Backup KVM with stop + shapshot

I don't know the exact relation between kpartx and multipath, but what you do can essentially be achieved with kpartx too, on the host, without the tedious task of managing a new linux vm for the purpose. The kpartx+LVM tools combo didn't cause any trouble on Proxmox for me, it's working as expected.

On another note, I'm currently planning our new backup strategy and I'm trying to figure an automated way for cloning NTFS volumes effectively, very much like your solution. My problem is that it would require the shutdown of the Win VMs, disrupting service availability. Now because of this I'm leaning towards agent-based solutions (testing Bacula ATM), that enables me to notify applications of the backup and do everything necessary so they can be backed up in a consistent way, but without stopping the whole vm.
 
I was thinking to use shadow but too much work and then always a chance of bad backup, almost impossible to do this on the domain controller (how do you stop ADS?). If you use LVM snapshots, its a minimal interruption just 10-20min?, and if you automate process and schedule it at night, no one ever will notice it.

I really dont want to modify host machine allot, just want to stay with reliable method. Since proxmox people dont support kpartx/multipath, I wont use them. Ive been using Ubuntu Hardy with VMware/OpenVZ for over two years along with kpartx and it was okay, just too much work for initial setup. If I wont see multiuser interface on proxmox this year, I'll be moving on to something else, don't want to create proxmox dependent solution. Right now many distros working on virtualization solutions, I suspect proxmox going to get competition real soon.
 
vlad said:
Yes, but its a waste of backup space if there is not much data. What I need to do is:
ntfsclone -s -o backupfile.ntfs /dev/pve/snap0p1
or
ntfsclone -s -o backupfile.ntfs /dev/pve/snap0p5
where snap0p1 primary partition in KVMs drive and snap0p5 is a secondary.

if vm-102-disk-1 is 100gb, and snap0p1 uses only 15gb, snap0p5 using only 25gb then my backups will be only 40gb in size and your backups will be whole 100gb, do you understand now?
Click to expand...
I think I've got what you mean. You are using logical volume as DISK but you can use logical volume as PARTITION, can you?

Stas
 
giner said:
I think I've got what you mean. You are using logical volume as DISK but you can use logical volume as PARTITION, can you?

Stas
Click to expand...

Yes, you can, either use multipath tools or attach to another KVM machine(thats what Im doing for backups).
 
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