I use my TrueNAS server mostly for archiving files, photos, and media (movies, TV shows, audiobooks, ebooks, music). Right now, all of my data is mirrored across 4 disks. I think it makes sense to mirror data such as files, photos, app config, and databases, as these files are updated frequently.
However, my media collection is static; the content is not changing. That being said, I am considering using 25GB Blu-ray disks as cold storage to backup my media. Backup meaning keeping the current RAID configuration and using the DVDs as cold storage backup, either local or remote, or even migrating my media data to a single 4TB drive on my NAS, which will give me additional space for other files in my main pool. My initial thought is that in the case of the main media drive failing, I can install a new drive and copy the data back from the disks. I would also consider using the disks as offsite backups, no, that’s one less thing I have to copy over the internet. I’m also thinking this would conserve power and be a good, long-term solution affordable solution.
In general, is there a good way to back up TrueNAS datasets to CDs? I’m really open to any feedback!
Ps. I would want to create a separate copy of my media, even though I still have most of the original sources, because it took forever to rip, encode, and organize the files, and I would prefer not to have to go through all that again.
This doesn’t answer your question (I’m sure you can mount a BD writer and replicate to it, but I cant tell you the exact steps), but one thing to consider with cold storage is bit rot. First, you will want to “Verify” the discs as you write them, which increases the time to do so, and then there is the risk over time that the discs get damaged–air gets in or whatever and oxidizes the surface. You likely won’t know that has happened until you go to use the BDs in a disaster. In fact, if you have an extensive media collection, I would be surprised if you haven’t experienced this yourself, with occasional errors reading parts of old CDs, DVDs and BDs. You might want to look at M-Disc, or a HDD/SSD based system that is mostly off, but you power on, say, every 6 months or so to let it do a scrub.
I did something similar for my media collections and photos. I was using DVDs instead of Blue-ray in your case.
The procedure I designed at the time of implementation is:
Create a virtual hard disk at the size that will fit comfortably in a DVD ( in my case I set it to 4.3GB)
Name the virtual disk to follow a naming series (like Photos004 etc)
Transfer the media files following a particular order (like date created, modified etc, whichever makes sense in case of the series)
Burn the folder to the DVD with a writer.
Archive the folder to an external HDD
Backup the folder to an additional remote storage (like a cloud backup target)
This approach has the following advantages :
You get to keep a local-fast search archive in case of external HDD
Local backup copies are kept in a media based on multiple technologies (HDD, DVD)
You are protected with a remote backup against local disasters
Now the best part : I can prepare the next disk in series and keep adding files every time I finalize a new set of files to archive/backup. This can be done through out the year and once the disk fills up at 4.3GB, I am ready to write to DVD.
Hope this helps in expanding your idea.
Thanks for sharing your final strategy, so that we all can learn from each other and improve further.
