Install Velero for Efficient Backups on Kubernetes

How to Install Velero for Efficient Backups

Velero is an open-source tool designed to manage and automate backups, restoration, and migration of resources in Kubernetes clusters. By following this guide, you will gain practical knowledge on installing and configuring Velero.

Prerequisites

A Kubernetes cluster, version 1.10 or later.
kubectl installed and configured. You can follow our Kubectl Installation Guide for assistance.
An AWS IAM role or Azure Storage Account configured, depending on where you wish to store backups.

Step 1: Prepare Your Cloud Storage

Velero supports multiple storage providers, but for this guide, we will focus on AWS S3 storage. First, set up an S3 bucket to store your backups. Note down the bucket name and the region as you will need them later.

Step 2: Install Velero CLI

Download and install the Velero CLI from the official GitHub repository (Official site). Ensure you have the correct version for your operating system.

curl -L "https://github.com/vmware-tanzu/velero/releases/download/v1.6.3/velero-v1.6.3-linux-amd64.tar.gz" \
 | tar -xz -C /usr/local/bin/

Step 3: Configure AWS Credentials

Create a file named credentials-velero in your working directory with the following content:

[default]
aws_access_key_id=
aws_secret_access_key=

Step 4: Deploy Velero to Your Cluster

To deploy Velero, you need to specify the bucket name and region:

velero install \
 --provider aws \
 --bucket  \
 --secret-file ./credentials-velero \
 --use-volume-snapshots=false \
 --backup-location-config region=

Step 5: Verify Installation

Run the following to ensure Velero is running correctly:

kubectl get pods -n velero

Troubleshooting

Velero pod not starting: Check logs using kubectl logs deployment/velero -n velero for errors.
Backup failure: Ensure your S3 bucket policy allows Velero to perform PutObject and GetObject operations. Review AWS IAM permissions for the user.

Conclusion

Installing Velero effectively secures your Kubernetes resources by simplifying the backup and restore process. Make sure to test your backups regularly to ensure everything functions as expected. Feel free to explore other storage options or advanced configurations by following the official Velero documentation (Official site).