9. Backups Management

Table of contents

• Backups Management
  • Introduction
  • An overview of the backup options
    • Recommendations for selection
  • Manage backup policies
    • Components of a backup policy
    • Available backup policies
  • Assign backup policy to a resource
    • Best Practices
  • Ransomware protection
  • Manage your backups
  • Backup dashboard overview
    • Projects
    • Virtual machines
    • Volumes
    • Backups
      • Available backups
      • Ongoing restorations
      • Scheduled backups
      • Faulty backups
      • Expired backups
  • Step-by-step: Applying a backup policy and performing a restore
    • 1. apply backup policy to an image-based VM
      • First steps
    • 2. execute backup immediately
    • 3. perform an in-place restore

9.1. Introduction

Backing up your data is an essential part of any IT infrastructure. In the new Cloud Services Portal, we offer you various options for reliably backing up your important data in virtual machines (VMs) and volumes and restoring it if necessary.

With the new backup function in the Cloud Services Portal, we provide you with a modern and user-friendly solution that has been specially developed to:

• Ensure maximum data security through block-based backups.
• Simplify and speed up the recovery process.
• Enable automated and scheduled backups.
• Provide protection against ransomware through strict backup policies.
• Enable storage flexibility through local and external backup options.

This documentation guides you through all the important aspects of the backup function and shows you how to protect your data in the best possible way.

9.2. An overview of the backup options

To make it easier for you to choose, we have compiled a comprehensive overview of all available backup solutions in our Cloud Services Portal. Each solution has its own specific strengths and is suitable for different use cases.

Comparison of the backup functions

Function	Portal Backup	Restic
Basic properties
Type	block-based	file-based
Atomar (live backup)	Yes	No
Incremental	Yes (CoW)	Yes
Memory optimization
Compression	No	Yes
Deduplication	No	Yes
Encryption	Yes	Yes
Location
Local storage (AZ)	Yes (CoW)	Yes
External memory	Yes (rbd-mirror+CoW)	Ja (object-storage)
Security functions
Deletion protection	Yes	No
strict backup policies	Yes	No
Supported resources
Attached volumes	Yes	Yes
Volume-based VM	Yes	Yes
Image-based VM	Yes	Yes
Image VM (local storage)	No	Yes
Restore options
Restore as a new volume	Yes	Yes
Restore as new VM	Yes	Yes
In-Place Recovery Volume	Yes	Yes
In-place recovery VM	Yes	Yes
Restoration in another AZ	Yes	Yes
Advanced functions
Consistency groups	In the next version	No
Continuous data protection	In the next version	No

Note

• CoW = Copy-on-Write technology
• AZ = Availability Zone

9.2.1. Recommendations for selection

• Portal Backup: Best choice for mission-critical workloads with high security requirements
• Restic: Recommended for special use cases with a need for file-level backups

Tip

The portal backup offers the most comprehensive functions and is particularly recommended for productive environments that place high demands on data security and recoverability.

9.3. Manage backup policies

Backup policies are the heart of our backup solution. They define:

• When a backup is created.
• How often backups are created.
• How long backups are stored.
• how to handle errors.

A well thought-out backup policy helps to protect your data effectively.

9.3.1. Components of a backup policy

Properties of the backup policies

Feature	Description
Name	Unique identifier of the backup policy (e.g. “daily-production-backup”)
Backup backend rule	Defines the target storage for backups. The robust ‘rbd’ (RADOS Block Device) backend is currently supported
Backup strategy	Determines the immutability of the policy: flexible: Can be modified or removed strict: Provides protection against unintentional changes or manipulation
Backup time window	Maximum random delay (in hours) before the backup is created. Prevents load peaks through simultaneous backup starts
Description	Detailed, comprehensible description of the backup purpose and configuration
Incremental policy	Number of incremental backups between full backups. Optimizes storage usage and backup speed
Notification e-mail	E-mail address for status messages after backup execution
Storage in primary storage	Number of backup generations to be kept locally. Enables fast recovery
Storage in secondary storage	Number of backup generations to be stored externally. Ensures additional data security
Repeats	Maximum number of retries for failed backups. Increases the reliability of the backup process
Schedule	Defines the backup frequency: Daily: For critical productive data Weekly: For rarely changing data Monthly: For archiving purposes

Note

The combination of these properties allows you to precisely coordinate your backup strategy. Please note the following aspects when configuring your policies:

• Datasecurity
• Resource usage
• Restoration times

Tip

We recommend for critical production systems:

• stict Backup policies to protect against accidental changes
• Short backup intervals (daily)
• Sufficient storage time in both storage levels
• Enabled e-mail notifications for prompt response to problems

9.3.2. Available backup policies

Name	Backend rule	strategy	Time window	Description
relaxed-daily-7	rbd	flexible	4	7 flexible daily backups
relaxed-daily-21	rbd	flexible	4	21 flexible daily backups
relaxed-daily-35	rbd	flexible	4	35 flexible backups daily

Note

Further backup policies such as weekly, monthly and strict will follow shortly.

