Restore from scratch in a test environment - newbie warning

[jim.w.armstrong]

What I'm trying to do. Simulate a catastrophic failure where you have to restore from backup on new hardware.

What I've done. Install version 2.1. Download the Debian 5.0 template. Create an openvz container using Debian. Create a couple of backups. Copy the backup (.tar.lzo and .tar.gz) to a usb thumb drive. Reinstall Proxmox. Copy the backup off the thumb drive to /var/lib/vz/dump/dump.

Here's where it gets sticky for me. How to properly restore. What I did, from the Proxmox server, I ran vzrestore backup.tar.lzo 120 from the command line. (I am reading the doc's on the Wiki). The restore was successful in that the vz container shows up in the GUI but it's not using any disk space, memory, or cpu. I can't start it. So I'm doing something wrong I need a hint. I've taken a couple of shots at this and failed. Education by experimentation

Do you need to create a new container and try to restore to it?
Should you be able to start that new container after running vzrestore?

(Question. The default backup path is /var/lib/vz/dump. When I create a backup another /dump directory was created. So I wind up with /var/lib/vz/dump/dump/. Why is another /dump directory created? Why don't it just write the backup file to /var/lib/vz/dump?)

Thanks

 

[dietmar]

I can't start it.

What error message do you get?

# vzctl start 120

 

[dietmar]

(Question. The default backup path is /var/lib/vz/dump. When I create a backup another /dump directory was created. So I wind up with /var/lib/vz/dump/dump/. Why is another /dump directory created? Why don't it just write the backup file to /var/lib/vz/dump?)

That looks like a bug.

 

[dietmar]

When I create a backup another /dump directory was created. So I wind up with /var/lib/vz/dump/dump/.

That does not happen for me. So how can I reproduce that bug?

 

[jim.w.armstrong]

What error message do you get?

# vzctl start 120

All - I'm taking notes as I try things. So I pasted a couple I jotted down. So if something don't make sense ask me. Thanks

from the console
vzrestore vzdump-openvz.tar.lzo 124

tasks description ct124 - restore status ok

datacenter openvz 124 disk usage and memory are 0%

description ct 124 - start status err: command 'vzctl start 124' failed: exit code 78

 

[jim.w.armstrong]

I tried to start ct124 from the Gui, not the command line by the way.

 

[udo]

That does not happen for me. So how can I reproduce that bug?

Hi,
it's looks for me, that he defiend a storage which points to "/var/lib/vz/dump" (BTW. it's makes no sense to put an backup-dir inside any LV which will backuped!!).
And due to selection of the Content Backup the second dump-folder was created.

Udo

 

[dietmar]

description ct 124 - start status err: command 'vzctl start 124' failed: exit code 78

But what is the error message in the task log?

 

[jim.w.armstrong]

Hi,
it's looks for me, that he defiend a storage which points to "/var/lib/vz/dump" (BTW. it's makes no sense to put an backup-dir inside any LV which will backuped!!).
And due to selection of the Content Backup the second dump-folder was created.

Udo

That's exactly what I did.

I removed the backup dir that pointed to /var/lib/vz/dump. And recreated it and pointed it to /mnt/usbdisk. Note when I started out there was no /dump dir on /mnt/usbdisk. Ran a backup and now I have /mnt/usbdisk/dump/filename.tar.lzo. So when I run the backup routine a /dump dir is created and the backup file is put there.

If I understand you correctly. Your saying because I selected the "Backup" option from the drop down list in the Content field. The "dump" folder is created when I run the backup.

Here's the steps I'm taking to create the backup storage. I'm using the Gui and it's set to "Server View". Click on the Storage Tab, click on Add, click on Directory, type in backup in the ID: field, type in /var/lib/vz/dump or /mnt/usbdisk in the Directory field, select Backup from the drop down list in the Content field, select Images from the drop down list to remove it from the Content field, I only want backup listed there, the other fields I accept the default settings, and click on the Add button.

 

[dietmar]

If I understand you correctly. Your saying because I selected the "Backup" option from the drop down list in the Content field. The "dump" folder is created when I run the backup.

Yes, that is how it works.

 

[jim.w.armstrong]

Yes, that is how it works.

Thanks for the confirmation.

I may need to ping you back on this. Over the weekend I'm going to try and restore a ct and get it started. If that works I'm going to blow away the box, reinstall, and restore the ct.

 

[jim.w.armstrong]

Dietmar and Udo - thanks for your help. I've managed to backup the ct to a usb flash drive, reinstall Proxmox, and restore the ct from the file saved on the usb flash drive.