oVirt Backup Best Practices and Solutions. How to Backup oVirt VM?

The definition of oVirt

oVirt is a virtualization management platform with an open-source code, built as an extension of a popular hypervisor KVM. Despite the fact that it is not particularly well-known in IT circles, it is actually used in many companies and businesses to manage various virtualized environments (primarily in data centers). Live migration, high availability, and centralized VM management are just a few capabilities of oVirt that IT administrators appreciate, making it a great option for scalable and efficient VM management.

Despite its versatility, oVirt is still susceptible to a lot of the common data-related vulnerabilities and shortcomings. The recent uprising of cyber-attacks and data breaches is one such issue, facilitating substantial investments into complex information security with features such as backups, encryption, disaster recovery strategies, and so on.

Data backup is, of course, one of the most fundamental security measures – and this is no different in the context of VM management. Backups can provide data security and business continuity as well as contributing to disaster recovery efforts. Significant operational downtime may result from the failure of  just a single VM, but by having correct backup, one can avoid this issue by restoring the affected VMs in a short time span.

oVirt VM backups

oVirt’s own VM backup capabilities are primarily snapshot-based, which makes Full backups the primary choice for many organizations relying on oVirt’s own system. However, oVirt did add API support for incremental backups in version 4.2, so compatible third-party backup solutions are able to perform backups, as well. We’ll have a look at all these options in the list below:

1. Full Backups are completely supported by oVirt. The solution can use the snapshot functionality to create the exact state of the entire virtual machine at a certain point, including not only disk data but also configuration files. This explanation fits perfectly into the definition of a standard Full backup. Snapshots offer a complete recovery point as an advantageous option for any incident or data breach, but the sheer size of snapshot-based backups can often create a lot of issues, without proper backup management in terms of total storage costs
2. Incremental Backups via oVirt backup API have been around since version 4.2. They cannot be activated using built-in measures and can only be used by third-party measures such as backup software. The original purpose of incremental backups in oVirt is the same as everywhere – to reduce the resource consumption compared with an average Full backup by only copying data blocks that have changed since the last backup job of any type.

oVirt has no support for differential backups in any way, so any such kind of implementation – if any –  is only possible if the third-party backup software can do so in its own right (although typically, the combination of Full and Incremental is sufficient in many cases.

It is also not the only limitation of oVirt environments, with other noteworthy challenges being listed below:

• Large data volumes that are generated by virtual environments even when incremental backups are involved. The sheer volume of a single VM’s worth of data can also have a noticeable effect on the total system performance if the backup process is performed during active work hours.
• NFS, GlusterFS, and iSCSI are just a few examples of complex storage infrastructures that are commonly used in oVirt environments. Making sure that the backup solution of your choice supports all of the challenges and unique characteristics of a specific storage infrastructure is an important step in choosing third-party backup solutions for oVirt.
• Support for Changed Block Tracking is highly recommended for any attempt to run incremental backups in order to reduce the amount of resources the system would take for backup jobs every single time.
• The existence of backup API and built-in snapshot creation tools does not deter from the fact that the majority of oVirt users rely primarily on external backup tools for all backup and recovery tasks (which can also create compatibility issues in some cases).

Best practices and recommendations for oVirt backup tasks

oVirt can be challenging to work with in the first place, and its backup management operations are just as difficult to manage in many cases. We have collected a number of recommendations and best practices that can simplify this process to a certain degree.

Test and verify your backups

Generating backups by itself is not the end of the information security processes since backups can also be tampered with or corrupted. Verifying the integrity of backup files on a regular basis and performing test restore processes would be able to prevent both of these potential issues from happening in the first place.

Think through your storage allocation approach

Depending on the frequency of Full backups specifically, VM backups may require a lot of storage space in the long run. Proper storage allocation, both on-site and off-site, is paramount to ensure that all of the important information is captured when necessary and will not be interrupted by a lack of storage space. Investing in deduplication and compression as storage space-saving measures might also be a good train of thought.

