“Recently, Michael Lynch replaced his Synology NAS with a custom-built solution based on ZFS, a powerful filesystem that offers the unique ability to back up encrypted data without needing to decrypt it first. However, as [Michael] discovered, TrueNAS, the system he is now using, only allows for unencrypted ZFS data to be backed up to another TrueNAS device. Fortunately, there is a workaround that, while not overly complicated, requires the use of specific tools. This solution also serves as a helpful tutorial to understand how ZFS handles and manages encrypted data backups.

To achieve this, [Michael] has written a few shell scripts for performing full and incremental backups and restores of encrypted datasets, all without the need for decryption. While TrueNAS can handle this by default, it only applies when the destination of the backups is another TrueNAS device. Now, with a little extra effort, [Michael] can easily store his backups in off-site cloud storage.

But [Michael] has one more trick up his sleeve for monitoring his backups. He takes advantage of a service called Cronitor, which offers a free tier. Although the site’s features may not make it obvious, Cronitor actually allows for simple implementation of cron job monitoring without requiring any additional software. Here’s how it works: Cronitor provides a unique URL that must be regularly visited to show that the cron job is running successfully. If the URL isn’t visited, the user is notified. By integrating this URL into an existing cron job, [Michael] can stay informed.

The integration would look something like this:

0 0 3 * * monthly-job && curl –silent https://cronitor.link/p/<API-KEY>/monthly-job?state=complete

In summary, if the cron job is successful, curl will visit the custom URL and everything continues as normal. If the cron job fails and the URL isn’t visited, [Michael] is immediately notified. With this clever use of a free service, [Michael] can have added peace of mind when it comes to his backups.

It’s all too easy to neglect backups, so perhaps it’s time to take a few moments to consider your own data storage and disaster recovery plans.”

Source: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiIWh0dHBzOi8vaGFja2FkYXkuY29tL3RhZy90cnVlbmFzL9IBAA?oc=5