on the unRAID server and had some issues that I was not able to resolve - that is still an option also.

What kind of issues? I use WHSv1 in an unRAID VM. I'm passing through the intel 4 port MB controller on my ASRock - EP2C602-4L/D16 to my WHSv1 VM and use a qcow2 image on my cache drive for the C: & D: drives. I have the VM set to "pc-i440fx-2.3" I have the VNC video set to "vmvga" but I believe it worked with "cirrus" as well. BIOS is set to Seabios. 3GB memory. 4 cores.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by wayner

Do you not also back up your appdata volumes so that you have all of the Sage properties, wiz.bin, etc backed up. Or do you use a different method for that?

Those are data protected... but not backed up. I guess I'm a little less concerned if I somehow accidentally lose them. I probably shoot back them up, but I don't currently. I was more concerned about the unRAID configurations on the usb stick, since, without that, it would be hard to recreate the array if something happened to the usb drive.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Those are data protected... but not backed up. I guess I'm a little less concerned if I somehow accidentally lose them. I probably shoot back them up, but I don't currently. I was more concerned about the unRAID configurations on the usb stick, since, without that, it would be hard to recreate the array if something happened to the usb drive.

Actually, since it's just a normal filesystem on all the drives, recreating the array is actually easier than recreating all your apps/appdata area. You just need to tell unRAID which drives were your data drives (which you can tell because they all have normal filesystems) and it can remake the config:
https://wiki.lime-technology.com/ind..._Unnecessarily

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

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.

I'm thinking I will likely upgrade my CrashPlan Home account to the Small Business one - the 75% discount for the first year (after my current Home subscription is done) is pretty nice, making it $2.50/month for a year, then $10/month thereafter, is pretty good for unlimited. I will do this for just my unRAID server, backing up a number of 'key' items, one of which being a backup share from all my other computers, which will each use something like CloudBerry to backup to the unRAID backup share. This will provide local backup for all the desktops, with that information ALSO being put up to the cloud.

[Taddeusz]

I've not been paying for CrashPlan. I've just been using the software for the free home service to backup to my local unRAID server. I'm not keen on starting to pay for something.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Actually, since it's just a normal filesystem on all the drives, recreating the array is actually easier than recreating all your apps/appdata area. You just need to tell unRAID which drives were your data drives (which you can tell because they all have normal filesystems) and it can remake the config:
https://wiki.lime-technology.com/ind..._Unnecessarily

I agree, that unraid can, in most cases figure this out. I've also seen a number of I accidentally reconfigured my array and unRAID wiped my data... can I get it back. The usb drive is next to nothing in size, so backing it up, is a no brainer. If I every have to rebuild it... I'd feel better if I had the original config to take out the guesswork.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

I've not been paying for CrashPlan. I've just been using the software for the free home service to backup to my local unRAID server. I'm not keen on starting to pay for something.

If that's all you are using it for, than I believe CloudBerry can continue to do this for you. Backing up to a 'local folder' (which can actually be a network folder) is free.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

If that's all you are using it for, than I believe CloudBerry can continue to do this for you. Backing up to a 'local folder' (which can actually be a network folder) is free.

I'm trying out Duplicati. I've also decided to upgrade my OneDrive account so that some of my stuff like my Lightroom photos can be backed up remotely.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by stuckless

I agree, that unraid can, in most cases figure this out. I've also seen a number of I accidentally reconfigured my array and unRAID wiped my data... can I get it back. The usb drive is next to nothing in size, so backing it up, is a no brainer. If I every have to rebuild it... I'd feel better if I had the original config to take out the guesswork.

I'm definitely not advocating not backing the unraid flash/config up. Just between the two, reinstalling/configuring your apps seems like a much bigger pain.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I'm definitely not advocating not backing the unraid flash/config up. Just between the two, reinstalling/configuring your apps seems like a much bigger pain.

I agree... but I've lost my sagetv environment so many times (which is why I moved to unRAID -- fault tolerance), that recreating it scratch is pretty easy for me (I'm not much of media hoarder).