Backup policies

Written by

Yandex Cloud

Updated at December 19, 2024

Storing backups
Backup policy specification

Backups of Yandex Cloud resources are created in Cloud Backup automatically according to backup policies.

Creating policies becomes available after you activate Cloud Backup.

After activation, the system automatically creates the following backup policies:

Default daily: Daily incremental backup with the last 15 backups retained.
Default weekly: Weekly incremental backup with the last 15 backups retained.
Default monthly: Monthly incremental backup with the last 15 backups retained.

By default, VMs and Yandex BareMetal servers in Cloud Backup are not linked to any backup policies. To start creating backups, link a VM or BareMetal server to one or more policies.

For information on using BareMetal servers, see Connecting a BareMetal server to Cloud Backup. BareMetal is at the Preview stage.

The backup policy specifies:

Backup frequency: By hour, day, week, or month. All times are now UTC±00:00.
Backup type: Full or incremental. For more information, see Backup types.
Settings for storing backups.

Note

Backups are created based on the VM's or Yandex BareMetal server's local time. There may be a slight delay in the schedule depending on the current service load.

Storing backups

You can set up backup storage for the policy. The following can be stored for each VM or BareMetal server included in the policy:

All backups created under this policy.
Only the last several backups.
Only the backups younger than a certain age, e.g., those created during the last few days.

The settings apply to all VMs and BareMetal servers in the policy.

Note

You cannot restore a VM backup to a BareMetal server, nor restore a BareMetal server backup to a VM.

If you make changes to the backup retention rules, by default they will take effect as soon as you create another backup. For more information on the setup parameters of the backup retention rules, see the next section.

Backup policy specification

In Cloud Backup, you can create or update backup policies based on a specification in JSON format by using the Yandex Cloud command line or making an API request.

Full backup policy specification in Cloud Backup:

{
  "compression": "string",
  "format": "string",
  "multiVolumeSnapshottingEnabled": bool,
  "preserveFileSecuritySettings": bool,
  "reattempts": {
    "enabled": bool,
    "interval": {
      "type": "string",
      "count": "string"
    },
    "maxAttempts": "string"
  },
  "silentModeEnabled": bool,
  "splitting": {
    "size": "string"
  },
  "vmSnapshotReattempts": {
    "enabled": bool,
    "interval": {
      "type": "string",
      "count": "string"
    },
    "maxAttempts": "string"
  },
  "vss": {
    "enabled": bool,
    "provider": "string"
  },
  "archive": {
    "name": "string"
  },
  "performanceWindow": {
    "enabled": bool
  },
  "retention": {
    "rules": [
      {
        "backupSet": [
          "string"
        ],
        "maxAge": {
          "type": "string",
          "count": "string"
        },
        "maxCount": "string",
      }
    ],
    "beforeBackup": bool
  },
  "scheduling": {
    "backupSets": [
      {
        "time": {
          "weekdays": [
            "string"
          ],
          "repeatAt": [
            {
              "hour": "string",
              "minute": "string"
            }
          ],
          "repeatEvery": {
            "type": "string",
            "count": "string"
          },
          "timeFrom": {
            "hour": "string",
            "minute": "string"
          },
          "timeTo": {
            "hour": "string",
            "minute": "string"
          },
          "monthdays": [
            "string"
          ],
          "includeLastDayOfMonth": bool,
          "months": [
            "string"
          ],
          "type": "string"
        },
        "sinceLastExecTime": {
          "delay": {
            "type": "string",
            "count": "string"
          }
        },
      }
    ],
    "enabled": bool,
    "maxParallelBackups": "string",
    "randMaxDelay": {
      "type": "string",
      "count": "string"
    },
    "scheme": "string",
    "weeklyBackupDay": "string"
  },
  "cbt": "string",
  "fastBackupEnabled": bool,
  "quiesceSnapshottingEnabled": bool
}

Specification description:

