Creating Backup Schedules

Cloud Infrastructure Automation includes three default backup schedules: daily, weekly, and monthly. You can configure your own backup schedules for the service template.

A backup cycle (backup chain) consists of one full backup and several incremental backups. For example, if the size of a backup cycle is six, it will include one full backup and five incremental backups. In this case, a full backup will be created first, followed by five incremental backups. After the 5th incremental backup, a new full backup will be created.

To create a new backup schedule:

1. In Operations control panel, go to Services > Cloud Infrastructure > Backup Schedules.
2. Click Add New Backup Schedule.
3. Configure your own backup settings and click Submit.

Parameter	Description
Title	Specify a unique name for the backup schedule. This name will be displayed in the Title column of the table on the Backup Schedules page.
Backups to Keep	The minimum number of backups, including both full and incremental, that is guaranteed to be kept safely, without lost of consistency. When this parameter is reached, the system checks if the old backup chain can be deleted, and delete it when the requirements are met. For more details, refer to the examples below.
Number of Incremental Backups	Specify the number of incremental backups. This parameter takes into account only the number of incremental backups.
Backup schedule	Specify the backup interval. The following options are available: Daily: backups are created each day at the time you specify in the Start time field. Weekly: backups are created once a week at the day you choose in the drop-down list and at the time you specify in the Start time field. Monthly: backups are created once a month at the date you choose in the drop-down list and at the time you specify in the Start time field.
Start Time	Specify the time when to start the backup process.

The new schedule appears in the list along with other backup schedules. The respective backup resource type based on Application Service Reference resource class (for VPS/CS Hosting models) and backup resource type based on CI backups used resource class (for Cloud Infrastructure model) will be automatically created.

How to Add Backup Schedule to Existing Customers' Subscriptions

To add new backup schedules to the existing customers' subscriptions, do the following:

1. Add a new backup schedule in Services > Cloud Infrastructure > Backup Schedules.
2. Add the corresponding resource type to the VPS or CS Hosting service template.
3. Switch to Billing control panel.
4. Go to Products > Service Plans > Service Templates tab.
5. Click the name of the VPS Hosting (or CS Hosting) service template.
6. Switch to the Resources tab.
7. Find the backup schedule resource and click its name.
8. Click Synchronize, specify the Install to Subscriptions, where option, and then click Synchronize.

As a result, the new backup schedule resource type will be propagated to the existing customers' subscriptions and they will be able to select the newly added provider's backup schedule in UX1 for Customers.

Example 1

This is an example when the parameters are not quite properly configured, because the backup chain is not entirely kept.

Backup Cycle (Backup Chain) = 8

Backups to Keep = 7

Number of Incremental Backups = 7

Backup schedule = hourly

In the scheme below there are two completed backup chains. After the 6th incremental backup in the first chain, the system will not delete the whole chain, although the value of Backups to Keep parameter is reached. When the 6th incremental backup in the second chain is completed, the system checks the possibility to delete old backups without lost of consistency. The requirements are met, therefore the first eight backups (one full and seven incremental) are deleted automatically, and the second backup chain, including one full and six incremental backups, is kept. Then, the whole process is repeated.

Example 2

This is an example when the parameters are configured well, because the backup chain is kept entirely.

Backup Cycle (Backup Chain) = 3

Backups to Keep = 6

Number of Incremental Backups = 2

Backup schedule = hourly

In the scheme below there are three completed backup chains. After the 2nd incremental backup in the second chain, the value of Backups to Keep parameter is reached. When the 2nd incremental backup in the second chain is completed, the system checks the possibility to delete old backups without lost of consistency. The requirements are met, therefore the first three backups (one full and two incremental) are deleted automatically, and the second backup chain, including one full and two incremental backups, is kept. Then, the whole process is repeated.

When Scheduled Backups are Deleted?

To save disk space on a backup node, the old scheduled backups are automatically deleted once the maximum number of allowed backups (the Backups to Keep parameter) is reached.

On-Demand Backups

On-demand backups are always full backups. In comparison to scheduled backups, they are not deleted automatically. If you need to release some free space on your backup node, you should delete on-demand backups manually.

After an on-demand backup is created, the system will create the next scheduled backup as full (even if it should be incremental according to the schedule), and a new backup chain will start (refer to a scheme below). This internal mechanism ensures that incremental backups are always created on the basis of a full scheduled backup rather than an on-demand one.