Data backup

Backup vaults

A backup vault is used to store backup data. It supports a tiered storage architecture with a standard layer and an archive layer that balances access performance and storage costs.

Standard layer: After data backup is completed, backup data is stored in the standard layer by default for fast access and recovery. This layer is suitable for recently created backups that may need to be restored or frequently verified, ensuring business continuity.

Archive layer: After you enable the automatic archiving feature, the system automatically transfers backup data from the standard layer to the archive layer based on the configured backup policy for long-term, low-cost storage. This layer is suitable for backup data that is rarely accessed but needs to be retained for a long time.

For more information about Cloud Backup vaults, see Vault types.

Key benefits

• Simple configurations

  You can deploy lightweight backup clients on physical servers, virtual machines, or ECS instances. No specific hardware is required. Scheduled backup policies are intuitive and easy to configure.

• Excellent backup performance

  Cloud Backup supports concurrent backups of a file system from multiple clients. This greatly improves backup efficiency.

• Source-side deduplication and compression

  The Cloud Backup client compresses and deduplicates file data at the source. This reduces bandwidth usage for uploads and lowers storage consumption for backups.

• Backup lock to prevent accidental or malicious deletion

  Cloud Backup provides a backup lock feature for backup vaults. This prevents backup data from being deleted by any account or method before the configured retention period expires.

• Cross-region or cross-account backup

  You can use the cross-region backup feature to quickly replicate critical data to different regions or accounts. This provides multi-layered disaster recovery protection across regions and accounts.

How it works

• You must first install and activate a Cloud Backup client on a physical server, virtual machine, or ECS instance. Then, you can log on to the Cloud Backup console to add the CPFS data source and use the client to back up specified files on the target file system.

• When a backup job runs, the Cloud Backup client scans the specified file system folders to identify files for backup. The client then performs data reduction operations, such as data deduplication and compression, and uploads the incremental data to the backup vault to complete the backup. If multiple clients are installed, they can back up CPFS data in parallel to improve backup performance.

• Cloud Backup uses a forever incremental backup mechanism. After the first full backup, each subsequent backup job uploads only the data that has changed since the last backup. A complete full backup is synthesized in the cloud. This minimizes network and storage consumption.

• When you delete any backup, only the data segments unique to that backup are deleted. Other backups are not affected.

  • Deleting a full backup does not affect subsequent data restoration. This is because deleting a full backup only removes the data segments exclusive to that backup. Data segments referenced by other backups are not deleted.

  • Deleting an intermediate backup does not affect subsequent incremental backups or recovery points. This is because Cloud Backup uses a forever incremental backup method. The first backup is a full backup, and each subsequent backup contains only the data that has changed since the previous backup.

• For backing up local systems to the cloud, Cloud Backup supports connections to Alibaba Cloud over the Internet, a VPN, or a leased line. For backups over the Internet, the server where the client is installed only needs to access the Internet. You do not need to expose the server's IP address to the Internet.

Procedure

The procedure for backing up CPFS using the Cloud Backup console is as follows:

1. Activate Cloud Backup

   The Cloud Backup service is free to activate. Charges for Cloud Backup are based on storage capacity. For more information about billing, see Billing methods and billable items.

2. Install a backup client

   The backup client establishes communication between a backup node (a physical server, a virtual machine, or an ECS instance) and Cloud Backup.

3. Add a data source

   In the Cloud Backup console, you can add CPFS as a data source.

4. Back up data

   Create a backup plan and set the backup vault, source path, backup cycle, and retention period. Cloud Backup starts the plan and continuously backs up the file system according to the schedule.

   Important

   • After you create a backup plan, the first backup job is a full backup. Subsequent jobs are incremental backups by default.

   • If the region you select supports backup policies, you can create a backup plan only by associating it with a backup policy. Cloud Backup periodically backs up the file system according to the backup policy.

   • In the navigation pane on the left of the console, click Policy Center to view the regions that support backup policies. For more information about how to create a backup policy, see Create a backup policy.

5. Recover data

   If files in the file system are lost or damaged, you can recover all files or specific files that meet certain conditions from a historical backup. You can recover the files to the source CPFS or to a new CPFS.

Billing

Backing up CPFS mainly incurs the following fees:

• Storage capacity fees: These are calculated based on the actual capacity consumed by your backup data in the Cloud Backup vault.

  You can find detailed information about the backup vault on the Overview page of the Cloud Backup console. For more information, see Pricing.

In addition, Cloud Backup charges other fees for specific backup configurations or operations. For example, restoring data from a Cloud Backup vault to a local file system over the Internet incurs outbound traffic fees. For more information, see Billing methods and billable items.