How to Set Up Automatic Backups with Veeam and Vultr Block Storage

Introduction

Veeam is a backup and replication software that offers reliable data protection solutions for businesses. Written in C#, PowerShell, Java, and Python, Veeam allows faster integration with cloud storage providers such as Vultr Block Storage.

You can use Veeam to sync data between your Cloud Compute instance and a Vultr Block Storage instance. Veeam also supports automatic backup jobs that run at flexible timings depending on how often you want to back up data.

This guide walks you through setting up automatic backups with Veeam and Vultr Block Storage.

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

• Deploy Ubuntu 24.04 Cloud Compute Instance.
  • SSH to the Cloud Compute instance.
  • Create a non-root sudo user and switch to the account.
  • Update the Cloud Compute instance.
• Deploy a Vultr Block Storage instance.
• Attach and mount the Block Storage to the Cloud Compute instance.

Install Veeam

To use Veeam, you must install the Veeam Agent for Linux. This tool offers comprehensive data backup capabilities for various Linux distributions. Follow the steps below to install the tool.

1. Visit the following resource to grab the latest download link for Debian/Ubuntu.

   • Veeam Linux Backup Download link

2. Switch to the /tmp directory.

   console Copy

   $ cd /tmp
   

3. Download the Veeam repository package.

   console Copy

   $ wget https://download2.veeam.com/VAL/v6/veeam-release-deb_1.0.9_amd64.deb
   

4. Install the Veeam repository.

   console Copy

   $ sudo dpkg -i veeam-release*
   

5. Update the package information index and install Veeam.

   console Copy

   $ sudo apt update
   $ sudo apt install -y blksnap veeam
   

Run Veeam File-Level Backup Job

The Veeam Agent for Linux requires two steps to create a file-level backup:

1. Creating a repository.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig repository create \
   --name repository_name \
   --location destination_or_remote_location
   

   In the above command:

   • --name: Defines the name of the new repository.
   • --location: Specifies the remote location where you want to backup data. This guide shows you how to backup the data in Vultr Block Storage.

2. Creating a backup job.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig job create filelevel \
    --name job_name \
    --reponame  repository_name \
    --includedirs source_directory_path \
    --daily \
    --at 00:30 \
    --nosnap
   

   In the above command:

   --name: Defines the name of the backup. --reponame : Defines the repository name. --includedirs Specifies the source directory path that you want to back up. For instance, ~/project. --daily --at 00:30: Sets a backup schedule. Apart from daily schedule, Veeam also supports weekly and monthly schedules. --nosnap: -Allows Veeam to perform a regular quicker (non-application-aware) backup.

Follow the steps below to create a Veeam file-level backup:

1. Create a new project directory under your user home directory. In a production environment, you may skip this command and select an existing directory.

   console Copy

   $ mkdir ~/project
   

2. Navigate to the ~/project directory.

   console Copy

   $ cd ~/project
   

3. Run the following touch command to create two sample files under the directory.

   console Copy

   $ touch test1.txt
   $ touch test2.txt
   

4. Create a repository where you want to back up the files under the Vultr Block Storage path. For instance, /mnt/blockstorage/project.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig repository create \
   --name Veeammblockstorage \
   --location /mnt/blockstorage/project/
   

5. Reply with yes in the next two prompts and press Enter each time to accept the Veeam Software license agreement.

   console Copy

   I accept Veeam Software End User License Agreement:
   /usr/share/veeam/EULA
   (yes/no): yes
   I accept the terms of the following 3rd party software components license agreements:
   /usr/share/veeam/3rdPartyNotices.txt
   (yes/no): yes
   

   The Veeam Software creates a new repository and displays the following message.

   Repository has been created successfully.

6. View the repository list.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig repository list
   

   Output.

   Name                ID                                      Location                     Type   
   Veeammblockstorage  {f84aea44-c585-4073-903b-c3b961d2ceb4}  /mnt/blockstorage/my_backup  local  

7. Create a new Veeam backup job. Ensure the --reponame is the same as the repository name that you have created above. That is, Veeammblockstorage.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig job create filelevel \
   --name sample_job \
   --reponame  Veeammblockstorage \
   --includedirs ~/project/ \
   --daily \
   --at 00:30 \
   --nosnap
   

   Output.

   Job has been created successfully.

8. View the Veeam Job List.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig job list
   

   Output.

   Name        ID                                      Type       Repository
   sample_job  {05e8332b-2126-45d3-b84d-c78643a0c06b}  FileLevel  Veeammblockstorage

9. Start the backup job manually. This step ensures you have the first backup before the schedule runs.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig job start --name sample_job
   

   Output.

   The backup job has been started.
   Session ID: [{8ccf3ee4-dd8e-4f56-821b-97eef5b2a79f}].
   Logs stored in: [/var/log/veeam/Backup/sample_job/Session_20240609_104931_{8ccf3ee4-dd8e-4f56-821b-97eef5b2a79f}].

Restore Backups

The Veeam agent allows you to restore files from the repository if you lose the original files. Follow the steps below to restore the files.

1. Delete the files from the original source directory.

   console Copy

   $ rm ~/project/test1.txt ~/project/test2.txt
   

2. Ensure the local source directory is empty.

   console Copy

   $ ls -ls ~/project
   

   Output

   total 0

3. View the Veeam agent backups and note the job ID. For instance, 0c4bf14a-5d5b-4d20-ba23-f5303611e667.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig backup list
   

   Output:

   Job name              Backup ID                               Repository          Created at
   server-1 sample_job  {0c4bf14a-5d5b-4d20-ba23-f5303611e667}  Veeammblockstorage  2024-06-05 10:43

4. Mount the backup to a local directory (For instance, /tmp/restore) in your Cloud compute instance by specifying the job ID in the following command.

   console Copy

   $ sudo veeamconfig backup mount --id bc77565b-3978-47f0-9641-ad5069dae749 --mountdir /tmp/restore
   

5. Copy the files from the mount location to the source directory.

   console Copy

   $  cp -r /tmp/restore/home/$USER/project/ ~/project/
   

6. Ensure Veeam has restored the files.

   console Copy

   $ ls -ls ~/project
   

   Output

   4 -rw-rw-r-- 1 francis francis 75 Jun 10 00:54 test1.txt
   0 -rw-rw-r-- 1 francis francis  0 Jun 10 00:54 test2.txt

   Note

   For best results, always follow the 321 backup rule to ensure data redundancy, diversity, and geographic separation:

   1. Always keep three 3 of your critical data.
   2. Store the data copies on 2 different media.
   3. Keep 1 copy of your data offsite.

Conclusion

This guide walked you through setting up automatic backups with Veeam and Vultr Block Storage. You have learned how to use the Veeam Agent for Linux to create a repository and set up a backup job. Then, you have mounted a backup to a local directory to restore files.