DNS-323 as rsync backup server? Yes!
My situation: I have a Synology DS216+II NAS with a lot of important data on it, and I have an old D-Link DNS-323 standing around doing nothing, because well... it's old, and because the DS216 won't backup to a network share.
Fortunately, there's a nice fix for this I just stumbled upon. Note that 99% of this work does not originate with me, but rather here and here. I'm just putting it together into a more complete format.
Preparation
- Perform a factory reset on your DNS-323, then configure it far enough to have an empty volume (most likely 'Volume_1')
- Create some user that has r/w access to this volume, such that you can mount it from your computer
- Download the two files fun_plug and fun_plug.tgz and place them in the topmost folder of the empty volume. Do not extract the archive file!
- Reboot the DNS-323 (e.g. from the web interface)
Installation of the Fonz fun_plug 0.5
Follow this guide very carefully. You are done as soon as you are successfully logged in over SSH and Telnet is no longer active.
Configuration of rsync
Complete steps 2 and 3 from this guide.
IMPORTANT: Contrary to the guide, make sure this line
pid file = /var/run/rsyncd.pid
looks like this
pid file =/var/run/rsyncd.pid
instead. (Note that there's no more empty space after the equal sign.)
Also make sure the user you choose as 'backup_user' has also been created in the web interface of the DNS-323. You cannot choose 'root' for this by the way.
Lastly you need to run chmod a+x /mnt/HD_a2/ffp/start/rsyncd.sh to ensure the rsync server will start automatically on startup.