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Provider Automatic Backup - What do you do for your clients?
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Provider Automatic Backup - What do you do for your clients?

BlueVMBlueVM Member
edited October 2012 in General

Currently we backup our user's data via cross server backups... IE:

ServerA is backed up on ServerB
ServerB is backed up on ServerA

Recently we've found that certain nodes are much heavier backup wise than others and so we decided to get a backup node, but we realize that of the 36 TB we currently have floating around on our nodes a lot of that is probably torrents and the operating systems themselves. Which leads me to my question: What, if any filtering do you preform on the user's data before backing it up?

I'd like to apply a filter to the files backed up so that:

  • Files over 250 MB are skipped
  • The user's base OS is removed from the backup
  • Any folders labeled "torrent" and possibly a few other names are scanned for manual review by administrators.

I've also thought about stating "no backups, you are responsible for your files to either your own solution or to our backup location" and offering a 20 GB backup space per VPS along with a example script for automated backups.

Does this match what you do or is this far too strict for backup purposes?

Just as a final note, we haven't decided on any one thing yet, so any of our customers are also welcome to give us feedback.

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Comments

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep

    We're in a similar boat. We used to offer weekly backups for all plans but when it was taking 36+ hours to backup all of our data we decided to switch to $0.50/month for weekly backups for our OpenVZ plans. Our Xen and KVM come with weekly backups but after pricing out a new server just for backups, we are looking at switching to a similar model that you suggested, we provide the space and the clients maintain their own backups.

  • telephonetelephone Member
    edited October 2012

    Instead of picking what you think is important to the user, I think the option of 20GB of backup space would be the best. That way the user can backup what they know is important instead of having files skipped/missed.
    In saying that, adding detailed instructions via a Wiki would help inform all users (like the Linode Wiki).

    @BlueVM said: - Files over 250 MB are skipped

    Dislike this idea. I've used many VPS for data mining with the resulting files/databases (mostly SQLite) being well over 250MB.
    Instead of limiting by file size, why not exclude certain extensions or mime types? That way you can exclude various formats such as media, iso's, etc.

    @BlueVM said: - Any folders labeled "torrent" and possibly a few other names are scanned for manual review by administrators.

    While I agree that keeping abusers off the network/node is very important, I don't like the idea of a host scanning through my files.
    In essence, that's spying on users (using a keyword filter to trigger an alert)... Hello NSA :D

  • DewlanceVPSDewlanceVPS Member, Patron Provider

    You can take a backup on external HD or USB?

  • @DewlanceVPS said: You can take a backup on external HD or USB?

    We could, but that'd involve more cost than buying a dedicated node for backups... Doing some quick math:

    30 nodes x $100 per drive = $3,000.00 for the drives.
    36 TB ~ 14 Drives in raid6 = $1960.00 for the drives + the added benefit of raid6 on the backups :)

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep
    edited October 2012

    Not to mention performance. GigE port > USB port

  • We back up everything -- XenPV machines have a LV snapshot taken and a rsync is done, once finished, a ZFS snapshot is taken. XenHVM/KVM (KVM only in testing) is done in a similar fashion except we use dd to copy the snapshot.

    Personally, I've 0 desire to start figuring out what to backup for a client -- I'd rather just back it all up and it's there in case they need it. Guessing at what to backup is going to end up with unhappy customers when something is missed and they don't have their own backup :)

    Multiple backups happen at once to ensure they happen in a timely fashion.

  • Awmusic12635Awmusic12635 Member, Host Rep

    Currently use Bacula4hosts for my nodes. R1soft alternative. It's still in beta so they discounted it quite well ATM. Incremental backups take about an hour I'd say. Has its share of bugs, but they are good on fixing them if you bring it up.

  • @telephone said: Instead of picking what you think is important to the user, I think the option of 20GB of backup space would be the best.

    I second this.

  • @telephone and @sleddog, my biggest issue with letting the user pick what's important is that people always forget what's important until it's too late :)

  • @jeff_lfcvps said: @telephone and @sleddog, my biggest issue with letting the user pick what's important is that people always forget what's important until it's too late :)

    @jeff_lfcvps I have no problem if you're backing up everything, but if you're going to be selective and only backup certain files (under 250MB) then I'd prefer to maintain the backup myself.

