Critique my backup structure...

[NAS Newbie]

So I believe this is what I'm looking at for the system I'm working on setting up with my dad. He runs Apple, I run Windows/Android. Does the setup below look reasonable? Are there any other backup/sync applications I should also be looking at?

 

[NAS Newbie]

dangit, the bottom row of drives for my rs1219 should be labelled 5,6,7,8...

 

[Rusty]

Looks right just one thing.

Rs1219 > 220 Hyper backup of Activebackup transfer. Keep in mind that restoring that backup in case you need it might not end well.

You might have problems relinking back. Have you tested this disaster scenario case?

I have tested this in the past and Activebackup doesn’t like HB as it’s method of protection.

True this refers to Active Backup for O365, but my guess is the engine under it is the same.

I have tested HB restore and Snapshot and replication and only Snapshot and replication gave me a 100% successful restore in case my AB setup was compromised.

Even tested it with another nas that took over the whole backup process.

I have detailed steps in this article if you wish to read a bit more:

Active Backup for Microsoft 365 and DR scenarios

How to configure Active Backup for Microsoft/Office 365 and what to do when disaster hits?

www.blackvoid.club

Another thing.

Your dads 918 to rs1219 tasks. Not sure if those 2 tasks are redundant in some way or are they def moving unique content?

One is TM backups and another is a whole volume backup?

 

[NAS Newbie]

Rs1219 > 220 Hyper backup of Activebackup transfer. Keep in mind that restoring that backup in case you need it might not end well.

I have tested HB restore and Snapshot and replication and only Snapshot and replication gave me a 100% successful restore in case my AB setup was compromised.

So I should add Snapshot Replication to the leg that is only backing up Active Backup for Business data. I've read through comparisons between all the backup solutions and kind of get lost in the weeds. Is there a reason I shouldn't just ditch Hyperbackup altogether for my 1219-to-220 backups?

Your dads 918 to rs1219 tasks. Not sure if those 2 tasks are redundant in some way or are they def moving unique content?

One is TM backups and another is a whole volume backup?

Correct. One is backing up TM out of Vol1, while the other is backing up all of Vol2.

Have you heard of any issues using HB to backup TM files similar to the issue with AB backups you mentioned above?

 

[Rusty]

Is there a reason I shouldn't just ditch Hyperbackup altogether for my 1219-to-220 backups?

I see no reason for this, apart for the ActiveBackup. Synology's stand on backing up AB instances is use Snapshot tool. Just saying.

Have you heard of any issues using HB to backup TM files similar to the issue with AB backups you mentioned above?

Can't say I have... haven't looked into backing up my TM. Never saw any point in it, so can't comment on that.

 

[NAS Newbie]

just curious why you don't seen any point to backing up TM offsite? I don't use apple products and so am not familiar with them. Do you send TM to icloud for offsite instead? Just curious if there's a different solution we should be looking at for dad's apple stuff.

 

[Rusty]

just curious why you don't seen any point to backing up TM offsite? I don't use apple products and so am not familiar with them. Do you send TM to icloud for offsite instead? Just curious if there's a different solution we should be looking at for dad's apple stuff.

TM backup covers OS, apps, and data. So all of it. Personally, apps are redownloaded just like the OS if I even need to get it going up again, and the only thing that matters is data. In the case of data, nothing important is on the Mac in my case. Its drive is just a work drive. When the tasks are done (or in the process but not finished) its hosted on a NAS. So bottom line even if my mac explodes tomorrow, I can just pick up where I left go with another mac down the line.

Also, I use Acronis on top of it all for imaging the mac state and that is also saved on the NAS.

Saying all this I do use TM as a service, but I see no need to backup it up considering how I manage the data that needs to be backed up in the 1st place.

In the last 12y I restored from TM 0 times. Never needed and even if I did need it I pulled it off the NAS directly.

 

[NAS Newbie]

Thanks. Dad is used to running TM, and I don't know how it works. I'm hoping to eventually get dad's workflow to be similar to yours, although there are some software databases that need to be stored on the computer in order for the software to run. I'll have to figure out if perhaps I can load those to a drive sync file to be shared with the NAS, and then I can use HB to backup the NAS sync'd folder offsite.

I was just reading your Acronis Mobile blog when you responded. That looks like a good option for mobile devices, but I have to finish reading it and all the comments.

 

[Rusty]

That looks like a good option for mobile devices, but I have to finish reading it and all the comments.

Be sure your model can support it in hosting it. Not all NAS in the plus lineup can, even if they are running Intel CPU (apollo lake for example is not supported)

 

[NAS Newbie]

yes, I noticed that. I believe I saw my new RS1219+ on the list, but I'll double check.

