Hello everyone, I am a long time lurker of this channel, and I finally decided to write my first post.
Two years ago I used my old desktop PC to run a home server using TrueNAS Scale. It is still running at the time of writing this.
It works so well in fact that I have grown more dependent on it over time. First it was just Jellyfin, then came all the Arr apps, Adguard, Syncthing, Immich, Forgejo, Wireguard…
What was supposed to be the “PC for backups” has turned into the angular stone of all my computers and devices.
The reason why I am posting today is because I am afraid of the day my server dies or I have to move out of my place (which might happen soon)
Does anyone know if it is possible to rent a cloud server where I could install TrueNAS and then have that be a “replica” of my local one to use in case of an emergency? Is this a bad idea? What is the ideam solution for this issue?
This looks like the most convenient approach I have read so far. I will look into this for sure. Thanks a lot!
Use something like Backblaze or Hetzner storage boxes for off-site backups. There are a number of tools for making this painless, so pick your favorite. If you have the means, I recommend doing a disaster recovery scenario every so often (i.e. disconnect existing drives, reinstall the OS, and load everything from remote backup).
Generally speaking, follow the 3-2-1 rule:
- 3 copies of everything on
- 2 different types of media with
- 1 copy off site (at least)
For your situation, this could be:
- 3 copies - your computer (NVMe?), TrueNas (HDD?), off-site backup; ideally have a third local device (second computer?)
- 2 media - NVMe and HDD
- 1 copy off site - Backblaze, Hetzner, etc
You could rent a cloud server, but it’ll be a lot more expensive vs just renting storage.
You are right to be afraid. I had a similar story, and am still recovering and sorting what data is recoverable. Nearly lost age 0.5-1.5 years of media of my daughters life this way.
As others have said, don’t replicate your existing backup. Do two backups. Preferably on different mediums, spinning disk/ssd eg.
If one backup is corrupted or something nasty is introduced, you will lose both. This is one of the times it is appropriate to do the work twice.
I’ve built two backup mini PCs, and I replicate to them pretty continuously. Otherwise, look at something like Borg base/alternatives.
Remember, 3-2-1 and restore testing. It’s not a backup unless you can restore it.
Like others have said, I also prefer having a backup and getting new HW when shit hits the fan.
You can build a warm-standby solution, but that road is both costly and more labor intensive.The family can survive for a few hours while I run out to get a new drive or NUC to fix stuff.
If you’re lucky, it happens right after dinner so you can skip clean-up too!A few years ago I had a threadripper server, then I had to move. I planned it out to have a little low power NAS for traveling.
Now I live offgrid in an RV with some solar panels. My little NAS can be powered by 12V so I have it plugged into a cigarette lighter plug on my battery. It’s been working great so far, has docker so I have a bunch of stuff running on it now.
That’s quite cool. I wish I could install/buy solar panels for my server
It’s cheaper to build a new server. Cloud… just isn’t cheap. Makes sense for accounting purposes and business reliability standards to a degree but not much for home use.
This happened to me:
- I need a server for my Linux ISO backuos
- i want to be able to automatically turn in a thing but only when it needs to be on. I guess i need Homeassistant.
Now my whole family relies on this underpowered house of cards.
they love us for this though right?
right??
just cause it’s awesome when The New Thing finally spins up, after fiddling with permissions and mounts on mounts on mounts doesn’t mean its NOT hard work!!
I’ve pushed the limits of the SAF a few times.
Noting that I could buy a new NAS every year with what we save on not Netflix is helpful occasionally.
I have an old i5 Mac mini (2011 I think) as a backup for infrastructure stuff (proxy, home assistant, pihole). If something goes terribly wrong I can just plug it in and start it. All the LXCs are copies of my main proxmox rig, albeit a bit outdated (BC I don’t leave it plugged in). I know I could do better with proxmox’s HA but seems like another thing I’d be on the hook to keep maintaining.
1st, definitely get backups offsite. Either cloud or drives at someone else’s home, but do that.
When (not if) something breaks you’ll need to fix it “now”
So, if you were intending on hosting a failover system in the cloud with Jellyfin, Adguard, Wireguard, etc. that won’t be a simple replica - you’ll need to redo your whole networking design.
IMHO, you’re better having physical spare parts / devices at home and focus on that.
If you’re running on an old PC, you’ll probably be better getting a newer, more efficient (lower electricity costs) - possibly smaller and quieter - device and moving stuff across… your old PC can then be the backup device.
Sounds easier as well. I will look into it
Yeah, but it’s relatively expensive. It’s easier to have a friend willing to let you set up a pc on their network that your server backs up to. Even better if you can do the same for them.
I will look into this. How difficult can this be using TrueNAS without exposing my network to the internet?
Pretty easy. You can use a VPN if you want super secure access. I just use rsync over SSH.
For mine, not TrueNAS, I boot to a live USB stick, so drives are not in use and do an full gparted copy to a back up drive, so it is a clone. Should the system die I swap the whole drive out.
Folks, tell me if this is a good idea - OP gets a backblaze subscription. Backs up everything on that system - all the forgejo stuff, all the immich stuff, all the Arr content.
If/when stuff breaks, OP… gets a backblaze drive home with their stuff and returns it after reinstating their backups?
Backblaze having a carbon copy of everything I have vs losing everything I have hmm…
I mean, maybe you like rawdogging life. I dunno.
