With respect to backups, you are not alone. Here is what I’ve done for myself for an on-site backup. I have a 5TB USB hard drive (portable one so likely SMR) and I was placing all my “important data” on it. I would have a daily sync on my computer using SyncToys 2.1 and it would run every 2 hours while my Windows computer was up and running. It is not fast as you said but if you back it up daily, only the changed files, then it doesn’t take very long. The SMR drive took forever the first time I had to write to it. I should have formatted the drive first to clear it out.
I have since stopped using that 5TB hard drive and am now using a 4TB NVMe via USB. Same thing of course.
What I have not done is mount that NVMe as a ZFS Stripe, the thought has crossed my mind however to access the data I would need a computer that can read ZFS. I take this drive with me when I go away on travel. Then I have fast access to all my data.
I am getting ready to use Storj as a cloud based backup but have not pulled that trigger just yet. I’m still playing with the 30 day trial period. I suspect I will be using Storj Cloud as the prices are actually really good. Not as cheap as having a tiny server at a friends house, but it should be safe data.
And I stress that I am only backing up my important data. I have lots of backup files but as long as I keep the current backup image then I’m good.
I never knew you could rent a server, but then again I never thought about it either. When you have an opportunity, buy an external hard drive. And not one that would have an SMR drive in it. Or buy an enclosure and stuff your own hard drive into it. I have one of those as well but never use it anymore. I might if I have a eSATA port.
I’m still perplexed by the high load cycle counts you have, what caused them is beyond me.
Disabled should work. If you can keep track of a few of the smart reports and track over time to see if and when they increment, that might help point to the source.
Hopefully disabling EPC will solve the head parking count increase. It is not an actual problem, it was just unexpected to see and not knowing where the issue was coming from was bugging me.