 

[NAS Newbie]

Out of curiousity, I read in the thread below where you can install a VDSM on an Apollo Lake machine like my DS918+ and get Acronis to work in there. Is that still an option? Would it be an option for a GeminiLake machine like my other 220+? Its probably not something I'm ready to tackle yet, but I'm constantly adding things to my to-do list once I get more experienced.

blackvoid - Acronis True Image Mobile - on-premise backup for your mobile device

Today I would like to focus on a nice and elegant solution to backup your mobile device and not pay anything (if you own a compatible Synology NAS that is) that you might pay with any other solutions that you might be using. Just to keep things clear, we will talk about backing up only your...

www.synoforum.com

 

[Rusty]

Out of curiousity, I read in the thread below where you can install a VDSM on an Apollo Lake machine like my DS918+ and get Acronis to work in there. Is that still an option? Would it be an option for a GeminiLake machine like my other 220+? Its probably not something I'm ready to tackle yet, but I'm constantly adding things to my to-do list once I get more experienced.

blackvoid - Acronis True Image Mobile - on-premise backup for your mobile device

Today I would like to focus on a nice and elegant solution to backup your mobile device and not pay anything (if you own a compatible Synology NAS that is) that you might pay with any other solutions that you might be using. Just to keep things clear, we will talk about backing up only your...

www.synoforum.com

Yep, I wrote that just as an option for people that do want to have it running on their nas just “one level below”. Nothing special, it’s running a virtual dsm that is hosting the Acronis platform. The data can still and will live on the nas ofc so not having it on the bare metal level is not too big of an issue imho.

 

[NAS Newbie]

Thanks again. I'm going to try to tackle VPN first and then might look into this again.

 

[NAS Newbie]

Reading through this again, and I'm still not entirely clear about these backup legs. I asked if there was a reason to use Hyperbackup at all, or if all 3 of these legs could be snapshot replication. I understand that I want to use snapshot for the leg that is backing up my laptop activebackups, but is there a reason to be using hyprderbackup at all? It'd be nice to cut one of the apps out if possible. Having to use Acronis, Activebackup, Hyperbackup, and Snapshot Replicate just to get a good backup structure seems kind of nuts I figured there'd a an all-in-one "Synology Backup".

 

[Rusty]

Having to use Acronis, Activebackup, Hyperbackup, and Snapshot Replicate just to get a good backup structure seems kind of nuts I figured there'd a an all-in-one "Synology Backup".

Well if you are looking for one Syno solution you will not find it. All 3 packages are targeted for a specific purpose and need. Also, not all models support all of them (HB is supported on all models only), so with that in mind, there are some "business" backup options as well as home use ones. Again, saying this, this does not mean that HB can cover them all or vice versa.

If you want to remove anything, then remove Acronis. Acronis can be replaced with ABB. HB is your NAS backup tool, and Snapshot is your NAS backup option that offers some scenarios that HB does not, and again, vice versa.

For example, if you want to use Synology C2 cloud backup you have to use HB. But if you want to maintain your ABB backups safe you have to use Snapshot considering that HB does not offer 100% functional restore.

So, in return, for a complex backup setup of all of your desktop devices and your NAS, you will, in the end, use multiple backup tools.

 

[NAS Newbie]

I'm not seeing an android active backup app for backing up my phone? That was the reason for the acronis.

I feel like I'm either not making my question clear or not understanding your answer well. Either way, thanks for the help.

For the 2 legs coming off my rs1219 pointing to the ds220, I currently have SR backing up only my active backup directory in vol 1,while I have HB backing up all of my data in my "working" vol 2. Is there a reason I need HB on the vol 2 leg to th ds220, or could I use SR to replace HB there as well so I only have to worry about one app talking to the ds220?

 

[Rusty]

I'm not seeing an android active backup app for backing up my phone? That was the reason for the acronis.

True. I didn't pay attention to the image again so was not focusing on mobile devices when I read "acronis"

while I have HB backing up all of my data in my "working" vol 2. Is there a reason I need HB on the vol 2 leg to th ds220, or could I use SR to replace HB there as well so I only have to worry about one app talking to the ds220?

You could yes. Considering that you are backing up NAS data, there is no reason not to use S&R instead of HB. Your destination is a compatible NAS that can access the data and you have that data in read-only mode at all times. It will protect you from ransomware as well as data loss with versioning configured, so no real reason not to use it.

HB would be your only choice if you wanted to back up to the cloud for example but with NAS to NAS scenario, really no reason not to go for it.

 

[NAS Newbie]

Sounds good, thanks. It would be nice to condense the app list a little bit at least.

 

[NAS Newbie]

Just posting my current schematic as an update. No questions at this time. Mobile and computer backups are still TBD.

 

[jeyare]

when you will keep gold rule “don’t store any critical data primary on your desktop clients”, you will get multiple advantages:
- you need capacity for OS and APPs only, partially for the few critical data (see below)
- critical data as synced mirror from your NAS in better scenario based on Syno Drive (on demand sync), ... don’t do this for movie maker enviro (if you would like to). Then open or create, every time in the NAS target (or synced target), in many cases to mounted target first, then Drive will synced everything.
- finally you don’t need TBs in your laptop (exclude movie makers and data miners). All my home or work devices have 250-500GB SSDs (except movie station)
- for WinOS you can use AB4B (baremetal for boot restore). You can achieve 1:1 OS and APP setup from the last restore points (additional hours saving). Yes every system and APP is downloadable, but tuning of the last setup is necessary. Then the baremetal will bring you immediately (about 30 minutes) back to life. Tested. Works. Yeap, Mac enviro is out for now.
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last, good job for the newbie. Obviously, there is knowledge increments.