Calculate the best backup schedule for automation purposes

Performing backup tasks on a regular basis is the baseline for data security in any environment, including oVirt VMs. Consistent backup tasks can offer extensive business continuity while reducing the possibility of data loss at the same time. The exact time frame in the form of RTOs and RPOs should be assessed by administrators by analyzing the criticality of data loss for a day or a week. The schedule in question should also be able to adapt based on internal and external factors.

Create a consistent approach to inventory and document management

An inventory of all the virtual machines in the environment, including their statuses, would go a long way to simplifying VM backup management while also offering some other advantages. All the procedures, schedules, and backup policies should also be thoroughly documented in a clear and concise fashion.

oVirt backup solutions and methods

oVirt can offer two basic features that are similar to backup operations. They are nowhere near as versatile or convenient as any of the third-party solutions, but we still have to go over them for the sake of comparison. The methods in question are snapshots and storage domain exporting.

Snapshots

The creation of data copies through snapshots is one of the most basic functions of oVirt, and it can also be used as a tool to create backups. A single snapshot can capture the state of the entire VM in a specific time frame, with all of its memory, storage, configuration, and so on. The snapshot in question can then be transferred to a different storage location, which would make it a backup for all intents and purposes.

It is a great option for short-term backup purposes or as a rollback mechanism with a number of other advantages, but it also has some shortcomings that are worth looking at.

The advantages of snapshots:

• Complete integration with the management interface of oVirt.
• The simplicity of initiating a snapshot creation.
• The speed of snapshot creation and restoration processes depends on the amount of data in a given VM, but most snapshots are relatively fast.

The shortcomings of snapshots:

• If no further actions are taken, snapshots are usually stored in the same exact directory as the original data, which makes them vulnerable to most data issues, such as hardware failure or natural disasters.
• Snapshot management at a scale can become highly inconvenient very quickly.
• The volume of each snapshot makes them very inconvenient storage-wise when used as a long-term backup measure.

Storage domain exporting

Exporting a storage domain in oVirt is also an alternative to backup processes. In essence, storage domain exporting is much closer to a traditional backup process than snapshotting is since one of the most frequent use cases for this tool is for subsequent data restoration.

Storage domain exporting creates a copy of either VMs or templates as files with the ability to specify the exporting location in a different storage domain. This kind of approach simplifies the backup creation, but it has a number of features and challenges that are worth being aware of.

The advantages of storage domain exporting:

• The backup setup process is mostly simple and requires little configuration.
• Backups can be stored on different storage domains, reducing the potential consequences of storage failure and other hardware-related issues.
• Restoring VMs that have been exported with this process is also easy.

The shortcomings of storage domain exporting:

• Reliance on Full backups dramatically increases the storage space requirements in the long run and the average backup time.
• Lack of support for any other backup type.
• Backups can only be performed manually and are not ideal for automation attempts for multiple reasons.

Third-party oVirt backup solutions

Most of the advanced capabilities, such as automation and extensive data protection for oVirt backups, can typically only be acquired by using a third-party backup solution. The most noteworthy examples of such solutions are:

1. Bacula Enterprise

Bacula Enterprise is a scalable and versatile backup solution with an extensive feature set and many advanced capabilities when it comes to virtual machine backups.  It has especially high levels of security and flexibility.

Bacula has deep integration with oVirt that allows it to perform both full and incremental backups while also applying Changed Block Tracking to save storage space. Other capabilities of Bacula include support for task automation, as well as encryption, deduplication, and cross-platform support for other backup needs.

Some of Bacula Enterprise’s benefits:

• A large number of features to choose from, be it encryption, automation, or deduplication.
• Deep integration with oVirt’s backup API to support Changed Block Tracking and other capabilities.
• A high degree of customization and flexibility in large and complex enterprise environments.
• High levels of scalability and security

Bacula Enterprise’s shortcomings:

• Licensing fees for specific tools and features.
• Some level of technical knowledge would be necessary to be able to set up the solution.

