Proxmox VE inteface snapshot or backup

[Halgeir]

Can someone explain to me the difference between snapshot or backup choice in the 2.x gui. What is really happening in the background when I run these functions?

)-|algeir

 

[tom]

backup:
LVM snapshot to backup VM/CT data to an archive

snapshot for KVM:
with KVM live snapshot (works only for storages with snapshot support (qcow2, in future for rbd, nexenta, sheepdog, ...) you can save the current state (including RAM) of a VM.

 

[Halgeir]

backup:
LVM snapshot to backup VM/CT data to an archive

snapshot for KVM:
with KVM live snapshot (works only for storages with snapshot support (qcow2, in future for rbd, nexenta, sheepdog, ...) you can save the current state (including RAM) of a VM.

So correct me if I wrong:

The backup option uses the vzdump command and archive the vm to a file the same way Proxmox 1.x did (?).

The snapshot option I'm a bit unsure of. What happens when I choose snapshot. Is the snapshot saved in an external
file so I can restore it later the same way as the backup option?

---

The reason I ask is that the old backup function in 1.x always slowed down the KVM machine when I ran it with "snapshot".
Is it now possible to run backup from a KVM machine live with the new snapshot function without the "slowing".

)-|algeir

 

[tom]

So correct me if I wrong:

The backup option uses the vzdump command and archive the vm to a file the same way Proxmox 1.x did (?).

yes.

The snapshot option I'm a bit unsure of. What happens when I choose snapshot. Is the snapshot saved in an external
file so I can restore it later the same way as the backup option?

the snapshot feature needs a storage that supports snapshots. see first post. try it. create a new VM, using qcow2.


---

The reason I ask is that the old backup function in 1.x always slowed down the KVM machine when I ran it with "snapshot".
Is it now possible to run backup from a KVM machine live with the new snapshot function without the "slowing".

)-|algeir

LVM snapshots are not always that fast, you need to setup this properly. but you cannot use live snaphosts for backup.

In future, we will replace LVM snapshots (we already have a promising prototype for KVM live backups, very fast here).

 

[Halgeir]

LVM snapshots are not always that fast, you need to setup this properly. but you cannot use live snaphosts for backup.
In future, we will replace LVM snapshots (we already have a promising prototype for KVM live backups, very fast here).

I understand now. Thank you for the help!

)-|algeir

 

[ntborg]

So correct me if I wrong:

The backup option uses the vzdump command and archive the vm to a file the same way Proxmox 1.x did (?).

The snapshot option I'm a bit unsure of. What happens when I choose snapshot. Is the snapshot saved in an external
file so I can restore it later the same way as the backup option?

---

The reason I ask is that the old backup function in 1.x always slowed down the KVM machine when I ran it with "snapshot".
Is it now possible to run backup from a KVM machine live with the new snapshot function without the "slowing".

)-|algeir

So if proxmox is on lets say a dell poweredge server I can't do snapshots unless I have a device that supports proxmox snapshots? So the only way to do any type of snap would be backup?

 

[tom]

So if proxmox is on lets say a dell poweredge server I can't do snapshots unless I have a device that supports proxmox snapshots? So the only way to do any type of snap would be backup?

you can use LVM snapshot for backups also on a single host, without san. you just need the right LVM setup.

and as long as use qcow2, KVM live snapshots also works without problems.

 

[ntborg]

Do you happen to have a link on how to set this qcow2 or the correct KVM... I am a windows guy lost in Linux..

you can use LVM snapshot for backups also on a single host, without san. you just need the right LVM setup.

and as long as use qcow2, KVM live snapshots also works without problems.