pxar file browser

[term]

Hi,
Thanks for this product, its a big improvement over vzdump when it comes to saving space.
I viewed the video posted to the top of the forum here, and he references a pxar file browser, where you can download individual files from the backup. I can't see this button available in my pbs web interface. Has it been removed for some reason? From what the manual says, I can mount my backups with FUSE, but a button in the web interface is more convenient.
Thanks!

 

[arteck]

this works only when you make a folder backup .. not vm or container

 

[t.lamprecht]

Hi,

yes it moved. It's now in the "Actions" column:

 

[term]

That makes sense. Thanks!

 

[t.lamprecht]

this works only when you make a folder backup .. not vm or container

Note: Container works just fine and can be explored. We can do a file level backup there as we have full control over its filesystems.

 

[greavette]

Hello @t.lamprecht,

The version of PBS I'm running is newer - Backup Server 0.8-21 BETA. I'm not seeing the option to explore my backup like the picture you showed in the Action Column. I see Verify, Delete, Prune and Download. But no explore option is available for any of my backups. is there a reason why I can't see explore?

A friend who is also testing PBS has version 0.8.9 BETA and he can see the Download Files button.

I preferred having the buttons at the top to be honest instead of icons in the Action Column. Is there a reason why the buttons were removed from the top?




Thank you.

 

[t.lamprecht]

But no explore option is available for any of my backups. is there a reason why I can't see explore?

Are they all VM, and thus block level, backups? Those cannot be directly explored in the server interface at the moment, you can map them with the proxmox-backup-client library.


The download button is there for ".pxar.didx" files, as you can see from my screenshot.

A friend who is also testing PBS has version 0.8.9 BETA and he can see the Download Files button.

They should really upgrade, lots of important fixes and features happened since 0.8.9.

I preferred having the buttons at the top to be honest instead of icons in the Action Column. Is there a reason why the buttons were removed from the top?

Yes, there are some more Datastore related buttons to come here, so it would get crowded and possibly even confusing.
Also, this often saves mouse movements as when one scrolls the backup tree they do not need to move between a snapshot to the top and then often back again so much.

 

[greavette]

Are they all VM, and thus block level, backups? Those cannot be directly explored in the server interface at the moment, you can map them with the proxmox-backup-client library.


The download button is there for ".pxar.didx" files, as you can see from my screenshot.

Hello @t.lamprecht , Thank you for this reply!

My VM's are full VM's (not containers). I backup my VM's using Proxmox ZSTD and Snapshot Mode.

What is the criteria to take block level backups of my VM's so that I may explore them for file level restore? What I mean is...what backup settings do I need to use when I backup my VM's so that I may explore the backups with PBS?

And from your comment does this mean it's on the roadmap to be able to explore block level backups?

Yes, there are some more Datastore related buttons to come here, so it would get crowded and possibly even confusing.
Also, this often saves mouse movements as when one scrolls the backup tree they do not need to move between a snapshot to the top and then often back again so much.

I'm looking forward to the new changes coming to PBS with new buttons! I'm very impressed with what I'm seeing currently in this PBS Beta. Great Job Proxmox!

 

[t.lamprecht]

My VM's are full VM's (not containers). I backup my VM's using Proxmox ZSTD and Snapshot Mode.

OK, this explains why you do not see a "File Browser" button there.

What is the criteria to take block level backups of my VM's so that I may explore them for file level restore?

If they are Linux based VMs, you could use the "proxmox-backup-client" CLI tool to make file level "host" backups from within the VM. This is naturally not that deeply integrated into Proxmox VE, so it needs a bit more manual upfront work, but could be automated (CRON/systemd.timer job).

And from your comment does this mean it's on the roadmap to be able to explore block level backups?

Yes, but probably not in the exact same way it is possible for Containers. Containers are always much simpler to handle, as we know that it's a Linux system.

Nonetheless, we already have support to "map" a backup like a blockdevice with the client, this will be more deeply integrated into proxmox-backup-client in the future.
Also, there are plans to allow one booting a minimal VM with any backup disks attached as read only in the future. This way one then could mount those disks in a contained (secure) environment, and extract specific files also from block based backups.

 

[greavette]

Thank you Thomas (@t.lamprecht ).

