Faster backups with what option?

[moshimoshi]

Hey there folks. I have a DS920+ with two 16TB drives installed in mirroring mode. My pc has a 2x1TB SSD and one 16TB HDD. I have around 11TB in total of data.
I have the NAS connected to a gigabit router and the pc also has a gigabit ethernet port.
I'm using Active Backup for Bussiness as a backup solution.
After the first backup is done, each new backup takes at least 1.5 to 2 days to complete only to check if there's something new to backup.
Is there a way to make the backup faster? AFaik this is an incremental backup. Is it normal to take that long just to verify and copy new data?
Is there another option to keep my data safe while doing the backup much faster? Maybe Synology Drive with snapshot support?
If I switch to Synology Drive, is there a way to use the data that´s already on the NAS or I have to start over?
Thank you!

 

[Rusty]

Is it normal to take that long just to verify and copy new data?

Interesting that it takes that long. Haven’t tested that big of a backup over abb in a single session that I can say it’s normal. From my testing the experience was not like that with an incremental backup or that it takes that long.

 

[moshimoshi]

I´m a photographer so lots of photos and videos, I want to optimize the time it takes for the backup then after is done I turn off my NAS and computer.

 

[Rusty]

So there is the need to have all the data on that drive all the time? Maybe try with a smaller footprint of data?

Drive backup might work better in this case as you would be able to target a subset of data in your existing structure thus minimizing the time.

 

[EAZ1964]

2 days for a backup is not acceptable, I understand that If you run full disk mirrors backup , it could well take a long time.
My approach would be : turn your IT system around, your pc and lan has too much data to work like you do.

Move all data to the NAS and use it as it is meant to work: as a data server. Remove all data from the pc and get files you need from the nas over the network.
Move the 16TB (PC) disk to a 3 disk shr into a second Backup NAS off site and make daily backups from your data server to the new nas.

I think one extra 16TB disk and an extra 2 Bay nas will enable you to work much more efficiently plus you will have full off-site protection.

 

[speedmaster]

I agree with Rusty,it sounds odd.
I suggest:
- Check if network cards (PC and NAS) is really set to Gigabit.
- Check how much data, on your PC, is really sent over your network. It should be "maxed" out, while new files are transfered, then go way down when only file checksums are sent/compared.
- Depending on your budget, I would suggest you look into opgrading your NAS with 2 more 16TB disks, and upgrade your RAID1 to RAID10. Theoretically give you 4x read and 2x write speed gain on the NAS.
- look into adding a SSD read cache in NAS. Filetransfers over network won't benefit much, but it will speed up internally on NAS (Note: Synology recomend an UPS, if you opt for Read/write SSD cache).
- I would (if possible) let NAS run 24/7. Every time it boots up, it will do a lot (Correct me if I'm wrong) internal work, wich migth conflict with your backup.
If you opt for SSD cache I recomend as big as you can afford. I have a 1TB SSD cache, and it will all be utilized over time.

EDIT:
EAZ1964's suggestion is really good
And Rusty's Drive backup suggestion, I used that solution before I got a second NAS

 

[moshimoshi]

So there is the need to have all the data on that drive all the time? Maybe try with a smaller footprint of data?

Drive backup might work better in this case as you would be able to target a subset of data in your existing structure thus minimizing the time.

I need all my data to be backed up on my NAS, I also have a cloud backup and another off site copy but the NAS and the cloud are my main backups, all the originals are on my main PC.

-- post merged: 6. Jul 2021 --

2 days for a backup is not acceptable, I understand that If you run full disk mirrors backup , it could well take a long time.
My approach would be : turn your IT system around, your pc and lan has too much data to work like you do.

Move all data to the NAS and use it as it is meant to work: as a data server. Remove all data from the pc and get files you need from the nas over the network.
Move the 16TB (PC) disk to a 3 disk shr into a second Backup NAS off site and make daily backups from your data server to the new nas.

I think one extra 16TB disk and an extra 2 Bay nas will enable you to work much more efficiently plus you will have full off-site protection.

Lightroom is very slow to work from the NAS even if the catalog is on my main pc on a nvme ssd.

-- post merged: 6. Jul 2021 --

Move all data to the NAS and use it as it is meant to work: as a data server. Remove all data from the pc and get files you need from the nas over the network.
Move the 16TB (PC) disk to a 3 disk shr into a second Backup NAS off site and make daily backups from your data server to the new nas.

I agree with Rusty,it sounds odd.
I suggest:
- Check if network cards (PC and NAS) is really set to Gigabit.
- Check how much data, on your PC, is really sent over your network. It should be "maxed" out, while new files are transfered, then go way down when only file checksums are sent/compared.
- Depending on your budget, I would suggest you look into opgrading your NAS with 2 more 16TB disks, and upgrade your RAID1 to RAID10. Theoretically give you 4x read and 2x write speed gain on the NAS.
- look into adding a SSD read cache in NAS. Filetransfers over network won't benefit much, but it will speed up internally on NAS (Note: Synology recomend an UPS, if you opt for Read/write SSD cache).
- I would (if possible) let NAS run 24/7. Every time it boots up, it will do a lot (Correct me if I'm wrong) internal work, wich migth conflict with your backup.
If you opt for SSD cache I recomend as big as you can afford. I have a 1TB SSD cache, and it will all be utilized over time.

EDIT:
EAZ1964's suggestion is really good
And Rusty's Drive backup suggestion, I used that solution before I got a second NAS

I am sure they are running at 1GBit, also I have bonding enabled in the NAS, it gets me around 15% more throughput.
I have ups for the NAS.

 

[fredbert]

I've noticed with ABB that if a client fails to complete a backup* then the next time can lead to a near full upload. Though the subsequent full upload which doesn't seem to result in an equivalent jump in NAS storage.

*usually when the event eventually times out due to the laptop becoming offline for many hours.

 

[Rusty]

My initial thought, but the OP said that the backup was successful.

 

[moshimoshi]

How can I use Synology Drive with my current setup?

The other thing that prevents me to work from the Synology is that Backblaze is much more expensive if you want to backup a NAS (B2 option) versus backing up your PC ( personal backup cost 60$ for unlimited storage each year), the cost for the B2 option with my current setup will jump to 1000$ per year if I want to backup my NAS.

 

[Telos]

the cost for the B2 option with my current setup will jump to 1000$ per year if I want to backup my NAS.

That's hard to imagine. If you haven't miscalculated, you might instead, purchase a second NAS and locate it remotely.