Re: [Xen-users] backing up a shared server with single VPS

["Henning Sprang" <henning_sprang@xxxxxx>]

On 12/11/06, Nagita Karunaratne <nagita.k@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I am very new to xen and not even a linux novice.
You really mean you are *not* a novice, or did you wanted to say you
*are* a novice? If you are a novice, I really recommend you learn more
about Linux, and about backup strategies and available tools before
trying to setup zero-downtime systems.

> I would like to install a shard hosting environment in one large Xen vps
In my understanding, a VPS is already a virtualized system
(VPS=Virtual Private Server) - mostly they are made with vserver or
virtuozzo. It's unlikley that you can install Xen inside of it.

> in
> a dedicated server and then backup the image of the server instead of
> performing a regular backup if I have a general system failure.
It depends very much of the features your VPS/dedicated server, and
the type of backup your hosting provider offers. To get really all
data into a backup, also all from the xen domains, if you don't want
to use a backup strategy that does something within the domUs (like an
rsync or amanda backup client), then you could snapshot the lvm
volumes(assumed you are going to use lvm voumes) of the domUs and
backup them.

> I was hoping to reduce downtime.
This is really something that cannot be answered in one sentence. I
think, in general, it can't be said that you always spare a lot
downtime by just making bare metal copies of the full harddisk.

The idea you have _might_ if done and thought through very well, save
a bit downtime when the whole host goes down.
But then, what do you want to do if only one domU is hacked or
whatever? If you only have a dd image of the whole server disk, you
cannot recover a single vm easily.

You should first  be really clear what and how you want to back up,
and against which types fo failures you want to be more secure. Then
ypu can think of a backup strategy that matches your requirements.

> Is this process documents elsewhere?

There are quite some posts in the list archive about filesystems, lvm
backups and stuff.
All won't help as long as yoiu aren't clear about your scenario's and
requirements. If thiese are clear, search the web, search the archive,
search the wiki. Then test and try, and ask if you have further
questions.

Henning

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