Bacula offers a competent third-party backup solution for many use cases that can be a great help for oVirt backup tasks, but like any comprehensive backup solution, it needs a bit of time to configure at first, and some of its more case-specific features might have a separate price tag outside of the basic license fee. However, because Bacula does not license by data volume, and has an open-source background, costs tend to come out lower than others.

2. Storware Backup and Recovery

Storware is one of the few backup solutions on the market with european origins; it specializes in extensive backup and recovery capabilities for virtualized environments. Storware is fast, user-friendly, and can work with multiple environment types, including oVirt VMs.

Storware’s oVirt support includes both full and incremental backup types, as well as plenty of convenient features such as compression, deduplication, scheduling, and the flexibility of integrating with both on-premise and cloud environments.

Storware’s advantages:

• Strong support for multiple hypervisor types that brings a lot of versatility to the table.
• Convenient and user-friendly interface with many easily accessible features.
• Native oVirt integration for faster and more efficient backup and recovery operations.

Storware’s shortcomings:

• Most advanced features, such as disaster recovery, require additional setup and a dedicated infrastructure.
• Moderately high licensing cost, even though it is lower than that of enterprise-centric backup solutions.

Storware’s backup solution is one of the most convenient backup options for oVirt environments, even if it is perhaps held back by its moderately high price tag and the necessity to configure most of the advanced features beforehand.

3. Veeam

Veeam is often considered the most popular backup solution on the market. Its primary focus in terms of backup targets is VMware and Hyper-V environments, but it can also be suitable for KVM-based environments such as oVirt, even if there is no support for native integration.

Veeam’s overall capabilities are vast and varied, offering support for many storage types and infrastructure variations while providing features such as deduplication, compression, and encryption. It supports instant VM recovery, multiple backup types, scheduling, automation, and a lot more than that.

Veeam’s benefits:

• Reliable disaster recovery capabilities with instant recovery and replication.
• Extensive scheduling and automation, along with detailed reporting.
• Impressive performance at scale and high levels of reliability.

Veeam’s disadvantages:

• High licensing costs for most SMBs.
• The lack of native oVirt integration would likely require much additional time and effort to work around during the initial setup.
• Substantial focus on VMware and Hyper-V environments does mean that other storage types have a smaller feature range.
• Limited security and storage capabilities compared to others such as Bacula.

Veeam is a popular backup solution mostly suitable for enterprise clientele. It has many advantages to its name, but it also suffers from the lack of accessibility in terms of SMBs, and its oVirt integration capabilities are non-existent.

4. UrBackup

UrBackup is a good example of a free third-party backup solution for oVirt environments. It is an open-source offering that can work with both image-level and file-level backups, providing a decent backup and recovery feature set in multiple situations.

UrBackup does not officially support oVirt, but it can be used to create backups of these environments with some additional configuration efforts. The lack of official integration also means that there are no features such as Changed Block Tracking, which could be a deal-breaker for some users.

UrBackup advantages:

• Complete lack of a price tag combined with an open-source nature.
• Cross-platform support greatly expands the range of potential use cases.
• The first-time configuration process is simple and convenient.

UrBackup shortcomings:

• Lack of most advanced backup features – encryption, compression, deduplication, etc.
• Smaller feature set and a lower versatility compared with enterprise-oriented solutions such as Bacula.
• oVirt integration requires additional configuration and workarounds.

UrBackup works as a great middle-ground between high-cost enterprise solutions and custom scripts when it comes to oVirt backups since it does still offer a certain degree of standardization in its action – although additional tinkering would still have to happen for it to work with oVirt VMs.

5. IBM Storage Protect

IBM Storage Protect is another example of an enterprise-centric backup and recovery solution with an extensive feature range. It specializes in working with large and complex environments that come in all kinds of shapes and storage types. The support for KVM-based offerings does make it partially compatible with oVirt, and the overall target of large data centers makes IBM’s solution a great choice for larger companies with complex infrastructures.

IBM’s cross-platform solution is surprisingly flexible and can offer a large selection of features to choose from – including different backup types, advanced features for security and data management, and more. However, it is a challenging solution to work within the context of smaller companies, and there are several reasons for that.

