How to export Backups as vzdumps/tar.zst

[cave]

I was reading the Roadmap, and found the following:

• Importer for existing vzdump archives into Proxmox Backup Server

i have checked my PBS-storage. If i had to export these files, i would not have any clue how to restore with them in PVE.

on the PBS

root@pbs1:/mnt/pbs1-storage/ct/110/2023-03-05T13:37:43Z# ls
catalog.pcat1.didx index.json.blob root.pxar.didx
client.log.blob pct.conf.blob

and on the PVE Host

root@pve2:/mnt/pbs1-storage/subvol-300-disk-0/ct/110/2023-03-05T13:37:43Z# ls
catalog.pcat1.didx index.json.blob root.pxar.didx
client.log.blob pct.conf.blob

Is there a way or tool to convert {catalog.pcat1.didx index.json.blob root.pxar.didx client.log.blob pct.conf.blob} into a vzdump.tar.zst? Is it just a tar archive?

A point on the PBS Roadmap to export/download in PBS as vzdump.tar.zst file would be nice. Just the opposite as the import of vzdump.tar.zst file for existing backups.

At the yellow area, i'd expect a download button to download as vzdump.tar.zst so i could copy it to another PVE to /var/lib/vz/dump/ and restore there.

 

[Dunuin]

PBS doesn't store guests individually. All actual data is stored in tons of deduplicated chunk files that all guests are sharing. Those files you mentioned are just config files and the catalog files that define which chunks are needed in which order to recreate your virtual disk.

Way to go would be to restore a guest using a different VMID from PBS to PVE, let PVE create a VZDump backup of that restored VM and then destroy that restored VM.

 

[cave]

Those files you mentioned are just config files and the catalog files that define which chunks are needed in which order to recreate your virtual disk.

So it would even make more sense to have an export functionality PBS->vzdump.tar-zst

the path PBS->PVE->restore-CT->backup-CT->delete-CT->scp-dump is clear for me. <-- thats why an "easy" export would be neat.

The oposite direction is already on the Roadmap: Import existing vzdump.tar.zst -> pbs-ct file -> PBS storage

or even to push a vzdump.tar.zst to a specific dir or storage.

 

[Dunuin]

Of cause a useful feature but I would guess it wouldn't be high on the todo list, in case it is at all.
At least I wouldn't invest expensive work hours to develope a feature that aims to make it easier to stop using a product I would want to sell additional subscriptions for.

But you could open a feature request for that in the bug tracker: bugzilla.proxmox.com

 

[dcsapak]

you can always make a 'restore' of the disk to a new file and pipe it through zstd. this might be more work when actually restoring (decompressing, moving to the right place with correct naming/importing with qm importdisk) but it would basically do the same job