Free drive space on FreeNAS iSCSi repository

[omfk]

Hi all,

I'm using a FreeNAS system for the whole purpose of acting as a Veeam repository (backup copy jobs). The FreeNAS repository is connected via iSCSi to the Veeam server. This system worked flawlessly for the last 2 years. During a recent creation of a merging process it seems that the FreeNAS was running out space.

FreeNAS reported > 96% utilization, whereas the server acting as Veeamserver reported nearly 2.5TB of space left.
In the mean time I even deleted another 2.5TB file, so that Windows reports 5TB free but FreeNAS still reports a full drive.

Is there any way to regain the space on the FreeNAS repository?

BR
Frank

[foggy]

Hi Frank, have you tried to rescan the infrastructure?

[omfk]

When I rescan the repository I get (among others) the following error:
16.05.2019 19:56:48 Warning Failed to import backup path S:|Backups|Backup Copy Job - srvhh01|Backup Copy Job - srvhh01.vbm Details: Item [Backup Copy Job - srvhh01] is locked by running session Backup Copy Job - srvhh01 [Backup Copy]

Shall I cancel the backup copy job first?
Will that result in a new backup chain?

BR
Frank

[foggy]

Yes, you can stop/disable the job, this wouldn't trigger a new chain.

[omfk]

The rescan run through:
16.05.2019 20:21:15 FreeNAS_10TB_iSCSI: 0 added, 0 encrypted, 0 updated, 0 removed, 3 skipped, 0 failed

Windows shows me 5.3TB of 9.9TB free, but FreeNAS still shows >96% utilization error message.

[foggy]

I'm not sure how FreeNAS reports free space and manages deleted blocks, you'd better ask in their community.

[Did]

Hi,
This is expected behavior due to the use of iSCSI. Windows hasn't yet reported the blocks as zeroed and free to use to the iSCSI target.
For ZFS ZVOLS that are being used in Windows, I've used Sysinternals sdelete with the '-z' flag to zero the blocks. This takes time but it works.