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Restore Azure Kubernetes Service using Azure Backup

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This article describes how to restore backed-up Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

Azure Backup now allows you to back up AKS clusters (cluster resources and persistent volumes attached to the cluster) using a backup extension, which must be installed in the cluster. Backup vault communicates with the cluster via this Backup Extension to perform backup and restore operations.

Note

Vaulted backup and Cross Region Restore for AKS using Azure Backup are currently in preview.

Before you start

  • AKS backup allows you to restore to original AKS cluster (that was backed up) and to an alternate AKS cluster. AKS backup allows you to perform a full restore and item-level restore. You can utilize restore configurations to define parameters based on the cluster resources that will be picked up during the restore.

  • You must install the Backup Extension in the target AKS cluster. Also, you must enable Trusted Access between the Backup vault and the AKS cluster.

For more information on the limitations and supported scenarios, see the support matrix.

Restore the AKS clusters

To restore the backed-up AKS cluster, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Backup center and select Restore.

    Screenshot shows how to start the restore process.

  2. On the next page, click Select backup instance, and then select the instance that you want to restore.

    If the instance is available in both Primary and Secondary Region, select the region to restore too, and then select Continue.

    Screenshot shows selection of backup instance for restore.

    Screenshot shows choosing instances for restore.

    Screenshot shows starting restore.

  3. Click Select restore point to select the restore point you want to restore.

    If the restore point is available in both Vault and Operation datastore, select the one you want to restore from.

    Screenshot shows how to view the restore points.

    Screenshot shows selection of a restore point.

    Screenshot shows how to go to the Restore page.

  4. In the Restore parameters section, click Select Kubernetes Service and select the AKS cluster to which you want to restore the backup to.

    Screenshot shows how to initiate parameter selection.

    Screenshot shows selection of parameter Kubernetes Service.

    Screenshot shows the Restore page with the selection of Kubernetes parameter.

  5. To select the backed-up cluster resources for restore, click Select resources.

    Learn more about restore configurations.

    Screenshot shows the Select Resources to restore page.

  6. If you have opted for restore from Vault-standard datastore, then provide a snapshot resource group and storage account as the staging location.

    Screenshot shows the parameters to add for restore from Vault-standard storage.

    Screenshot shows the storage parameter to add for restore from Vault-standard storage.

  7. Select Validate to run validation on the cluster selections for restore.

    Screenshot shows the validation of restore parameters.

  8. Once the validation is successful, select Review + restore and restore the backups to the selected cluster.

    Screenshot shows the Review + restore tab for restore.

Restore configurations

As part of item-level restore capability of AKS backup, you can utilize multiple restore configuration filters to perform restore.

  • Select the Namespaces that you want to restore from the list. The list shows only the backed-up Namespaces.

    Screenshot shows selection of Namespace.

    You can also select the checkboxes if you want to restore cluster scoped resources and persistent volumes (of Azure Disk only).

    To restore specific cluster resources, use the labels attached to them in the textbox. Only resources with the entered labels are backed up.

  • You can provide API Groups and Kinds to restore specific resource types. The list of API Group and Kind is available in the Appendix. You can enter multiple API Groups.

    Screenshot shows the usage of API for restore.

  • To restore a workload, such as Deployment from a backup via API Group, the entry should be:

    • Kind: Select Deployment.

    • Group: Select Group.

    • Namespace Mapping: To migrate the backed-up cluster resources to a different Namespace, select the backed-up Namespace, and then enter the Namespace to which you want to migrate the resources.

      If the Namespace doesn't exist in the AKS cluster, it gets created. If a conflict occurs during the cluster resources restore, you can skip or patch the conflicting resources.

      Screenshot shows the selection of namespace for migration.

Azure Backup for AKS currently supports the following two options when doing a restore operation when resource clash happens (backed-up resource has the same name as the resource in the target AKS cluster). You can choose one of these options when defining the restore configuration.

  • Skip: This option is selected by default. For example, if you have backed up a PVC named pvc-azuredisk and you're restoring it in a target cluster that has the PVC with the same name, then the backup extension skips restoring the backed-up persistent volume claim (PVC). In such scenarios, we recommend you to delete the resource from the cluster, and then do the restore operation so that the backed-up items are only available in the cluster and aren't skipped.

  • Patch: This option allows the patching mutable variable in the backed-up resource on the resource in the target cluster. If you want to update the number of replicas in the target cluster, you can opt for patching as an operation.

Note

AKS backup currently doesn't delete and recreate resources in the target cluster if they already exist. If you attempt to restore Persistent Volumess in the original location, delete the existing Persistent Volumes, and then do the restore operation.

Restore in secondary region (preview)

To restore the AKS cluster in the secondary region, configure Geo redundancy and Cross Region Restore in the Backup vault, and then trigger restore.

Next steps