Backup and restore#

The full cluster backup is composed by configuration and applications data. Access the Backup page to manage the backup and restore.

Backup repository#

First, you will need to configure a backup repository where the data will be saved. A backup repository keeps all backup data encrypted using restic engine.

Access the Backup page, click on Add repository button and choose a provider. Currently supported providers are:

Fill in the required fields depending on the chosen provider.

A new encryption key will be automatically created for new repositories. If you are accessing a repository which already contains a NS8 backup, remember also to enter the Repository password under the Advanced section.

Local storage#

If you want to store backup data in a locally attached storage, like an external USB disk or similar, follow this procedure:

  1. Format the disk with a supported filesystem, for example XFS:

    mkfs.xfs /dev/disk/by-id/some-disk-id

  2. Create a Podman volume named backup00 for it:

    podman volume create \
      --label org.nethserver.role=backup \
      --opt=device=/dev/disk/by-id/some-disk-id \
      --opt=o=noatime \
      backup00

  3. Configure the rclone-webdav.service unit to use that volume:

    echo BACKUP_VOLUME=backup00 > /var/lib/nethserver/node/state/rclone-webdav.env

  4. Restart the service. The disk is mounted automatically:

    systemctl restart rclone-webdav.service

    Note

    The disk is unmounted when the rclone-webdav service is stopped

  5. Remove the default volume used by the service, because it is no longer used. Existing content will be lost:

    podman volume rm rclone-webdav

Application backup#

Once at least one repository has been configured, you can schedule the backup of existing applications:

  • click on Schedule backup button

  • select which application instances should be added to the backup

  • choose one backup repository

  • setup day and time of the backup and the retention policy

  • enter a name of the backup

  • save the configuration by clicking the Schedule backup button

Whenever you want to manually execute the backup, click the Run backup now item from the three-dots menu of the scheduled backup.

To add more instances to an existing backup, click the Edit item from the three-dots menu of the scheduled backup.

Application restore#

You can restore an application only if there is at least one repository configured:

  • click on the Restore an app button.

  • a dialog box will list all applications inside the existing backup, select the application you want to restore

  • as default the restore procedure will create a new instance, if you want to replace the existing one select the Replace existing app option

  • select the target node

  • click on the Restore button

Cluster backup#

The cluster configuration backup contains all required data to execute a Disaster recovery. It is a compressed JSON file encrypted with GPG.

The first time Backup page is accessed an encryption password must be set and stored in a safe place. A new encryption password is needed also after a new leader node is elected (see Promote a node to leader).

To download the cluster configuration backup, click on Download cluster backup button under the Cluster configuration section of the Backup page.

Please, download the cluster configuration backup and keep it on a safe place.

In addition, the cluster configuration backup is automatically copied to the designated repository each time a scheduled operation occurs. This ensures that the repository holds up-to-date backups of both your data and the specific cluster setup, including all its configurations.

Note

In case you lose the configuration backup, you can still restore applications to another cluster only if you know the encryption password of the backup repository.

To inspect the content of the backup use the following command, where <pass> is the encryption password entered before the download:

echo <pass> | gpg --batch --passphrase-fd 0 --decrypt backup.json.gz.gpg | gunzip | jq

Disaster recovery#

You can restore a previously configured cluster using the disaster recovery procedure. To follow this procedure you will need a a cluster configuration backup:

  1. install a new cluster and login using default credentials

  2. change the default administrator password

  3. click on Restore cluster

  4. you can now choose whether to restore a cluster configuration hosted on a remote HTTP server or upload the backup from your browser

  5. if on step 2 you entered the same password of the old cluster, the system will automatically decrypt the configuration backup; otherwise enter the encryption secret inside the Backup password field

  6. select the applications to restore