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Cloud Backup: FAQs

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Account Services

Why does my backup fail with the error: "container does not exist Invalid snapshot id and engine, and check config_backup.json id."

Background

The Cloud Files container named "z_do-not-delete-cloud-backup" is required for Rackspace Cloud Backup to work properly. If this container is deleted, you will receive the error, "Container does not exist. Invalid snapshot id and engine, and check config_backup.json id" when you attempt to do a backup.

Issue

Sometimes we see a customer backup fail with the error message: "Container does not exist Invalid snapshot id and engine, and check config_backup.json id."

There are two causes for this error:

  1. The user has deleted the Cloud Files container where their backups are stored.
  2. Clicking the View Configuration link does not display the JSON configuration. The common cause of this is that the customer has backup configurations that are in a corrupted state.

Solution

Do not delete the  z_do-not-delete-cloud-backup container in their cloud files; it is used for backup. If you have accidentally deleted this container, contact Rackspace Support.

 

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Backups

Where are my Cloud Backups stored?

All of your Cloud Backups are stored in your Cloud Files account.

But what if I never set up a Cloud Files account?

When you established your Cloud Account, a Cloud Files account was set up as well. You are not charged storage fees for your Cloud Files account until you begin storing things in it.
How many backups can I have at one time?

You can create any number of backup jobs for each of your servers, and you can include any number of fileswhich also includes a nearly unlimited number of files.

See our chapter on Creating a Backup in the Getting Started Guide for more information about setting up your Backup.
What is De-duplication?

Our block-level de-duplication backs up only those portions of files that have changed since the previous backup. This means you don’t needlessly backup the same unchanged data again and again. This increases efficiency by reducing the amount of data that is transferred for each backup, and reduces your storage space by not storing duplicate data. An added benefit is that this capability enables you to retrieve previous versions of your files (up to the limits specified in your data retention settings).

See our section on De-duplication and Scheduling your Backup in the RCBU Getting Started Guide.
Can I use Rackspace Cloud Backup on my Server?

You can use Rackspace Cloud Backup on virtually any Cloud Server, legacy or Next Generation. The only exceptions are FreeBSD 9, Debian 5, and Windows 2003.

If you have a Managed Cloud Account, you may already have the agent installed on your system. If not, contact your account representative to get started.

See our RCBU Getting Started Guide for more information.

What does Rackspace Cloud Backup cost? With advanced de-duplication and compression capabilities built-in, RCBU can save you money by using less storage. Standard rates for Cloud Files storage fees apply. See our Cloud Files pricing page for current costs: Cloud Files storage fees
What is Rackspace Cloud Backup (RCBU)?

Rackspace Cloud Backup is a service that allows you to select and backup specific files and folders from your Cloud Server. You can schedule any number of Backup jobs, and restore to the same system or a different one, giving you the flexibility and power to work with your schedule and your data.

Some key features are

  • Select the files and folders from your Cloud Server you want to back up
  • Run your backups manually or on a schedule that works for you
  • See the activity from all your backups, both current and previous
  • Use AES-256 encryption with a private encryption key known only to you
  • Restore individual files and folders from a particular date
  • Save space with incremental backups that only save the changed portions of files
  • Create unlimited Backups

For information on getting started with RCBU, see our Getting Started Guide.
How long are my Cloud Backups kept?

You choose how long your backups are saved: 30 days, 60 days, or indefinitely.

Read more about Retaining your Backup in the RCBU Getting Started Guide.
How do I configure my Rackspace Cloud Backups?

You set up your backups in the Rackspace Cloud Backup Control Panel.

If you need to create a new Backup, click the System you want to backup, and then the Create Backup button. If you already have a Backup and want to re-configure it, click the gear icon next to the Backup name and select Configure Backup. See our page on Configuring a Backup through Backup Actions for more information.

Backups can be set to run hourly, daily, weekly, or on demand (manually).

Read more about Scheduling your Backup in the RCBU Getting Started Guide.
Why are files that are being modified during backup missing or corrupted?

Background

There are 3 types of files that change as Cloud Backup backs them up:

  1. Files that are being overwritten or get deleted as we back them up.
  2. Files like logs that get appended to as we back them up.
  3. Files like databases that may have random updates to any part of them as we back them up.

If files are modified during backup, they may be:

  1. Overwritten or Deleted: These files are not guaranteed to have usable content or to even be included in the backup at all.
  2. Appended: We will make a best effort to back these up, but we expect to be able to restore a reasonable and usable form of these files.
  3. Randomly Updated: We do not in any way guarantee that these files will be restorable, and even if they are restored, we do not guarantee that what is restored is not corrupt.

Issue

These file types either change too rapidly (databases, logs, caches) or don't exist long enough to be backed up (session files). Session files should be avoided entirely. And if the information is valuable to your business, log files should track it. Caches should also be avoided, as their data is meant to be discarded.

Solution

If you do need to back up these files, our suggested workarounds are:

  • For databases—Take a snapshot of the database (e.g., a database dump) and back up the dump. See Rackspace Cloud Backup - Backing up Databases for full instructions.
  • For log files—Take snapshots of your log files and back them up.
    • To avoid running out of disk space, rotate your log files periodically.

 

 
Does the backup agent accept incoming connections?

No.  The agent only makes outgoing SSL connections to our API server on port 443.
Can RCBU change my system config file, even after I have modified it?

Yes - Some Ubuntu users have older agents installed on their machines. In order to communicate properly with your system, the config file may need to be overwritten with a current version.
How does RCBU handle corrupt files?

Rackspace double checks to make sure files get written properly when backed up and restored. However, if an uploaded file is corrupt, it will get backed up and restored as corrupted. The backup and restore processes themselves should never corrupt files. File corruption occurring in Cloud Files itself may render the backup unusable, should this ever occur.
What happens if I lose my Encryption key?

Rackspace does not store customer encryption keys. Only you will know and be able to access your encryption passphrase. If you forget your passphrase, you will not be able to restore data from your Backups.

See our section on Setting up Encryption on your Cloud Backup System in the Getting Started Guide for more information.
How do I generate a Rackspace Cloud Backup Encryption key?

If you wish to create your own encrypted key and bypass the default client-side encryption, please refer to this article on using OpenSSL to generate a key.