How-To: Export a Backup

To restore and export a backup from the ComputeStacks backup agent, you will need administrator access to one of the nodes that has access to that particular backup.

SECTIONS

Step 1: Prepare the machine

Login via ssh and gain root access.
Create an export directory, for example /root/backup-export.
```
cd /root && mkdir backup-export
```

Step 2: Launch a backup container with the data mounted

Aquire the backup encryption key. This can be found in /etc/computestacks/agent.yml under backups.key.

<aside> ⚠️ If your key has a $ character in it, be sure to escape that before adding it to the container (\\$).

</aside>
Determine the backup volume name.
1. Login to the ComputeStacks controller and navigate to: the project → data volumes → click on the volume
2. Below the overview details, you will see a UUID in the gray footer. The backup volume name will be: b-<the-volume-UUID>.

Create the backup container.

docker run -it --rm -l com.computestacks.role=backup \\
                    -e BORG_PASSPHRASE="BACKUP-KEY" \\
                    -e BORG_BASE_DIR=/mnt/borg \\
                    -v b-{{ volume-UUID }}:/mnt/borg \\
                    -v /root/backup-export:/mnt/export \\
                    cmptstks/borg:stable ash

This will launch the container and place you into an interactive shell.

Step 3: Extract your backup data

List all available backups
```
borg list /mnt/borg/backup
```
<aside> 👉 https://borgbackup.readthedocs.io/en/stable/usage/list.html

</aside>

(Optional) List files in the backup

# example: borg list /mnt/borg/backup::test-m-2022-10-12T22:34:43
borg list /mnt/borg/backup::{{ archive name outputted in previous command }}

Extract backup into directory

# example: cd /mnt/export && borg extract /mnt/borg/backup::test-m-2022-10-12T22:34:43
cd /mnt/export && borg extract /mnt/borg/backup::{{ archive name outputted in previous command }}

<aside> 👉 https://borgbackup.readthedocs.io/en/stable/usage/extract.html

</aside>

You may now exit the container:
```
exit
```
The container will be automatically stopped & deleted upon exit.

Step 4: Cleanup

Your files will now be in the directory you initially setup (e.g. /root/backup-export). You can now compress that entire directory and transfer it wherever it needs to go.