IBM Storage Protect’s benefits:

• Wide range of capabilities such as encryption, automation, and deduplication.
• Support for multiple backup types, including an uncommon incremental forever backup approach.
• A high degree of scalability that works great in large and complex environments.

IBM Storage Protect’s disadvantages:

• Sophisticated configuration and setup processes.
• High licensing costs that are unsuitable for most SMBs.

IBM Storage Protect is a great solution for large and complex environments, including oVirt VMs, but it suffers from its own complexity and lacks options for smaller clients.

Custom scripting

Another potential option here is to use custom scripts to create backups for oVirt. They have a lot of limitations to them, including both the complete reliance on the skill of the developer and the necessity to keep it up-to-date. A few examples of such scripts are presented below:

• Ovirtsavior
• oVirtBackup

Both options seem to be offering some variation of a full backup for oVirt environments, even if they were not tested with the latest version of the platform itself. Scripts like these have their fair share of disadvantages that all users should be aware of, including:

• There is a constant need for ongoing maintenance and testing for each new version of oVirt.
• Thorough monitoring of scripting-oriented backup operations to ensure the security and performance of such measures.
• Troubleshooting any errors in custom scripts can range between simple resolutions and complete nightmares that require half of the script to be rewritten to resolve.

That’s not to say that custom scripts are not a viable alternative to other backup measures in certain situations, but this method should be carefully considered beforehand since anything but the most basic backup tasks would require an extensive amount of time and development resources without a 100% degree of success as a result.

It should also be noted that oVirt itself can be backed up using multiple approaches. Yet, not all solutions and software providers can support the entire spectrum of these backup methods and capabilities – with Changed Block Tracking API being the obvious example. As such, we recommend researching the specific capabilities of each solution before committing to one of them as a third-party oVirt VM backup software.

Creating an oVirt backup: step-by-step guide

The exact steps for backup and recovery operations in third-party software would differ dramatically depending on the software itself. However, we can still provide basic guidance on how certain backup-related actions, such as snapshots, can be performed with oVirt’s built-in capabilities to showcase the amount of effort it takes to create a single snapshot.

1. Logging into the oVirt web interface would be the obvious first step.
2. Navigate to the list of VMs and click the one that needs to be backed up.
3. Locate the “Snapshots” tab on a dedicated page of a VM.
4. Click the “Create Snapshot” button, set up all of the necessary specifications (snapshot name, contents, etc.), and choose “OK” at the end.
5. Wait until the snapshot process is complete.

The newly created snapshot can be previewed from the previously mentioned “Snapshot” menu, and it can also be removed with the “Remove” button if it is no longer necessary. It is not a long-term backup strategy in itself, but one-time snapshots are still viable in certain situations, be it for the sake of testing or some other purpose.

Conclusion

Our goal for this article was to cover the basics of oVirt as a virtualization platform, as well as its capabilities and options in terms of backup and recovery tasks. While oVirt does offer some built-in capabilities that would be useful for backup purposes, the convenience and versatility of third-party backup solutions would also be on a completely different level.

Solutions such as Bacula Enterprise and Veeam offer a comprehensive approach to backup tasks with support for many other storage environments – a perfect option for large and complex infrastructures. On the other hand, options such as UrBackup or Storware are much cheaper in comparison, but their versatility would also be somewhat lower than enterprise-centric solutions.

A flexible and detailed backup strategy is a necessity for oVirt environments, considering how important virtual machines are in modern businesses. The ever-present threat of cybercriminal activities is just one of the reasons why backups as a security measure are at their most important right now, and investing in your data protection system is no longer an option – it is simply a requirement.

The reliability and versatility of your backup options should be tested on a regular basis since a single failed backup might mean the difference between a slight inconvenience and a massive financial and reputational issue for the company, irrespective of the company’s size and complexity. Think through your backup environments and choose the correct solutions in order to be prepared for as many different situations as you can.