iSCSI LUN backup not working as it should

[Fit]

One of the most anticipated new features of DSM 4.0 for me was the ability to backup iSCSI LUNs. I am very happy that Synology Inc. added it, but it still has some flaws I guess. I have 2 remarks.

A local backup of a LUN (to a backup folder on the same DiskStation that holds the LUN) seems to work just fine... But adding a second backup of the same LUN to a remote location (let's say another DiskStation) is impossible. It is the same problem as we had some versions back with backing up shared folders. At the time you could only schedule a shared folder backup once. If you would have liked to schedule a second backup of the same source to a different location than the first backup schedule, the system would not offer you the same source folder to backup. The same goes for the LUN backup. After I already scheduled a backup of the LUN to a local volume and tried to create a second backup schedule to another DiskStation, I got the popup message that there were no LUNs found on the system to backup... (since I only had one LUN running on the system).

The second remark is that I simply cannot backup to a another DiskStation. Independant from my first remark when I make my first LUN backup schedule to another DiskStation, the creation of the backup task works out just fine. But running the backup task however does not. The Backup & Restore panel keeps on showing 'Please wait. In progress...' or something like that, until it finally (and it does take a while) times out. The backup off course fails. The destination DiskStation never received a single file, or so it seems.

Unfortunately LUN backup seems kind of irrelevant if you cannot backup to another DiskStation, especially if you are running the LUN on a smaller model (1, 2 or 4 disk bays products).

Has anyone else also experienced these issues?

[albk]

Hi

I haven't tried setting up two backup tasks for the same LUN (though I should, now that you mention it).

I was unable to backup iSCSI LUNs from one Synology to another with DSM 4.0-2197. I have backed up LUNs with DSM 4.0-2198.

However, I'm not sure what to do with the backed-up LUNs I have. They can be restored back to a Synology product with the same Backup/Restore control panel app, but (afaik) only as file-level LUNs, not as block-level LUNs. Given that, I'd expect to be able to use them as VHDs (or whatever) on another system, but I can't see how to do that, either.

So for me, I've got a "LUN Backup", but not yet a "LUN Backup/Restore" -- which makes the backup kind of pointless.

[Fit]

I was unable to backup iSCSI LUNs from one Synology to another with DSM 4.0-2197. I have backed up LUNs with DSM 4.0-2198.

Did you have the firewall on both Synology boxes enabled? I have... Are both boxes running DSM 4.0-2198?

[Fit]

I have done some additional testing, and have come to the following conclusion: network backup of an iSCSI LUN works only if the firewall on the destination DiskStation is disabled (the firewall on the source DiskStation does not pose any problem).

Synology should fix this ASAP since we do not want to run a source DiskStation without firewall.

[Fit]

Backups of iSCSI LUNs are still not working when the firewall is enabled on the destination DiskStation. This issue has been posted earlier by myself for DSM 4.0 in the following thread: viewtopic.php?f=160&t=48649

I was hoping that this would be solved with DSM 4.1, but unfortunately...

[Steph]

Have you opened a ticket ?

Synology support doesn't reed the forums...

[Fit]

Have you opened a ticket ?

Synology support doesn't reed the forums...

Yes, I did but still no reaction yet...

[Fit]

With DSM 4.1-2668, this is still an issue (with the firewall on the destination NAS activated)...

[Fit]

DSM 4.2-3202 has been installed on my DS111 in meanwhile, and LUN backups using the DS111 as destination with the firewall enabled still does not work... :-/

Has anybody else tested this as well?

[Fit]

I installed DSM 4.2-3211 on my DS111 today, and although all seems fine at first glance the iSCSI LUN backup from another DiskStation to the DS111 still does not work...

Is there anyone else interested in this functionality who is also experiencing this?