Setting up New Remote NAS from Scratch

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1

Not sure what category this request should fall under

I would like to setup a Remote NAS - here are my current specifics:

Host system MAC OS

Current Qnap system TVS-672XT, running QTS 5.2.9.3451 with 4 drives installed (raid5 enabled), and 2 empty slots

Looking to add an offsite storage device. TS-664 device with 4 drive.s installed, and 2 empty slots. This has not been powered up yet, still blank. How should this be configured to begin the process?

Would also like to allow users at remote site to be able to use for backups (Apple McBook Pros, using time machine)

I am guessing I will need to use HBS.

Remote NAS, two-way-sync

Rsync server

Time Machine Services

What do I need to do to get setup? I am looking for any support to get me started down the right path.

Thanks a bunch for the help

2

Is it a remote backup NAS or a full remote site?

If it’s a full site (with users using that NAS for local services), what is that NAS supposed to do with the other NAS… sync (one way/two way/ real time)?

3

Thanks for the questions to help me better define this.

I would like to make it a full remote site so users at that end can backup their data as well as a backup for my current data.

I think it is best to sync two way. As for real time sync, I am not sure - that sounds like a good option? I am looking for suggestions having not done this before.

4

Does the data of the different sites intersect though
(people from both sites working on the same files)? Or is it just to have a backup of one loction at the other (for catastropic loss mitigation)

5

There really should not really be any working on the same file at different locations. This is for loss mitigation.

6

If just for that, then set the remote NAS up for the local users and just create one extra share where you can do sist2site backups to (VPN server on an edge device)

7

Building on dolbyman’s points, since this is for disaster recovery and not real-time collaboration, I’d avoid two-way sync (it propagates deletions to both sites).

  1. HBS 3 backup job: file-level backup from your primary shared folders to the TS-664, scheduled, with version retention on. Simple and easy to restore individual files.

2. Snapshot Replica: backs up a volume to another QNAP NAS using snapshots, it’s block-level (lighter on bandwidth).

8

OK, I have been thinking on this.

My current NAS has 2 partitions: TimeMachineStorage (Timemachine backups) and NASDataVolume (general storage)

Do I setup my new NAS to look like first NAS (2 partitions)? This would allow local backups and space for either 1 or 2 from above.

Could I then do the same for the new NAS disaster recover back to the original NAS.

Thanks so much for your time and inputs on the best way to do this.

Then

9

You can set the NAS up however you want. It’s your hardware and your call.

I would make sure your volumes are spread across RAID5 or RAID6 arrays and not single volumes.

I have two NAS units that I sync between on my LAN. Both basically have a large single volume with multiple shared folders. Each NAS is set up somewhat different. My main NAS does backups to the secondary NAS. I also take snapshots of a number of folders and vault them to the second NAS. Both NAS units serve as TimeMachine destinations and the secondary NAS vaults its TimeMachine data to the first. I also backup other important items on the secondary NAS to a USB hard drive.

So you can do it however you want. Whatever works for you.