Attribute	Description	Possible values
`compression`	Backup compression ratio.	`COMPRESSION_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `NORMAL`: Standard compression ratio. `HIGH`: High compression ratio. `MAX`: Maximum compression ratio. `OFF`: Disabled.
`format`	Backup format.	`FORMAT_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `VERSION_11`: Deprecated format, not recommended. `VERSION_12`: Recommended format for high-speed backup and recovery. `AUTO`: Automatic format selection. Defaults to version 12. The exception is creating incremental backups for images created in other versions.
`multiVolumeSnapshottingEnabled`	Backing up multiple volumes at the same time.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`preserveFileSecuritySettings`	Preserving file security settings.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`cbt`	Changed Block Tracking (configuration for tracking backup contents).	`CHANGED_BLOCK_TRACKING_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `USE_IF_ENABLED`: Use if enabled. `ENABLE_AND_USE`: Enable and use. `DO_NOT_USE`: Do not use.
`fastBackupEnabled`	Fast backup: Setting for tracking changes to files. When enabled, file changes are detected by the file size and timestamp. When disabled, files are checked for changes by comparing their contents to backed up files.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`quiesceSnapshottingEnabled`	Using `quiescing` when creating backups.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.

Attribute sections with multiple nested values.

reattempts

vmSnapshotReattempts

vss

retention

scheduling

Setting up backup reattempts in the event of failures.

Attribute	Description	Possible values
`reattempts.enabled`	Retry creating a backup if noncritical errors occur (for example, when failing to connect to a target disk).	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`reattempts.interval.type`	Unit of time used to set the reattempt interval.	`TYPE_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `SECONDS`: Seconds. `MINUTES`: Minutes. `HOURS`: Hours. `DAYS`: Days. `WEEKS`: Weeks. `MONTHS`: Months.
`reattempts.interval.count`	Duration of the interval between reattempts.	Integer
`reattempts.maxAttempts`	Maximum number of reattempts. If reached, the operation is considered failed.	Integer
`silentModeEnabled`	Silent mode. Reduces the number of user interactions wherever possible. Disabled by default.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`splitting.size`	Splitting a backup into volumes of a preset size in bytes. If no value is specified, a backup is saved as a single file.	Integer

Configuring backup reattempts on failure.

Attribute	Description	Possible values
`vmSnapshotReattempts.enabled`	Retry a backup if errors occur.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`vmSnapshotReattempts.interval.type`	Unit of time used to set the reattempt interval.	`TYPE_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `SECONDS`: Seconds. `MINUTES`: Minutes. `HOURS`: Hours. `DAYS`: Days. `WEEKS`: Weeks. `MONTHS`: Months.
`vmSnapshotReattempts.interval.count`	Duration of the interval between reattempts.	Integer
`vmSnapshotReattempts.maxAttempts`	Maximum number of reattempts. If reached, the operation is considered failed.	Integer

Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) setup. The service notifies applications with VSS support of the upcoming backup start. The applications save information from memory to disk, which ensures data integrity during backup.

Attribute	Description	Possible values
`vss.enabled`	Enable VSS.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`vss.provider`	Choosing a VSS provider.	`VSS_PROVIDER_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `NATIVE`: Native VSS provider. `TARGET_SYSTEM_DEFINED`: VSS provider defined in the target system.
`archive.name`	Name of the archive being created.	Line that may contain the following variables: `[Machine Name]`, `[Plan ID]`, `[Plan Name]`, `[Unique ID]`, and `[Virtualization Server Type]`.
`performanceWindow`	Enable a performance window to limit the impact of backups and storage maintenance on performance.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.

Setting up rules for storing backups. The maxAge and maxCount attributes are mutually exclusive. Using one of them disables the use of the other.

Attribute	Description	Possible values
`retention.rules.backupSet`	A set of backups for which the retention settings are specified.	Line
`retention.rules.maxAge.type`	Set a backup retention rule to delete outdated backups depending on their age in specified time units.	`TYPE_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `SECONDS`: Seconds. `MINUTES`: Minutes. `HOURS`: Hours. `DAYS`: Days. `WEEKS`: Weeks. `MONTHS`: Months.
`retention.rules.maxAge.count`	Maximum backup retention period in time units set by the `maxAge.type` attribute.	Integer
`retention.rules.maxCount`	Set a backup retention rule to delete outdated backups depending on the specified maximum number of stored backups.	Integer
`retention.beforeBackup`	Apply backup retention rules before the end of the backup. When creating a policy by default or via the management console, the `beforeBackup=false` rule is set. The backup retention rule settings will take effect as soon as another backup is created.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.

Setting up a backup schedule. The time (based on preset time) and sinceLastExecTime (with preset interval between backups) attributes are mutually exclusive. Using one of them disables the use of the other.

