zfs-remote-send/README.md

ZFS Move Over SSH

zfs-move-over-ssh.sh snapshots every ZFS filesystem in a source pool, then sends each snapshot to a remote ZFS server over SSH. A vdev is the underlying storage device; ZFS filesystems belong to a pool, so pass the pool name.

For a source tree such as:

tank/data
tank/data/documents
tank/data/media

and destination root backup/data, the script sends the filesystems to:

backup/data
backup/data/documents
backup/data/media

Each local snapshot is named move-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.

Requirements

• Run the script as an account that can use zfs on the source server.
• The source host needs Bash, ZFS utilities, and SSH.
• The destination host needs ZFS utilities and the destination pool must exist.
• The SSH account on the destination must be able to execute sudo -n zfs without a password prompt.
• SSH must use a private key or SSH agent. Password authentication is disabled by the script so a migration cannot pause and prompt once per dataset.
• SSH connectivity and host-key verification must already work.

The script is intended for one-shot full snapshot transfers. It does not use incremental sends or resume tokens.

Usage

bash zfs-move-over-ssh.sh [options] SOURCE_POOL REMOTE_HOST DESTINATION_ROOT

Example:

bash zfs-move-over-ssh.sh tank root@new-server backup/tank

Use a non-standard SSH key or port when needed:

bash zfs-move-over-ssh.sh \
  --identity-file ~/.ssh/zfs-migration \
  --ssh-port 2222 \
  tank admin@new-server backup/tank

SSH Setup

Create a dedicated key on the source server if one does not already exist:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/zfs-migration -C zfs-migration

Install its public key for the remote account. This one command may ask for the remote account password during setup; the migration itself will not:

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/zfs-migration.pub admin@new-server

Verify that authentication and remote ZFS access work without either password:

ssh -i ~/.ssh/zfs-migration -o BatchMode=yes admin@new-server \
  'sudo -n zfs list'

If this command fails, configure the remote account's sudoers entry for the necessary zfs commands with NOPASSWD before running the migration. Do not put a password in the script or on its command line.

REMOTE_HOST must be a complete hostname or address, such as root@192.0.2.10 or admin@new-server. root@ is invalid because it has no host after the @.

Options:

Option	Description
-n, --dry-run	Print planned snapshot, send, and receive commands without running them.
-i, --identity-file FILE	Use the specified SSH private key.
-p, --ssh-port PORT	Connect to the specified SSH port.
--destroy-source-snapshots	Remove each local migration snapshot only after its receive succeeds.
-h, --help	Show command help.

Recommended Procedure

1. Confirm the source datasets:

zfs list -r tank

2. Confirm remote privileged ZFS access:

```bash
ssh admin@new-server 'sudo -n zfs list'

3. Preview the operation. Review every destination name in the output:

bash zfs-move-over-ssh.sh --dry-run tank admin@new-server backup/tank

4. Run the migration:

```bash
bash zfs-move-over-ssh.sh tank admin@new-server backup/tank

5. Verify the received datasets and data before retiring the source:

ssh admin@new-server 'sudo zfs list -r backup/tank'

## Safety and Recovery

- The script does **not** destroy source filesystems or source data.
- By default, the generated local snapshots remain on the source. This allows a
failed run to be inspected or sent again. Remove them manually only after
verification, or use `--destroy-source-snapshots` once the workflow is trusted.
- The remote command is `zfs receive -uF`. `-u` leaves received filesystems
unmounted. `-F` can roll back the destination filesystem and destroy newer
snapshots or changes that conflict with the incoming snapshot. Do not point
the script at a destination containing data you need unless you have reviewed
the dry-run output and have a current backup.
- The script processes one filesystem at a time. If it stops partway through,
completed destination filesystems remain received. Re-running with the same
source can create another timestamped snapshot; inspect both source and
destination state before retrying.
- A successful transfer is not a destructive move. Verify applications and
data on the destination, then perform any source cleanup separately.

## Notes

The destination root itself does not have to exist before the transfer, but
its parent pool or filesystem must exist and the remote account must have ZFS
permission to create the target datasets. Dataset properties are included in
the stream through `zfs send -p`.