  • @telephone wrote: I have no problem if you're backing up everything, but if you're going to be selective and only backup certain files (under 250MB) then I'd prefer to maintain the backup myself

    +1... Either full backup or space for user initiated/selected backup

  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran

    Prometeus offers 20 GB FTP/rsync backup space per Biz server on request.
    All ssd servers are also backed up for disaster recovery purposes internally (the 20 GB are offsite, in other countries even).
    Biz non ssd servers are also backed up for disaster recovery. Only regular SAS2 RAID are not backed up automatically, but when there is a failed drive in the array and redundancy low, there is a back-up of some sort taken just to make sure, till someone is replacing the disk.
    On SSD Biz servers there are frequent backups as the low space makes it possible without much stress on the storage, the others are backed up once a week.
    I would also like either full automatic backups (accessible to costumers if needed either for free or for a small fee) or space provided for it.
    I do take my own backups when needed, tho, no need for the provider to do it.
    M

  • Give them a certain amount of space and let them manage it.

    If they want you to control the backups, they should be paying for a managed service.

  • We give them two slots on a central backup server. If they want - they can make backups there.

  • Ash_HawkridgeAsh_Hawkridge Member
    edited November 2012

    @rds100 said: We give them two slots on a central backup server. If they want - they can make backups there.

    How are you still using the SolusVM central backup feature? Or is this something else?

  • @GetKVM_Ash said: How are you still using the SolusVM central backup feature? Or is this something else?

    >

    Yep, SolusVM central backup. Works fine.

  • @rds100 said: Yep, SolusVM central backup. Works fine.

    Its not offered in the SolusVM installer anymore though, did you install it before it was removed?

  • @GetKVM_Ash yes i installed it long time ago. By the way i still have a copy of the old installer which has it, PM me if you want it.

  • @rds100 said: @GetKVM_Ash yes i installed it long time ago. By the way i still have a copy of the old installer which has it, PM me if you want it.

    PM Sent :D

  • Awmusic12635Awmusic12635 Member, Host Rep

    Not sure but the legacy installer might still work: http://docs.solusvm.com/installation#legacy_installers

  • jhjh Member

    Weekly backups to RAID6 NAS via OnApp

  • @GetKVM_Ash said: How are you still using the SolusVM central backup feature? Or is this something else?

    Why not just use the Auto FTP Backup feature on each node?
    What more does the central backup feature offer?

  • @George_Fusioned said: Why not just use the Auto FTP Backup feature on each node?

    What more does the central backup feature offer?

    Clients can backup and restore automatically from the client side of SolusVM.

  • @George_Fusioned said: Why not just use the Auto FTP Backup feature on each node?

    What more does the central backup feature offer?

    Backing up entire node at once sounds like a good way to impact the IO performance of the node for long enough time to make some users complain.

  • @rds100 said: Backing up entire node at once sounds like a good way to impact the IO performance of the node for long enough time to make some users complain.

    +1

    I don't like the idea of using FTP anyway.

  • @rds100 said: Backing up entire node at once sounds like a good way to impact the IO performance of the node for long enough time to make some users complain.

    We use the autoFTP backup for our own services (not clients) the IO is not actually too bad.

    Backup is always a tough one. Disk to disk is quite expensive and tape requires techs on hand.

    We use rsync to FTP mounted file systems for non critical data.

  • @rds100 said: Backing up entire node at once sounds like a good way to impact the IO performance of the node for long enough time to make some users complain.

    Not with SSDs :D
    Then again, we only take a full node's backup once a week.

    @GetKVM_Ash said: Clients can backup and restore automatically from the client side of SolusVM.

    That sounds cool! And this was an old feature that got removed from SolusVM? Any particular reason?

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep
    edited November 2012

    @George_Fusioned said: And this was an old feature that got removed from SolusVM? Any particular reason?

    Because they wanted to update it. Here are the steps they took:

    1) Disable working feature from installer.
    2) Remove working feature from installer.
    3) Not update/replace working feature from installer.

  • And was it updated now? it seems to have been removed

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep

    @Randy said: And was it updated now?

    Thanks for reading. :)

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