First, somewhere in the documentation it says:
``` Back up and restore functionality as well as migration of the ix-apps dataset from one apps pool to another are not currently supported by the TrueNAS interface. Support for these features is planned for a future TrueNAS release version.
```
So then, how exactly is one supposed to back this up?
If one were to, as recommended, to use host paths for the containers’ actual data storage requirements, I’d expect the app configuration to be backed up as part of the system configuration, but that’s obviously not the case.
And with the hidden nature of this dataset, traditional backup methods (e.g. over the net) aren’t exactly congruent, especially since restoring such a backup would stomp on TrueNAS’ toes.
It would seem that either this whole stuff should be in regular data sets and be subject to regular system backup, or it should be hidden and managed by TrueNAS, and then be part of the config backup. But currently it seems to be neither.
Am I missing something here?
Also I currently have this on an SSD pool, which I plan to nuke to use the devices as a special vdev. Any way to move/migrate that whole .ix-apps dataset to another pool?
I stopped trusting the way TrueNAS stores app data some time ago, now I create a new folder on my storage pools share for every app, and inside that I create all required folder structure for every single app, then I can just copy/past those folders to a new location, or new machine, and point the new app instance to the data location and they fire right back up.
Was getting a little frustrating using the default IX storage location as it gives you zero control or access, and as far as I can see, gives me no benefit hiding that data, keeping it in a location that can be accessed via NFS or SMB allows you to easily backup and transfer app data and configuration from pool to pool or from machine to machine, with almost no issues that I have found.
Have tested with apps like Plex, Sonarr/Radarr and many others, all seem to function as expected and are very easy to back up configurations now.
No doubt some clever person will have issues with the way I set this up and will have a better way, but it works for me now, I have more control over my bits
I see in the apps’ configuration the ability to set host paths for the containers’ storage requirements. That’s what I use to move that aspect out of the hidden .ix-apps dataset. But there’s a whole bunch more in there than just the containers data.
How exactly do you move that?
Frankly, there should only be two types of data:
whatever is in the config file one can download from settings, have sent by e-mail regularly, of have saved before an OS update.
open, visible data that can be backed up via shares
To have hidden data that cannot automatically recreated from the two above mentioned types of data is IMO a recipe for disaster.
So Plex as an example, you have Data storage, and Config storage, I created these under a folder called Plex on pool inside a shared structure, add users 568, 1000 and my share user 3000, full access and force ACL.
This is everything I need to backup and relocate if needed, all the important data for the app is there, but obviously the basic config of the container itself is not retained here, but those are simple settings, I screen shot when setting up an app, so its like a 30 second job to set that back up, also if its still available, I sit the old and new instance side by side and duplicate the config, as long as the data has been copied across, it will fire up and be exactly the same.
I understand though, the IX volume should be a simple thing to backup, I have done this via the CLI but its not ideal at all.
It would be really nice to be able to select an app, say replicate, backup or move to and select another instance of TrueNAS on the network and click go.
