OLVM Backup and Restore

Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager (OLVM) is a powerful virtualization platform based on oVirt. Ensuring consistent backups of the OLVM environment is critical for disaster recovery and business continuity. The backup process primarily includes the engine database, configuration files, and optionally VM disk images (data domains).

 Backup the OLVM Engine Database: 

Use the engine-backup utility to back up the manager database and configuration.

engine-backup --mode=backup \
  --file=/backup/olvm_engine_backup.tar \
  --log=/backup/olvm_backup.log \
  --scope=all

--scope=all ensures both the engine DB and configuration files are included. 

Backup should be run on the OLVM manager node.

Backup Data Domains (VM disks): 

Use storage-level tools or snapshot methods to back up virtual machine disks. 

For iSCSI/NFS domains: 

Use storage-side snapshots or backup tools like rsync or tar.

For GlusterFS: 

Use Gluster snapshots or native backup solutions. 

Automate Backups:

Automate using cron jobs and ensure backups are sent to secure offsite storage. 

Restore Process: 

Install OLVM manager packages and prepare a base system. 

Restore Engine Backup:  

Use the same engine-backup tool:

engine-backup --mode=restore \
  --file=/backup/olvm_engine_backup.tar \
  --log=/backup/olvm_restore.log \
  --restore-permissions

Reconnect Data Domains: 

 Ensure storage domains are reattached to OLVM via the web admin or ovirt-shell. 

Best Practices:

• Store backups in multiple, geographically diverse locations. 
• Test restores regularly to validate backup integrity. 
• Document VM dependencies, storage domains, and network configurations.
• Use versioned backups and encryption for compliance and security.

Conclusion:

Implementing a robust backup and restore strategy for Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager (OLVM) is essential for ensuring system resilience and minimizing downtime. By regularly backing up the engine database, configuration files, and virtual machine data domains, administrators can safeguard their virtualization infrastructure against data loss, corruption, or system failures. A well-documented and tested restore process further enhances operational continuity and disaster recovery readiness.

thanks for reading.

BR,

ZAHEER