If they are Linux based VMs, you could use the "proxmox-backup-client" CLI tool to make file level "host" backups from within the VM. This is naturally not that deeply integrated into Proxmox VE, so it needs a bit more manual upfront work, but could be automated (CRON/systemd.timer job).

I'm hoping you can help clarify things for me please.

I have both Linux and Windows KVM's in my environment. I do have a couple of containers and I can confirm on a container I do have the explore action icon available.

I'd like to better understand what you are saying. Please review and confirm/correct the following:

1. So currently only containers (since they are Linux) have the ability to allow file level restore from PBS action icon. Full KVM backups do not allow any file level restores today.
2. In the future there will be a way to extract files from KVM (file level restore) but it may not be from an action icon button like containers use. But before PBS can provide file level restore for KVM Windows and Linux servers changes need to be made to the Proxmox Backup that runs within Proxmox VE. If this is a true statement, any idea how long we will need to wait for these Proxmox VE backup changes to be released?
3. The roadmap for PBS (or is it Proxmox VE) is also considering a way to allow for a minimal VM to be created and the Proxmox VE KVM backup to be mounted in this minimal VM. Once mounted a user could view inside the backup disk and restore files.
4. The bottom line for today is there is no way to restore files from KVM backups yes (for either Linux or Windows).

Are these correct statements?

 

[t.lamprecht]

So currently only containers (since they are Linux) have the ability to allow file level restore from PBS action icon. Full KVM backups do not allow any file level restores today.

Exactly.

In the future there will be a way to extract files from KVM (file level restore) but it may not be from an action icon button like containers use. But before PBS can provide file level restore for KVM Windows and Linux servers changes need to be made to the Proxmox Backup that runs within Proxmox VE. If this is a true statement, any idea how long we will need to wait for these Proxmox VE backup changes to be released?

Yes. The basic building blocks are already there, a basic integration which allows this to do semi-manually wouldn't be long away, if I had to guess. An in depth integration may not be ready for 1.0 stable release, but I cannot really give an estimate here.

The roadmap for PBS (or is it Proxmox VE) is also considering a way to allow for a minimal VM to be created and the Proxmox VE KVM backup to be mounted in this minimal VM. Once mounted a user could view inside the backup disk and restore files.

Exactly.

The bottom line for today is there is no way to restore files from KVM backups yes (for either Linux or Windows).

Yes and no. There are two ways that work already now:

* restore to a (new) VM boot that up and copy/extract the files you need
* use qemu-nbd to mount a snapshot locally. Any filesystem Linux can use works, some Windows filesystem (e.g., NTFS) has some support on Linux too, so that could work. See: https://lists.proxmox.com/pipermail/pve-user/2020-July/171883.html for a rough example on how to do that now.

 

[Tealk]

you could use the "proxmox-backup-client" CLI tool to make file level "host" backups from within the VM

can you please explain how to do this exactly? Because I can't quite figure out the manual right now.
The backup i have create with: proxmox-backup-client backup var.pxar:PATHTOFOLDER --repository SERVERIP:backup

How can you automate the process of not asking for a password?

 

[oversite]

can you please explain how to do this exactly? Because I can't quite figure out the manual right now.
The backup i have create with: proxmox-backup-client backup var.pxar:PATHTOFOLDER --repository SERVERIP:backup

How can you automate the process of not asking for a password?

It's in the manual: https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/administration-guide.html#backup-client-usage
export PBS_PASSWORD=<yourpassword>
and then
proxmox-backup-client backup var.pxarATHTOFOLDER --repository SERVERIP:backup

 

[Tealk]

Thanks a lot @oversite, I didn't even see that.

 

[Tealk]

Are these backups also automatically incremental and deduplicated.
I don't read any of this in the task and the backup always takes the same time

 

[fabian]

'host' type backups are also incremental and deduplicated - but there is not shortcut with dirty bitmap tracking like for VMs, so the client has to read and hash all the data to know which parts are already backed up.

 

[Tealk]

Thanks for the explanation.
Is it possible to get a notification for this task? I would like to get a notification in case of failure

 

[fabian]

for a manual 'proxmox-backup-client backup ...' call? not built-in, no. you can wrap it in a script that notifies based on exit-code, or sends the output somewhere?

 

[Tealk]

ok thank you