Snapshot Replication vs USB Copy

[aGraphicz]

Hi

On the Synology I am using for my business I have set a daily USB Copy task that makes backups on an external USB Drive. This is working fine but for security reasons I would like to also install Snapshot Replication. But I have some questions:

- I have at the moment 1.5 TB in use and I don't acutally know if Snapshot Replication will slowly make my Volume full. Do I risk to have the volume full of Snapshots?

- Snapshot Replication will slow down the Syno while creating the snapshot? What about working simultaneously and take a Snapshot? Is possible?

Can you give me some hints?

Many thanks!

 

[Rusty]

Do I risk to have the volume full of Snapshots?

snaps will live on your NAS ofc but you can use retention policies and cleanup options to keep them in check.

Snapshot Replication will slow down the Syno while creating the snapshot?

No, you will not notice any major problems. Snaps are pure deltas compared to the original file and if there are no major changes on a large number of files you will not notice the creation of new snaps.

What about working simultaneously and take a Snapshot? Is possible?

Ofc it is. That's the whole idea. The minimum scheduled time between 2 snaps is 5min. So working on a file for let's say 1hour you will get 12 snaps (if you choose to have that many and on top of that it will depends how many changes were recorded during that 1h, read it as "saves on that file"). If you make a mistake you will be able to restore back to a version of your choice.

 

[aGraphicz]

No, you will not notice any major problems. Snaps are pure deltas compared to the original file and if there are no major changes on a large number of files you will not notice the creation of new snaps.

But the first Snap I will create will it take long? I remember when I used USB Copy ... the first Backup took 12 hours

snaps will live on your NAS ofc but you can use retention policies and cleanup options to keep them in check.

In your example you set to delete Snapshots at 02:00 right? Does ist means that If I get a ransomware attack after 02:00 I will not have any Snaps to recover? Or am I wrong? Or maybe the last Snap took will be always there?

 

[Rusty]

But the first Snap I will create will it take long? I remember when I used USB Copy ... the first Backup took 12 hours

Snaps will be faster because a) its a local snap not towards a USB device and b) its not a copy process per say. How long it will take I can't say but it will be a lot faster.

Does ist means that If I get a ransomware attack after 02:00 I will not have any Snaps to recover? Or am I wrong? Or maybe the last Snap took will be always there?

These deletion times refer to the cleanup of "old snaps" that are ready to be deleted depending on the snap retention policy configuration. So in short you will never be in a situation to not have at least one snap.

 

[aGraphicz]

Snaps will be faster because a) its a local snap not towards a USB device and b) its not a copy process per say. How long it will take I can't say but it will be a lot faster.

I see, thanks. However, is Snapshots Replication working on the DS920+? I could not find any info about

 

[Rusty]

I see, thanks. However, is Snapshots Replication working on the DS920+? I could not find any info about

It works - Snapshot Replication - Add-on Packages | Synology Inc.

 

[aGraphicz]

It works - Snapshot Replication - Add-on Packages | Synology Inc.

Thanks! Sorry one more question. Is possible to save the snapshot on an external USB Drive the same way USB Copy works? Is that a "Bad idea"?

 

[Telos]

Snapshots can only be replicated to a btrfs-formatted Synology NAS.

 

[Rusty]

Thanks! Sorry one more question. Is possible to save the snapshot on an external USB Drive the same way USB Copy works? Is that a "Bad idea"?

will not work, no