[PVE-User] Backup of all Containers and KVM

[Lukas Wagner]

On 9/29/23 09:53, sebastian at debianfan.de wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> if i want to get a full backup - can i copy the 100,101... folders complete to the backup server to get the data for  an emergency restore later?
> 
> Or is it required to use the internal backup function to get Backup files from containers and KVM and copy the dump-directory to the backup server?
> 

I'd recommend using PVE's backup function, it includes everything needed
to fully restore the VM/CT. If you need to automate that from a script,
you can use the `vzdump` command (check `man vzdump` or [1] for
instructions).
You can then copy the backup files from the dump directory. You could
also add the backup server as a storage (NFS or SMB) [2], then you can
backup to the server directly, without having to copy the backup
archives.

The '100, 101' folders - by which I think you mean the directories in
/etc/pve/{qemu,lxc} only contain the configuration files for the VM/CT,
but not the disk image. Of course, you can back them up manually and
then dump the disk image as well, but like I said, unless you have a
very good reason against PVE's native backup system (vzdump), I'd
recommend using that.

It might also be worth checking out Proxmox Backup Server, which has the 
additional benefit of offering deduplication, encryption, live-restore 
and much more.

[1] https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/vzdump.1.html
[2] https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/pve-admin-guide.html#chapter_storage

-- 
- Lukas