[SOLVED] host type backup: missing catalog.pcat1

[phaeussler]

Dear members

I am using proxmox backup client to create filesystem backups in the proxmox backup server. These backups are ot type 'host' and creating them seems to work without errors (at least, I can't find any in the server's syslog).

Here is the command I use to create a backup:

podman run --rm --volume /data/podman/paperless-ngx:/data:ro --name pbsclient pbsclient proxmox-backup-client backup --backup-id=cnt01-paperless --change-detection-mode=metadata --backup-type host paperlss.pxar:/data

As you can see, I run the backup client in a container (Debian bookworm) since I need to backup files on an Rocky Linux 9 server.

In the backup on the backup server, I then see there files:

host/cnt01-paperless
    |
    +---- host/cnt01-paperless/2024-07-06T04:36:17Z
                 |
                 +---- index.json.blob
                 +---- paperless.mpxar.didx
                 +---- paperless.ppxar.didx

In here, there is no file catalog.pcat1.didx. But when I try to list the backup's contents, I get an error. Here is how I try to list the contents:

podman run --rm --volume /tmp:/tmp --name pbsclient pbsclient proxmox-backup-client catalog dump host/cnt01-paperless/2024-07-06T04:36:17Z

Note: I need to mount /tmpin the container since this backup client command requires access to /tmp.

The command results in this error:

Error: Unable to open dynamic index "/mnt/datastore/pbs-backup-ssd/host/cnt01-paperless/2024-07-06T04:36:17Z/catalog.pcat1.didx" - No such file or directory (os error 2)

As you can see, it tries to access catalog.pcat1.didx which isn't created by the backup.

Any idea what I am doing wrong?

Many thanks in advance and kind regards,

Pascal

 

[Chris]

Dear members

I am using proxmox backup client to create filesystem backups in the proxmox backup server. These backups are ot type 'host' and creating them seems to work without errors (at least, I can't find any in the server's syslog).

Here is the command I use to create a backup:

podman run --rm --volume /data/podman/paperless-ngx:/data:ro --name pbsclient pbsclient proxmox-backup-client backup --backup-id=cnt01-paperless --change-detection-mode=metadata --backup-type host paperlss.pxar:/data

As you can see, I run the backup client in a container (Debian bookworm) since I need to backup files on an Rocky Linux 9 server.

In the backup on the backup server, I then see there files:

host/cnt01-paperless
    |
    +---- host/cnt01-paperless/2024-07-06T04:36:17Z
                 |
                 +---- index.json.blob
                 +---- paperless.mpxar.didx
                 +---- paperless.ppxar.didx

In here, there is no file catalog.pcat1.didx. But when I try to list the backup's contents, I get an error. Here is how I try to list the contents:

podman run --rm --volume /tmp:/tmp --name pbsclient pbsclient proxmox-backup-client catalog dump host/cnt01-paperless/2024-07-06T04:36:17Z

Note: I need to mount /tmpin the container since this backup client command requires access to /tmp.

The command results in this error:

Error: Unable to open dynamic index "/mnt/datastore/pbs-backup-ssd/host/cnt01-paperless/2024-07-06T04:36:17Z/catalog.pcat1.didx" - No such file or directory (os error 2)

As you can see, it tries to access catalog.pcat1.didx which isn't created by the backup.

Any idea what I am doing wrong?

Many thanks in advance and kind regards,

Pascal

Hi,
this is expected as the backup snapshots created with the (at the time of writing experimental) change-detection-mode using the data or metadata mode create a split pxar archive, separating metadata and data (mpxar and ppxar). Since the metadata archive already contains all the information otherwise just duplicated in the dedicated catalog, the catalog is not written anymore for such snapshots.

You can use the proxmox-backup-client mount <snapshot> <archive-name>.mpxar <path-to-mountpoint> command to mount the metadata archive and dump the contents via the find <path-to-mountpoint>, that should give you a similar output.

If you do not see this fitting and you rely on the catalog output, please do not hesitate to open a bug report at https://bugzilla.proxmox.com/ including a short description for your usecase, than in order for us to decide if and how to introduce the dump functionality also for split pxar archives.

Lastly, thanks for testing the change-detection-mode feedback as described in https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/pbs-client-change-detection-mode.150538/ is very much appreciated.

 

[phaeussler]

Dear Chris

Thanks a lot for your quick response and the explanations. I just expected, that I overlooked something. It's good to understand this now, I will mark this as SOLVED.

Kind regards,

Pascal

 

[Chris]

Following some discussion on the mailing list we decided that allowing for the catalog dump functionality also in case of snapshots containing split pxar archives.

Therefore, a patch series implementing the dump based on the pxar metadata archive has been send to the mailing list https://lists.proxmox.com/pipermail/pbs-devel/2024-July/010260.html