Blacklabelops Volumerize

Blacklabelops backup and restore solution for Docker volume backups. It is based on the command line tool Duplicity. Dockerized and Parameterized for easier use and configuration.

Always remember that this no wizard tool that can clone and backup data from running databases. You should always stop all containers running on your data before doing backups. Always make sure your not victim of unexpected data corruption.

Also note that the easier the tools the easier it is to lose data! Always make sure the tool works correct by checking the backup data itself, e.g. S3 bucket. Check the configuration double time and enable some check options this image offers. E.g. attaching volumes read only.

Features:

• Multiple Backends
• Cron Schedule
• Start and Stop Containers

Supported backends:

• Filesystem
• Amazon S3
• DropBox
• Google Drive
• ssh/scp
• rsync

and many more: Duplicity Supported Backends⁠

Support

Leave a message and ask questions on Hipchat: blacklabelops/hipchat⁠

Volume Backups Tutorials

Docker Volume Backups on:

Backblaze B2: Readme⁠

Amazon S3: Readme⁠

Dropbox: Readme⁠

Google Drive: Readme⁠

Make It Short

You can make backups of your Docker application volume just by typing:

$ docker run -it --rm \
    --name volumerize \
    -v yourvolume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize backup

How It Works

The container has a default startup mode. Any specific behavior is done by defining envrionment variables at container startup (docker run). The default container behavior is to start in demon mode and do incremental daily backups.

You application data must be saved inside a Docker volume. You can list your volumes with the Docker command docker volume ls. You have to attach the volume to the backup container using the -v option. Choose an arbitrary name for the folder and add the :rooption to make the sources read only.

Example using Jenkins:

$ docker run \
     -d -p 80:8080 \
     --name jenkins \
     -v jenkins_volume:/jenkins \
     blacklabelops/jenkins

Now attach the Jenkins data to folders inside the container and tell blacklabelops/volumerize to backup folder /source to folder /backup.

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

You can execute commands inside the container, e.g. doing an immediate backup or even restore:

$ docker exec volumerize backup

Backup Multiple volumes

The container can backup one source folder, see environment variable VOLUMERIZE_TARGET. If you want to backup multiple volumes you will have to hook up multiple volumes under the same source folder.

Example:

• Volume: application_data
• Volume: application_database_data
• Volume: application_configuration

Now start the container hook them up under the same folder source.

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v application_data:/source/application_data:ro \
    -v application_database_data:/source/application_database_data:ro \
    -v application_configuration:/source/application_configuration:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Backup Restore

A restore is simple. First stop your Volumerize container and start a another container with the same environment variables and the same volume but without read only mode! This is important in order to get the same directory structure as when you did your backup!

Tip: Now add the read only option to your backup container!

Example:

You did your backups with the following settings:

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Then stop the backup container and restore with the following command. The only difference is that we exclude the read only option :ro from the source volume and added it to the backup volume:

$ docker stop volumerize
$ docker run --rm \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source \
    -v backup_volume:/backup:ro \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize restore
$ docker start volumerize

Dry run

You can pass the --dry-run parameter to the restore command in order to test the restore functionality:

$ docker run --rm \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source \
    -v backup_volume:/backup:ro \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize restore --dry-run

But in order to see the differences between backup and source you need the verify command:

$ docker run --rm \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source \
    -v backup_volume:/backup:ro \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize verify

Periodic Backups

The default cron setting for this container is: 0 0 4 * * *. That's four a clock in the morning UTC. You can set your own schedule with the environment variable VOLUMERIZE_JOBBER_TIME.

You can set the time zone with the environment variable TZ.

The syntax is different from cron because I use Jobber as a cron tool: Jobber Time Strings⁠

Example:

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "TZ=Europe/Berlin"
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_JOBBER_TIME=0 0 3 * * *" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Docker Container Restarts

This image can stop and start Docker containers before and after backup. Docker containers are specified using the environment variable VOLUMERIZE_CONTAINERS. Just enter their names in a empty space separated list.

Example:

• Docker container application with name application
• Docker container application database with name application_database

Note: Needs the parameter -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock in order to be able to start and stop containers on the host.

Example:

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_CONTAINERS=application application_database" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Test the routine!

