Asking about another option for Seeding of Data

Alternate Data Seeding Option

I have read both of the following, which reference the same method for seeding data onto an UrBackup server.

https://www.urbackup.org/import-seed-remote-client.html
https://forums.urbackup.org/t/seeding-data-for-internet-connected-clients/417

I’m attempting to do this remotely for a client, so the USB sneakernet option is not really available, although I could handle it another, inconvenient way if absolutely necessary.

Thus, I am asking if the following is also a viable method.

Here’s the overview:

– OS: Windows 2016 & 2012-R2 clients / Windows 2016 Server
– Version: Latest 2.4.x client and server

– Site A (Far Site #1)
---- CLIENT1

– Site B (Far Site #2)
---- CLIENT2

– Site C (Near Site)
---- CLIENT3
---- OLDBACKUPSVR (CLIENT1 already successfully backs up files to this server)
---- NEWBACKUPSVR (CLIENT2 and CLIENT3 already successfully backup files to this server)

GOAL:
Make CLIENT1 also backup to NEWBACKUPSVR, but seed it first

PROPOSAL:
Since I already have a valid backup folder for CLIENT1 on OLDBACKUPSVR, and the two backup servers are on the same network already, can I just copy the CLIENT1 folder that already exists on the OLDBACKUPSVR and immediately start backing up CLIENT1 to NEWBACKUPSVR?

Thanks for your assistance

Well, I am here to report on the findings.

Short answer = I wish I had seen the following, first: https://www.urbackup.org/administration_manual.html#x1-9500010.8

Long answer = Don’t do what I did. The above proposal does not work as you might desire, since it copies data from junction points and totally consumes more space than was consumed previously.

Thankfully, I was keeping an eye on the process, and so I was able to abort the extra file copying before too much damage was done. But there will likely be a need for cleanup. I’m going to see how the automated clean-up processes handle this overnight over the next few evenings.

And I will update this post accordingly.

Last night’s clean up period did reclaim a little bit of space, but I went searching for a more definitive and timely solution, and that led me here:

https://www.urbackup.org/administration_manual.html#x1-750008.6

The remove-unknown.bat script is coming in handy right now.

I just wanted to confirm that the solution for my situation, based on the choices I made in the original post, was to run remove-unknown.bat. I didn’t have to take any other action.

It took about 14 hours to complete, but it cleaned out all the useless folders and removed all the excess storage that was being consumed.

Everything is humming along now. Awesome.