How to set up a 3 2 1 backup system

[naio]

I keep a backup copy of my hosted solution (under OS X) in the default FMS Data/Backup folder. The backup is scheduled twice a day (noon and night) and I keep 5 versions of each copy. The solution includes nearly 100.000 pdf files in managed container fields (RC_Data_FMS folder), in total only these files take 10GB of disk space.

I would like to follow the 3-2-1 backup rule so I should be storing 2 more copies of the solution, I would use a Synology NAS in the LAN, so my plan is:

• Keep the 2 daily copies stored in the Data/Backup folder, in the server disk (Done!)
• Have 2 more daily copies of the database stored in the NAS (pending)
• Have a progressive backup executed by night (when no users are connected), saved in a NAS folder and have that folder backed up in Dropbox or Amazon (pending)

There are two issues to take in account:

1. All the backups must run unattended, I mean without the need to log into the server. The server machine should be ready for backup just after start up.
2. I have a limited knowledge of LAN administration and command line.

So far I tried to:

• Sync the backup folder with the NAS using GoodSync: the software is not reliable, sometimes simply doesn't sync and their customer support is useless. I've heard of rsync a system utility that should be more reliable but I'm I don't know how to use it.
• Sync the NAS copy with Dropbox: Synology Cloud Sync utility is limited by the hardware, in my case 15.000 files is the maximum. To have 200.000 files syncing every day seems unrealistic
• Have a FMS progressive backup on a NAS shared folder: so far I haven't been able to give FMS access to the remote folder, I can't validate the filemac:/volume/folder/ path
• Following the steps in this article (http://www.soliantconsulting.com/blog/2012/11/filemaker-backups-network-share), set up a shell script that sends a backup to the NAS. The script -based in FMS command line- is executed by the default user and goes simply:

• fmsadmin BACKUP -d filemac:/volume/folder/
  

It doesn't work, I get "Error 732 Invalid account name or password" and I am not sure if it's the script or simply the access to the remote folder (the path is invalid for progressive backup).

My questions:

• How can I make fmserver own a remote folder in the Synology NAS? Do I need to create the users in the NAS? how can I create a fmserver user without knowing the user password?
• The shell script above, for backing up to the NAS is it correct?
• In addition to the local backup, do you think a progressive backup in two media (the NAS and the cloud) is safe enough in case of disaster?

In sum, can you help me set up a rock solid backup system for my solution?

[Wim Decorte]

You can't make FMS back up to non-local folder.  That's by design (because it is fragile and slow).  

You can use a system-level script to take an FMS backup and copy or move it to the NAS

 

http://www.soliantconsulting.com/blog/2012/11/filemaker-backups-network-share

 

 

[naio]

Quote

 

You can't make FMS back up to non-local folder.  That's by design (because it is fragile and slow).  

You can use a system-level script to take an FMS backup and copy or move it to the NAS

 

http://www.soliantconsulting.com/blog/2012/11/filemaker-backups-network-share

 

In the linked article is not clear that not even a backup called from FMS CLI can save the files into a non-local folder, is this what you are saying?

If so, the only way to take a standard backup off the server is by using a system-level script that copies the files, right?

But what about FMS performing a progressive backup? according to FM Support:

Quote

FileMaker recommends that you specify a progressive backup folder on a different hard drive

Does a different hard drive include a NAS? is it safe?

Thanks,

[Wim Decorte]

NAS is a no-no, with 'different hard drive' they mean a different internal drive.

And no: not even the FMS CLI can backup to a remote volume.

[naio]

Understood: there is no way to have FMS backing up to an external hard drive, period.

I'll look for script models that allow copy or sync of the internal drive backed up files, I've seen a couple in the articles you linked.

I still have a question: the use of progressive instead of the standard backups would it ease or shorten the task to 'move' the files out of the server?

Thanks,

 

[Wim Decorte]

3 hours ago, naio said:

 

I still have a question: the use of progressive instead of the standard backups would it ease or shorten the task to 'move' the files out of the server?

 

No.  Both mechanisms produce an identical set of files.

And in general: progressive backups are a way of complementing a backup strategy that also includes standard backups.  It should never be 'one or the other'

Progressive gives you rolling two sets of the solution and is very useful to shorten the "restore point' - as in: reduces the risk of losing data if something happened right now.

But standard backups give you as many sets as you require so that you can back further in time for restore points.

[xochi]

I'm a big fan of Arq Backup http://arqbackup.com which lets you back up to a variety of locations (onsite or offsite).  

 

I'm currently using a combination of Arq, TimeMachine AND SuperDuper backups on my Mac OS X (macOS) servers.   The main thing to worry about is to avoid backing up live database files.

[naio]

On 8/10/2016 at 1:35 AM, xochi said:

I'm a big fan of Arq Backup http://arqbackup.com which lets you back up to a variety of locations (onsite or offsite).  

 

I'm currently using a combination of Arq, TimeMachine AND SuperDuper backups on my Mac OS X (macOS) servers.   The main thing to worry about is to avoid backing up live database files.

Thanks for your suggestions, I wonder if the applications you mention are able to run completely unattended, I mean launched at startup, not at login. Anyway I've taken the 'hard way' and I am working on a shell script to take my copies off the FMS machine into the NAS and then to somewhere in the cloud, if this way is too hard for my little knowledge of bash then I'll look at the apps you suggest.