$ docker exec volumerize backup

Warning: Make sure your container is running under the correct restart policy. Tools like Docker, Docker-Compose, Docker-Swarm, Kubernetes and Cattle may restart the container even when Volumerize stops it. Backups done under running instances may end in corrupted backups and even corrupted data. Always make sure that the command docker stop really stops an instance and there will be no restart of the underlying deployment technology. You can test this by running docker stop and check with docker ps that the container is really stopped.

Duplicity Parameters

Under the hood blacklabelops/volumerize uses duplicity. See here for duplicity command line options: Duplicity CLI Options⁠

You can pass duplicity options inside Volumerize. Duplicity options will be passed by the environment-variable VOLUMERIZE_DUPLICITY_OPTIONS. The options will be added to all blacklabelops/volumerize commands and scripts. E.g. the option --dry-run will put the whole container in demo mode as all duplicity commands will only be simulated.

Example:

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_DUPLICITY_OPTIONS=--dry-run" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Symmetric Backup Encryption

You can encrypt your backups by setting a secure passphrase inside the environment variable PASSPHRASE.

Creating a secure passphrase:

$ docker run --rm blacklabelops/volumerize openssl rand 128 -base64

Example:

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    -e "PASSPHRASE=Jzwv1V83LHwtsbulVS7mMyijStBAs7Qr/V2MjuYtKg4KQVadRM" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Asymmetric Key-Based Backup Encryption

You can encrypt your backups with secure secret keys.

You need:

• A key, specified by the environment-variable VOLUMERIZE_GPG_PRIVATE_KEY
• A key passphrase, specified by the environment-variable PASSPHRASE

Creating a key? Install gpg on your comp and type:

$ gpg2 --full-gen-key
Please select what kind of key you want:
   (1) RSA and RSA (default)
   (2) DSA and Elgamal
   (3) DSA (sign only)
   (4) RSA (sign only)
Your selection? 1
RSA keys may be between 1024 and 4096 bits long.
What keysize do you want? (2048)
Requested keysize is 2048 bits   
Please specify how long the key should be valid.
         0 = key does not expire
      <n>  = key expires in n days
      <n>w = key expires in n weeks
      <n>m = key expires in n months
      <n>y = key expires in n years
Key is valid for? (0)
Key does not expire at all
Is this correct? (y/N) y

GnuPG needs to construct a user ID to identify your key.

Real name: YourName
Email address: yourname@youremail.com
Comment:                            
You selected this USER-ID:
    "YourName <yourname@youremail.com>"

Change (N)ame, (C)omment, (E)mail or (O)kay/(Q)uit? O
$ gpg2 --export-secret-keys --armor yourname@youremail.com > MyKey.asc

Example:

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -v $(pwd)/MyKey.asc:/key/MyKey.asc \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_GPG_PRIVATE_KEY=/key/MyKey.asc" \
    -e "PASSPHRASE=" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Test the routine!

$ docker exec volumerize backup

Enforcing Full Backups Periodically

The default behavior is that the initial backup is a full backup. Afterwards, Volumerize will perform incremental backups. You can enforce another full backup periodically by specifying the environment variable VOLUMERIZE_FULL_IF_OLDER_THAN.

The format is a number followed by one of the characters s, m, h, D, W, M, or Y. (indicating seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years)

Examples:

• After three Days: 3D
• After one month: 1m
• After 55 minutes: 55m

Volumerize Example:

$ docker run -d \
    --name volumerize \
    -v jenkins_volume:/source:ro \
    -v backup_volume:/backup \
    -v cache_volume:/volumerize-cache \
    -e "TZ=Europe/Berlin" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_SOURCE=/source" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_TARGET=file:///backup" \
    -e "VOLUMERIZE_FULL_IF_OLDER_THAN=7D" \
    blacklabelops/volumerize

Container Scripts

This image creates at container startup some convenience scripts.

Example triggering script inside running container:

$ docker exec volumerize backup

Passing script parameters:

Under the hood blacklabelops/volumerize uses duplicity. See here for duplicity command line options: Duplicity CLI Options⁠

Example:

$ docker exec volumerize backup --dry-run

Build The Project

Check out the project at Github.

Build the Image

$ docker build -t blacklabelops/volumerize .

Run the Image

$ docker run -it --rm blacklabelops/volumerize bash