# offsite Published articles for offsite. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## I Built a Real 3-2-1 Backup System with TrueNAS, Offsite Replication, and UNAS DevFeed: [I Built a Real 3-2-1 Backup System with TrueNAS, Offsite Replication, and UNAS]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Techno Tim Published: 2026-04-12T13:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Techno Tim]() Topics: [truenas](), [Homelab](), [Replication](), [Server]() Tags: [backup](), [homelab](), [nas](), [offsite](), [replication](), [truenas]() ### AI overview A homelab operator describes building a 3-2-1 backup system for roughly 30 TB of data. The setup uses an offsite TrueNAS box, a redesigned main NAS, and a third copy on another platform to support simpler individual-file restores while avoiding ongoing cloud-backup costs. ### Source excerpt What started as, "I just need a backup," turned into a full rebuild. I wanted a real 3-2-1 backup system for my homelab without signing up for a giant cloud bill to cover roughly 30TB of data. That ended up meaning an offsite TrueNAS box, a redesign of the main NAS, and eventually a third copy on a different platform so pulling back one file would not turn into a ZFS project. Watch the vide... ## Running Effective Agile Standup Meetings DevFeed: [Running Effective Agile Standup Meetings]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Fuzzygroup Published: 2019-11-06T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Scott Johnson]() Topics: [Agile](), [Self-organizing Team]() Tags: [agile](), [daily](), [effective](), [google](), [management](), [meetings](), [offsite](), [scrum](), [startup](), [team](), [zoom]() ### AI overview A personal account of effective daily Agile stand-up meetings for a team of eight. The recommended practices include starting on time regardless of attendance, scheduling meetings five minutes after the hour, using a consistent meeting URL, and following a simple three-question format. ### Source excerpt So my new gig has moved to doing daily agile standup meetings and while I've done these before, I don't think I've ever seen them done quite so consistently well. And the credit for this goes to my boss, Dave Sifry, who is our lead facilitator. We are a team of 8 people and, so far, we have brought them in at under the scheduled 15 minutes per meeting every time. Here are the techniques that we are using: Start on time. If everyone isn't there, well, the meeting happens anyway. Ideally, if the team lead isn't on time, the meeting happens anyway. Scheduled for 5 minutes after the hour. This allows people in other meetings to make it. A consistent Url. This is the one down side to Zoom - the meeting can't start if the leader isn't present. If we used Google Meet then that wouldn't be an issue. A simple format. A ridiculously simple, fast format: Here's what I'm up to today Here's what I'm stuck on. How can I help anyone else? While I'm generally not a fan of meetings, agile stand ups, done this way, tend to bring developers into line. Even if a developer isn't good with email - or good with text messages - normally they can handle "show up at time X for 15 minutes every day". In closing, while I'm not a huge proponent of heavy weight agile processes (think scrum / agile velocity), I am really enjoying daily stand ups again. Recommended. ## Running a Team Retrospective Meeting DevFeed: [Running a Team Retrospective Meeting]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Fuzzygroup Published: 2019-11-01T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Scott Johnson]() Topics: [Agile](), [Requirements](), [Slack](), [Template](), [Google]() Tags: [agile](), [distributed](), [email](), [how-to](), [management](), [meetings](), [offsite](), [project](), [requirements](), [slack](), [startup](), [team]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains how to run a lightweight team retrospective using a shared Google Spreadsheet and a visible timer. It outlines reviewing what went well, identifying improvements, and voting on the results. ### Source excerpt I am a member of an 8 person team that is: part of a non profit distributed all over the country trying to get started on a new initiative and find our footing; we are about 1 year old (I've only been here for 2 months) just had our first offsite At the offsite I witnessed a fascinating exercises in doing a retrospective on the past year's work that my boss, Dave Sifry, orchestrated. This is now my third time consulting for Dave Sifry and he and I have done this before but I never documented it so I wanted to write down how to was done. What is a Retrospective Meeting? A retrospective is when a team looks back and tries to determine: What went well What to improve Possible questions The idea of this type of retrospective is that you're doing it in a lightweight, agile fashion where you aren't spending days or even a day on it. You can literally review a year's worth of work in under an hour (I know this because we just did it). Requirements Here's what you need to do this: A shared Google Spreadsheet that breaks things down into columns you can vote on. Here's the template to use. A timer; we used "Visual Timer 2" on an iPad which was awesome since it had great sounds but any count down timer would work. The key here is that you want it to be highly visible to everyone on the team hence using