NAS+and+Backup

Moved all to 7tronics intranet.

There are dozens of brands and models of Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices. Summary experiences at C3HUU with several are documented here. This page is being used to collect experiences on the QNAP brand of NAS devices and USB attached "no-install" file backup devices. The TS-109.supports external mirrored eSata attached drives and has several features now exploited in supporting the Soundroom setup to archive service and sermon audio. toc

TS-109 Experiences
At home, our C3HUU IT Services lead (MS) has a QNAP TS-109a single drive NAS which is used as a:
 * sFTP server
 * Multimedia server
 * Backup repository
 * SMB/CIFS shared NAS
 * Source for offsite backup to external eSATA or USB drive

On the TS-109a, upgraded microcode in March 2009 and enabled built-in SSH. This enables the admin ID to ssh in. On 2009-08-24:
 * 1) Installed and enabled the Optware package including ipkg from the QPKG tab of the System Tools section of the QNAS GUI
 * 2) Using ipkg, installed: nano editor and the OpenSSH package

sFTP Server
Initial setup using TS-109a doesn't work with typical sftp setup for any user EXCEPT admin, //but// using the [|GoodSync] product (from the authors of [|Roboform]) to test, found that ftps: , which appears to be encrypting data over the link using a standard port 21 ftp connection works with non-admin userids. This protocol does encrypt the userid/password exchange. Since this works, one can setup laptop or desktop backup with [|GoodSync] to securely copy to the TS-209 at C3HUU. In turn, the integrated GUI based on rsync is used to maintain backup copies on any local USB attached media, such as WD MyBook external hard drives. Rather than acquire an expensive Western Digital pre-packaged external drive, in December 2009, an external USB/eSATA 2.5" drive housing was purchased and a donated 60GB 2.5" HDD was placed in the housing.

Offsite Backup
Prior to 2004: ITS staff rotated AIT tapes in an AIT 4 tape autoloader offsite. Since 2004, when the AIT autoloader became flaky (now autoloader has been discarded as non-functioning), there has been no regular offsite backup rotation, as there was no portable media created at C3HUU. In Dec2009, an external eSATA/USB drive was acquired for use as an offsite backup of key files. Testing showed that there are several ways to use the external drive:
 * 1) As an external ext3 (Linux) formatted drive with excellent performance and greater than 10GB/hour throughput
 * 2) As an external NTFS formatted drive with awful performance (less than 100MB/hour throughput) but far easier to mount files on any PC
 * 3) As an external FAT32 formatted drive, excellent throughput performance, but FAT32 is far less reliable than either NTFS or ext3

One option is to make sure that ext3 formatted SATA drives are readable on other Linux servers. They certainly are on my TS-109 (which is the same architecture as the QNAP TS209 at C3HUU. Will also test on other Linux boxes. But if a staff member is to try to recover files, it will have to be on NTFS (or FAT32) formatted devices. We can try FAT32, though we are VERY reluctant to do so as FAT32 format is not nearly as reliable. Perhaps creating mirrors of FAT32 drives would be better? Another option is to install this Open Source project on at least one C3HUU PC supporting ext2/ext3 on Windows: [] Anyone had any experience with this?

Timings:

 * 20GB using TS109a "backup" GUI to USB attach 60GB SATA NTFS format: 14 hours, 90% complete before stopping (though only 11GB on disk)
 * 20GB using TS109a "backup" GUI to USB attach 60GB SATA ext3 format: 3 hours 5min, completed backup & verify

USB Backup Appliances
There have been many ITS people working in non-profits raving about the capabilities of several programs which run from USB external devices and perform very easy to initiate file backups that are also easy to recover. Here are several products we have acquired and reviewed, or volunteers working with us have reviewed:
 * Goodsync had an offer to users of Roboform (password vault software) that made the effective price for Goodsync approx $15/PC. This software can be setup to use any attached storage and run from the USB device (special license). Our IT Architect did try this and though it works, rather than run from a dedicated USB device, 4 workstation licenses were acquired and are installed on 2 PCs at C3HUU at present. This software is intended to provide File backup and replace use of the Mirra server and Mirra client software. The USB version is also available to take to any number of PCs for backup, but relies on the physical USB flash key that the software is installed on to be present. Goodsync is more like the UNIX rsync tool than the dedicated backup software reviewed below. A bit more of a learning curve to setup than alternatives below, but can be automated and is straightforward to recover files from NAS device used for storage. //**RECOMMENDED and in use at C3H (2010-01-04)**//
 * [|Clickfree]: There are many versions of this core file backup product, we tried two USB versions. Software is launched when the USB key is inserted in the PC and stops when it is ejected. We can recommend the DVD Transformer, as long as you like to use DVD or CD media or the original Clickfree Transformer which is designed for use with USB hard disks. The newer Transformer SE product also supports iPods as well as just about any USB attached storage device that you can think. Transformer products do not require the USB device to recover files, and the license is for UNLIMITED use! You just have to physically have the USB device in order to perform a backup. However, the only security here is physical security. You should lock up the backup media as there is no support for encryption or password protection. //**RECOMMENDED but not in use at C3H**// //**(2010-01-04)**//
 * USB Flash Backup: OK software that is licensed per PC, though installed on a USB device. Limited function compared to Goodsync, but reasonable price. //**RECOMMENDED but not in use at C3H**// //**(2010-01-04)**//
 * QNAP NetBak Backup: included with all QNAP NAS devices. Very simple backup tool designed primarily to manage backup from one QNAP NAS device to another. In testing, this tool is designed for NAS devices only, it would not allow file backup to a local USB device if the user wished to do that. No file versioning supported at all. //**NOT RECOMMENDED**////**,**// //**OK for home**// //**(2010-01-04)**//
 * QNAP QBack-35s: One of many external drive "appliances" which integrate secure partition and backup. Like the Western Digital line, it is for one-at-a-time backup, not suited for office, multiple PC backup. //**NOT RECOMMENDED**////**,**// //**OK for home**// //**(2010-01-04)**//
 * JetFlash with Fingerprint scanning: unlike the first two, this has an encryption option that is quite powerful and easy to setup, BUT installing the security software results in changes to Windows login behaviour and can cause hangups in Windows Explorer. Uninstall was not clean on either of two XP test PCs. The included backup software is very simple, //**NOT RECOMMENDED**// //**(2010-01-04)**//
 * Packaged Backup such as Western Digital MyBook: excellent options, for direct attach storage one PC at a time. Cost almost as much as the QNAP NAS with less function ($100+ for 320GB, which is current minimum available). So rather than deploy these at each PC, C3H ITS has elected to deploy a central NAS and configure tools to use that NAS which is then backed up periodically with the above noted inexpensive, simple removable 2.5" hard drive in inexpensive ($20) external housing. //**NOT RECOMMENDED,**// //**OK for home**// //**(2010-01-04)**//