How to Back Up and Recover Proxmox VM Data Using Agent-Based Approach

Product version: 11.0

Last modified: 19 June 2024

Question

How can you back up and then recover Proxmox VM data using an agent-based approach in NAKIVO Backup & Replication?

Answer

NAKIVO supports backing up Proxmox VM data and then recovering it to a VM on the same hypervisor or performing file- or object-level recovery. You may use the following instructions for backing up and recovering Proxmox VM data using an agent-based approach in NAKIVO Backup & Replication:

Prerequisites

The following environment setup is used in this walkthrough:

• NAKIVO Backup & Replication deployed on Linux Ubuntu running on a Proxmox VM. The complete NAKIVO Backup & Replication solution is installed with the onboard backup repository, renamed from “Onboard repository” to “Proxmox Onboard”.

Note

NAKIVO Backup & Replication can be installed on any supported machine or device. For detailed installation instructions, please refer to the user guide.

• A bare-metal Proxmox server based on Proxmox 8.1.4.

• Local datastores:

  • Local

  • Local-lvm

• Shared datastore configured on the repository used for creating backup copy jobs.

Adding Proxmox VMs to Inventory

To add Proxmox VMs to the NAKIVO Backup & Replication inventory:

1. Access Inventory Settings:

   • Navigate to Settings > Inventory in the NAKIVO web interface.

   • Click the + button to add a new item.

     

2. Add a Linux VM:

   • Select Physical to use the agent-based approach.

     

     Note

     This method involves installing a Transporter agent in each Proxmox VM. This approach is similar to adding physical Linux or Windows machines.

   • Enter the following details:

     • Display name: Linux VM

     • Type: Linux

     • Credentials type: Password

     • Username: root

     • Password: *********

     • SSH port: 22

   • A NAKIVO Transporter will be installed on the machine. If automatic installation fails, manually install the Transporter.

3. Finalize Addition:

   • Click Finish to complete the addition.

     

4. Add a Windows Machine:

   • Follow the same steps, selecting Microsoft Windows and entering the IP address and credentials.

     

Creating a Backup Job

To create a backup job for Proxmox VMs:

1. Create a New Backup Job:

   • Go to the Jobs tab, click +, and select Backup for physical machine.

     

2. Select VM to Back Up:

   • Choose the Proxmox VM(s) to back up. For example, select the Linux VM.

     

3. Select Backup Destination:

   • Choose the "Proxmox Onboard" repository. Optionally, create a backup copy job to a remote iSCSI repository on TrueNAS.

     

4. Configure Schedule and Retention:

   • Set the schedule and retention settings or choose on-demand execution. Use a grandfather-father-son scheme.

     

5. Backup Job Options:

   • Job name: Enter a name.

   • Change tracking: Select the proprietary method.

   • Full backup intervals: Define the intervals and type.

6. Run Backup Job:

7. Click Finish & Run. Review the job scope, scheduling, and retention. Click Run to confirm.

   

Granular Recovery of Proxmox VM Data

To recover specific files from a Windows VM:

1. Select Recovery Job:

   • Go to the Jobs tab, select the Windows VM backup job, and click Recover > Individual files.

     

2. Select Recovery Point:

   • In the Backup Repositories view, choose the appropriate backup and proceed through the wizard.

     

3. Select Recovery Method:

   • Choose Recover to the following server.

4. Enter Recovery Details:

   • Select the Windows Server VM from the inventory, enter the IP address, and provide OS credentials.

5. Test Connection:

   • Click Test connection. If successful, click Next to proceed.

     

6. Select Files to Recover:

   • Navigate the file system structure to select the desired files.

     

7. Define Recovery Options:

   • Choose Recover to original location, set overwrite behavior, and click Recover.

     

   Full Recovery Using Bare Metal Restore

   For full recovery of Proxmox VM data:

   1. Create Bootable Media:

      • In the NAKIVO web interface, go to Jobs, select the VM backup job, click Recover, and choose Bootable media for physical machine.

        

      • Select Get ISO (download to browser) and follow the wizard to download the ISO.

        

   2. Upload ISO to Proxmox Datastore:

      • In the Proxmox web interface, open the ISO Images tab and upload the ISO image to the datastore.

        

   3. Configure VM to Boot from ISO:

      • Select the VM, go to Hardware, and set the CD/DVD Drive to use the ISO, then confirm.

        

      • Click Options of the VM you want to recover and double-click Boot Order to edit the VM boot order.

        

      • Adjust the VM's boot order to prioritize the CD/DVD drive. Click OK to save the settings.

        

   4. Boot and Recover:

      • Reboot the VM from the ISO.

        

      • Open the VM console in the Proxmox web interface.

      • In the VM, open Firefox. Ensure the URL in Firefox points to the NAKIVO Backup & Replication backup appliance.

      • Log in to the NAKIVO Backup & Replication web interface, select the VM backup, and proceed with the recovery.

        

      • Ensure the target disks match and click Recover.

        

   5. Finalize Recovery:

      • After successful recovery, go back to the Proxmox web interface, and revert the VM's boot order to its original settings.

        

   6. Reboot the VM to start from its virtual disk.