Chapter 8. The Backup and Restore API
The backup and restore API is a collection of functions that allows you to perform full or file-level backup and restoration of virtual machines. The API combines several components of Red Hat Virtualization, such as live snapshots and the REST API, to create and work with temporary volumes that can be attached to a virtual machine containing backup software provided by an independent software provider.
For supported third-party backup vendors, consult the Red Hat Virtualization Ecosystem at Red Hat Marketplace.
8.1. Backing Up a Virtual Machine
Use the backup and restore API to back up a virtual machine. This procedure assumes you have two virtual machines: the virtual machine to back up, and a virtual machine on which the software for managing the backup is installed.
Procedure 8.1. Backing Up a Virtual Machine
- Using the REST API, create a snapshot of the virtual machine to back up:
POST /ovirt-engine/api/vms/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111/snapshots/ HTTP/1.1 Accept: application/xml Content-type: application/xml <snapshot> <description>BACKUP</description> </snapshot>
Note
When you take a snapshot of a virtual machine, a copy of the configuration data of the virtual machine as at the time the snapshot was taken is stored in thedata
attribute of theconfiguration
attribute ininitialization
under the snapshot.Important
You cannot take snapshots of disks that are marked as shareable or that are based on direct LUN disks. - Retrieve the configuration data of the virtual machine from the
data
attribute under the snapshot:GET /ovirt-engine/api/vms/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111/snapshots/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111 HTTP/1.1 Accept: application/xml Content-type: application/xml
- Identify the disk ID and snapshot ID of the snapshot:
GET /ovirt-engine/api/vms/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111/snapshots/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111/disks HTTP/1.1 Accept: application/xml Content-type: application/xml
- Attach the snapshot to the backup virtual machine and activate the disk:
POST /ovirt-engine/api/vms/22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222/disks/ HTTP/1.1 Accept: application/xml Content-type: application/xml <disk id="11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111"> <snapshot id="11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111"/> <active>true</active> </disk>
- Use the backup software on the backup virtual machine to back up the data on the snapshot disk.
- Detach the snapshot disk from the backup virtual machine:
DELETE /ovirt-engine/api/vms/22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222/disks/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111 HTTP/1.1 Accept: application/xml Content-type: application/xml <action> <detach>true</detach> </action>
- Optionally, delete the snapshot:
DELETE /ovirt-engine/api/vms/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111/snapshots/11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111 HTTP/1.1 Accept: application/xml Content-type: application/xml
You have backed up the state of a virtual machine at a fixed point in time using backup software installed on a separate virtual machine.