it on an iPad not a phone. Step 1 - What Went Well Here are the specific steps: Take the spreadsheet template and save it to a new name, something like "Project Name - Time Period - Retrospective". Our name was CTS 2019 Retrospective. Post the link to the spreadsheet in your team's Slack channel or email or something that everyone gets. Start the timer and announce something like "Ok. Starting now. We have 15 minutes to document what went well; GO !" Have everyone open the spreadsheet and start typing in things that went well. If someone is working in cell A2 then move to cell A3 (or A10 or whatever). No one should overwrite anyone's work. Announce "When you are done, return yo ## Running a P1, P2, P3 Team Prioritization Meeting DevFeed: [Running a P1, P2, P3 Team Prioritization Meeting]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Fuzzygroup Published: 2019-10-31T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Scott Johnson]() Topics: [Process](), [To-Do]() Tags: [management](), [meetings](), [offsite](), [process](), [startup](), [tasks](), [team](), [time]() ### AI overview This article describes a team prioritization meeting that classifies work as P1, P2, or P3. The team lists its tasks, assigns priority levels, and limits the number of top-level P1 priorities to roughly one per person or fewer. ### Source excerpt Really is anything more scary than prioritization???; Picture taken at Pete's Dueling Piano Bar, Austin, TX; Recommended I am a member of an 8 person team that is: part of a non profit distributed all over the country trying to get started on a new initiative and find our footing; we are about 1 year old (I've only been here for 2 months) just had our first offsite juggling way too much work hence the need to prioritize At the offsite I witnessed a fascinating exercises in setting priorities that my boss, Dave Sifry, orchestrated. I haven't seen prioritization done quite this way in the past so I wanted to write down how this was done. I also made one important contribution during the process Step 1 - Terms There are three types of priorities: P1 - something that you have to do the instant it comes up; drop everything and worry about it P2 - something that you can do on the second day P3 - something that can wait 3 days Step 2 - List What You Do This was a simple process: Put all people in the same room with a shared note space (white board or easel size post it ) Designate a person to write all the things that you do Time bound the exercise to say 20 minutes and try and make sure that each person's tasks are listed Pro Tip 1: Make sure that the person listing the priorities on the white board / easel size post it has decent hand writing. Our initial writer was close to illegible so we had to rewrite them all. Pro Tip 2: Use a different color pen for each person's tasks Step 3 - Apply the Priorities You then go through the tasks and write down P1, P2, P3 next to each task. Inherently you are going to err on the side of P1 which brings us to My Contribution. My Contribution My contribution to this process was actually pretty simple. I asked this question: How many top level, P1, priorities can a team our size support? My boss had a brilliant answer - "maybe one per person, possibly less". I really wasn't trying to be a jerk; just trying to apply my normal engineering ## Essential Technology for a Team Offsite DevFeed: [Essential Technology for a Team Offsite]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Fuzzygroup Published: 2019-10-30T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Scott Johnson]() Topics: [hdmi](), [USB](), [Chrome](), [Windows](), [dropbox](), [Google]() Tags: [battery](), [beats](), [cast](), [chrome](), [chrome-cast](), [connectivity](), [dropbox](), [hdmi](), [hotspot](), [ipad](), [mac](), [management](), [offsite](), [startup](), [team](), [technology](), [wifi](), [windows]() ### AI overview A personal checklist of technology to bring to a team offsite, based on difficulties connecting several devices to a Chromecast-equipped TV. The recommendations include cables, USB storage, power accessories, a hotspot, a Chromecast, and a USB speaker, with dongles suggested for newer MacBooks. ### Source excerpt I'm in the process of wrapping up a team offsite even though I was ostensibly the lead technologist present, I was not actually prepared in terms of bringing the right technology with me to facilitate the team's needs. The single worst omission was the lack of an HDMI cable without which, I saw three tech folk (me, other engineer #1, team coordinator) fail to be able to connect a Mac, an iPad and a Windows box to a Chrome Cast equipped TV. Here is my list of the technical stuff I will never again be without for a team meeting: A couple of USB sticks. Even today in the age of Google Drive and DropBox, USB sticks can still be more convenient An Anker USB battery just in case 2 lightning cables, at least one of which is 6 foot like this Amazon cable 1 6' USB type C cable 1 USB 2 cable 1 power strip with USB ports 1 extension cord with USB ports 1 Verizon Mifi Hotspot able to share connectivity if WiFi fails 1 ChromeCast 1 6' HDMI Cable 1 USB Speaker like a Beats Pill This is roughly enough technology to support a team offsite of 6 to 8 people (imho). Note: I use a MacBook 2015 classic so I still have real ports. If you are using newer MacBooks then you likely need dongles as well.