zfs q regarding backup strategy

[David Christensen]

On 10/3/21 02:20, Steve O'Hara-Smith wrote:
> On Sun, 3 Oct 2021 01:36:51 -0700 David Christensen wrote:

> 	The easy option is to have the archive server boot from UFS so that
> it can do things before ZFS starts up. 


I ran into the bootpool/ zroot issue when I built a FreeBSD root-on-ZFS 
USB flash drive for maintenance purposes.  I saw a few choices:

1.  Install with UFS, as you suggest.  I have done this in the past and 
it works.  But, ZFS is a killer feature.  I want root-on-ZFS on all of 
my bootable devices; including maintenance USB flash drives.

2.  Rename bootpool and zroot on the USB flash drive.  I now set a 
unique root pool name during installation, but have not tried renaming 
bootpool.

3.  Use the FreeBSD installer USB stick rescue/ live shell.  I do this 
when I need to get inside an offline FreeBSD disk.

4.  Use my Debian maintenance USB flash drive (MBR, ext4).  This, plus 
an external USB HDD, is how I take/ restore/ clone OS disk images. 
Unfortunately, I do not see Debian packages for GELI or UFS.  I have not 
tested ZFS compatability between Debian and FreeBSD.


>> Do you have any idea if and what hooks are available during system boot
>> and ZFS setup?
> 
> 	The easiest thing is to use the rc script dependency mechanism to
> do things before zfs gets going.


That sounds like a possibility.


> 	KISS and UFS[1] I think.

+1


David