9.4. Assign backup policy to a resource

You can assign backup policies at the following levels:

• Project level The policy set here is adopted dynamically for all underlying VMs.
• VM level The policy set here is adopted for all underlying volumes.
• Volume level The policy set here is only applied to the defined volume.

The levels are managed hierarchically, so definitions at volume level overwrite those at project level.

Warning

As soon as the strict property is set for a backup policy, this policy can no longer be changed.

9.4.1. Best Practices

• For dynamic projects with frequent VM creation: Use project-level backup policies
• For static projects: Use VM or volume-level backup policies

9.5. Ransomware protection

Important

• strict backup policies prevent ransomware attacks from removing the backup policies
• TTLs can be extended, but never shortened
• TTLs prevent premature backup deletion

9.6. Manage your backups

In the portal, navigate to the backup panel in the left sidebar:

9.7. Backup dashboard overview

9.7.1. Projects

Shows you a list of your available projects On the right-hand side you can:

• Set backup policy: To assign a backup policy at project level

Functions:

• Projects can be expanded to display associated VMs
• VMs can be expanded to display attached volumes (cinder volumes and Nova disk for image-based VMs)
• Volumes can be expanded to view their backups
• Available backup actions are described in the ‘Backups’ section

9.7.2. Virtual machines

Shows you a list of your available VMs On the right-hand side, you can:

• Set backup policy: To assign a backup policy at VM level

Functions:

• VMs can be expanded to display attached volumes (cinder volumes and Nova disk for image-based VMs)
• Volumes can be expanded to view their backups
• Available backup actions are described in the ‘Backups’ section

9.7.3. Volumes

Shows you a list of your available volumes On the right-hand side you can:

• Set backup policy: To assign a backup policy at the volume level

Functions:

• Volumes can be expanded to view their backups
• Available backup actions are described in the ‘Backups’ section

9.7.4. Backups

Here you will find an overview of all your backups:

9.7.4.1. Available backups

Shows all completed, non-expired backups. Available actions:

• Details: Show all information about the backup
• Extend backup lifetime: Extend TTL of the backup, e.g. for longer-term storage of year-end backups; unlimited storage possible
• In-place restore: Restore to a (unmounted) volume or a (shutdown) VM
• Restore as new volume: Restore to a new volume (name, AZ and volume type required)
• Restore as new image: Restore as new Glance image (image name required)

9.7.4.2. Ongoing restorations

Shows backups with ongoing recovery.

9.7.4.3. Scheduled backups

Shows upcoming scheduled backups. Available actions:

• Details: Show all information about the planned backup
• Run immediately: Create backup manually and immediately

9.7.4.4. Faulty backups

Shows backups with restore errors.

9.7.4.5. Expired backups

Shows expired backups (deleted from memory). Available actions:

• Details: Show all information about the expired backup

Note

• AZ = Availability Zone
• TTL = Time To Live (Lebensdauer)
• EoY = End of Year

9.8. Step-by-step: Applying a backup policy and performing a restore

In this step-by-step guide, we show you how to:

1. Apply a backup policy to an image-based VM (e-flavor)
2. Execute the backup policy manually to create a backup immediately
3. Perform an in-place restore to undo all changes since the backup

Important

• The VM may remain in state active during backup creation.
• The VM must be in state Shutdown for restore.

9.8.1. 1. apply backup policy to an image-based VM

9.8.1.1. First steps

Navigate to the “Backups” section in the portal via the left sidebar:

2. Switch to the VM overview:

• Click on the “Virtual machines” tab

3. Assign backup policy:

• Click on “Set backup policy” in the action column on the right
• Select the “relaxed-daily-7” policy
• Enter “2” as the start time
• Click on “Set policy”

9.8.2. 2. execute backup immediately

1. Display volumes and switch to the backup plan:

• Click on the expand button on the left to display all volumes of the VM
• Select the “Scheduled backups” tab
• Click on “Execute immediately” in the action column on the right

2. Start backup:

• Enter the backup ID
• Click on “Execute”

9.8.3. 3. perform an in-place restore

1. Restore backup:

• Navigate to the “Backups” area
• Select the “Available backups” tab
• Wait until the new backup is available
• Click on “In-place restore” in the action column on the right

2. Confirm restoration:

• Enter the backup ID
• Click on “Restore”

Note

• Ensure that the VM is in state shut down before restoring
• Back up important data before restoring
• You can find the backup ID in the overview of available backups