Attribute	Description	Possible values
`scheduling.backupSets.time.weekdays`	Days of the week to make backups on. You can specify multiple values separated by commas.	`DAY_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `MONDAY`: Monday. `TUESDAY`: Tuesday. `WEDNESDAY`: Wednesday. `THURSDAY`: Thursday. `FRIDAY`: Friday. `SATURDAY`: Saturday. `SUNDAY`: Sunday.
`scheduling.backupSets.time.repeatAt.hour`	Time to repeat backups at: hours.	Integer from 0 to 23
`scheduling.backupSets.time.repeatAt.minute`	Time to repeat backups at: minutes.	Integer from 0 to 59
`scheduling.backupSets.time.repeatEvery.type`	Units of time used to set the repeat backup interval.	`TYPE_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `SECONDS`: Seconds. `MINUTES`: Minutes. `HOURS`: Hours. `DAYS`: Days. `WEEKS`: Weeks. `MONTHS`: Months.
`scheduling.backupSets.time.repeatEvery.count`	Backup reattempt interval in units set by the `repeatEvery.type` attribute.	Integer
`scheduling.backupSets.time.timeFrom.hour`	Start time for the backup interval (from): hours.	Integer from 0 to 23
`scheduling.backupSets.time.timeFrom.minute`	Start time for the backup interval (from): minutes.	Integer from 0 to 59
`scheduling.backupSets.time.timeTo.hour`	End time for the backup interval (to): hours.	Integer from 0 to 23
`scheduling.backupSets.time.timeTo.minute`	End time for the backup interval (to): minutes.	Integer from 0 to 59
`scheduling.backupSets.time.monthdays`	Day of the month to make backups on. You can specify multiple values separated by commas.	Integer from 1 to 31
`scheduling.backupSets.time.includeLastDayOfMonth`	Making backups on the last day of each month.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`scheduling.backupSets.time.months`	Months to make backups in. You can specify multiple values separated by commas.	Integer from 1 to 12
`scheduling.backupSets.time.type`	Backup frequency.	`REPEATE_PERIOD_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `HOURLY`: Every hour. `DAILY`: Every day. `WEEKLY`: Every week. `MONTHLY`: Every month.
`scheduling.backupSets.sinceLastExecTime.delay.type`	Units of time used to set the interval between backups.	`TYPE_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `SECONDS`: Seconds. `MINUTES`: Minutes. `HOURS`: Hours. `DAYS`: Days. `WEEKS`: Weeks. `MONTHS`: Months.
`scheduling.backupSets.sinceLastExecTime.delay.count`	Duration of the interval between backups in time units set by the `delay.type` attribute.	Integer
`scheduling.enabled`	Making scheduled backups.	`true`: Enabled. `false`: Disabled.
`scheduling.maxParallelBackups`	Maximum permissible number of parallel backups. Unlimited if no value is specified.	Integer
`scheduling.randMaxDelay.type`	Units of time used to set the maximum delay before running parallel jobs.	`TYPE_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `SECONDS`: Seconds. `MINUTES`: Minutes. `HOURS`: Hours. `DAYS`: Days. `WEEKS`: Weeks. `MONTHS`: Months.
`scheduling.randMaxDelay.count`	Maximum delay before running parallel jobs in time units set by the `randMaxDelay.type` attribute. The delay is determined randomly but it may not exceed the value set here.	Integer
`scheduling.scheme`	Backup schedule scheme.	`SCHEME_UNSPECIFIED`: Not set. `SIMPLE`: Simple. `ALWAYS_FULL`: Always full. `ALWAYS_INCREMENTAL`: Always incremental. `WEEKLY_INCREMENTAL`: Weekly: incremental. `WEEKLY_FULL_DAILY_INCREMENTAL`: Weekly: full; daily: incremental. `CUSTOM`: User-defined. `CDP`: Continuous data protection.
`scheduling.weeklyBackupDay`	Day of the week for the weekly backup.	Integer from 1 to 7

Backup policies

Storing backups

Backup policy specification

See also

Was the article helpful?

Backup policies

Storing backupsStoring backups

Backup policy specificationBackup policy specification

See alsoSee also

Was the article helpful?

Storing backups

Backup policy specification

See also