How to use snapshots on a VPS

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KB0047762

How to use snapshots on a VPS


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Objective

Creating a snapshot is a fast and simple way to secure a functioning system before making changes that might have undesired or unforeseen consequences, for example testing a new configuration or software. It does not, however, constitute a complete system backup strategy.

This guide explains the usage of snapshots for your OVHcloud VPS.

Before applying backup options, we recommend to consult the product pages and FAQ for pricing comparisons and further details.

Requirements

Instructions

Log in to your OVHcloud Control Panel, open the Bare Metal Cloud section, and select your server under Virtual Private Servers.

Step 1: Subscribing to the snapshot option

From the Home tab, scroll down to the box labelled Summary of options.
If "Snapshot" is already set to "Enabled", go directly to step 2. If "Snapshot" is not yet enabled, click on ... next to the option "Snapshot" and in the context menu click on Order.

snapshotvps

In the next step, please take note of the pricing information, then click on Order. You will be guided through the order process and receive a confirmation email.

To cancel the service option, click on the button ... next to the option "Snapshot" and choose Close from the context menu.

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Step 2: Taking a snapshot

Once the option is enabled, click on ... next to the option "Snapshot" and in the context menu click Take a snapshot. You can write a description that will be attached to your snapshot. The time it takes to create the snapshot depends on the storage space in use. Afterwards, refresh your page to see the timestamp of the creation in the Summary of options box.

Step 3: Deleting or restoring a snapshot

Since you can only have one snapshot activated at a time, the existing snapshot has to be deleted before creating a new one. Simply choose Delete the snapshot from the context menu.

snapshotvps

If you are sure that you would like to reset your VPS to the status of the snapshot, click Restore the snapshot and confirm the restoration task in the popup window.

Please note that when you restore a VPS from a snapshot, the snapshot will be deleted. If you wish to keep the same snapshot, you should take a new one before making changes to the restored system.

If the snapshot function is too limited for your project, consider switching to the option Automated Backups.

Downloading a snapshot

The current snapshot can be retrieved via download link. Click on ... next to the option "Snapshot" and choose Download the snapshot from the context menu.

snapshotvps

If your VPS is of an older product range, you might receive an error message because the option is not available for a legacy VPS. These older services have the following naming scheme: vpsXXXX.ovh.net (in which X stands for a number). You can verify this server reference on the Home tab in your OVHcloud Control Panel.

In the popup window, click on Generate download link.

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After a few seconds, a success message appears. Below it, you can copy the complete download command with one click.

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The size of the snapshot and the expiration date of the link will also be displayed.

Note that the download link will expire after 24 hours.

The download command uses curl, in the following format:

curl "https://storage.sbg.cloud.ovh.net/v1/AUTH_f5fgh4674dd706f15f6ffgf4z667d3f4g5f05/glance/5ceg3f93-8b49-436b-aefe-4185f9fc3f78?
temp_url_sig=f508cacda60256d5f211ddddf3f81130e935f0e4&temp_url_expires=1678247579" --output vps-x11x11xyy.vps.ovh.net --fail

It should work from any command line terminal.

When using Windows PowerShell however, you will need to adjust the command as follows:

curl -Uri "https://storage.sbg.cloud.ovh.net/v1/AUTH_f5fgh4674dd706f15f6ffgf4z667d3f4g5f05/glance/5ceg3f93-8b49-436b-aefe-4185f9fc3f78?
temp_url_sig=f508cacda60256d5f211ddddf3f81130e935f0e4&temp_url_expires=1678247579" -OutFile vps-x11x11xyy.vps.ovh.net

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We recommend not to download snapshots directly to the VPS, to avoid using up the storage space.

The downloaded file can be imported into your Public Cloud Project as an image (QCOW2) via OpenStack. (Find an example of use in this guide.)

Best practice for using snapshots

Configuring the QEMU agent on a VPS

Snapshots are instantaneous images of your running system ("live snapshot"). To ensure the availability of your system when the snapshot is created, the QEMU agent is used to prepare the filesystem for the process.

The required qemu-guest-agent is not installed by default on most distributions. Moreover, licensing restrictions may prevent OVHcloud from including it in the available OS images. Therefore, it is best practice to verify and install the agent in case it is not activated on your VPS. Connect to your VPS via SSH and follow the instructions below, according to your operating system.

Debian-based distributions (Debian, Ubuntu)

Use the following command to check whether the system is properly set up for snapshots:

file /dev/virtio-ports/org.qemu.guest_agent.0
/dev/virtio-ports/org.qemu.guest_agent.0: symbolic link to ../vport2p1

If the output is different ("No such file or directory"), install the latest package:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install qemu-guest-agent

Reboot the VPS:

sudo reboot

Check the service to ensure it is running:

sudo service qemu-guest-agent status
Redhat-based distributions (Centos, Fedora)

Use the following command to check whether the system is properly set up for snapshots:

file /dev/virtio-ports/org.qemu.guest_agent.0
/dev/virtio-ports/org.qemu.guest_agent.0: symbolic link to ../vport2p1

If the output is different ("No such file or directory"), install and enable the agent:

sudo yum install qemu-guest-agent
sudo chkconfig qemu-guest-agent on

Reboot the VPS:

sudo reboot

Check the agent and verify that it is running:

sudo service qemu-guest-agent status
Kernel issues on cPanel

Consult our cPanel auto backup guide to find out how to fix issues with cPanel servers getting stuck during an OVHcloud automated backup.

Windows

You can install the agent via MSI file, available from the Fedora project website: https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/latest-qemu-ga/.

Verify that the service is running by using this PowerShell command:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> Get-Service QEMU-GA

Status   Name               DisplayName
------   ----               -----------
Running  QEMU-GA            QEMU Guest Agent

Go further

Using automated backups on a VPS

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