Managing Docker containers for critical applications like websites or microservices can be a smooth experience with a few well-planned strategies. However, it’s crucial to ensure you have a reliable backup and restore process in place. In this post, I will walk you through how to back up and restore Docker services using docker-compose. We'll use a real-world example of backing up and restoring a Docker-based "homepage" service.
Backing up and restoring a Docker container like MariaDB involves a few other steps
Why Backup & Restore?
Backups are essential to protect your application data and configurations. In case of data loss, corruption, or errors due to updates, backups provide the ability to revert to a previous working state quickly. Docker services often contain volumes or configurations that need to be preserved. Without a proper backup system, losing such data could be disastrous.
Backup Procedure for Docker Services
Let's assume you have a Docker service named "homepage" and you want to back up its data.
Step 1: Stop the Docker Containers
Before creating a backup, it's always a good idea to stop the running containers. This ensures that no write operations are occurring during the backup process.
Navigate to the directory where the docker-compose file for the 'homepage' service is located. I organize all my Docker Compose files (docker-compose.yml) in separate directories within the 'docker' directory, and then run docker compose up -d from the respective directory.
cd /home/mahesh/docker/homepage
Stop the Docker containers for the 'homepage' service
docker-compose stop
Stopping the containers ensures data integrity during the backup process.
Step 2: Create a Backup Archive
Once the containers are stopped, you can create a compressed archive of your Docker project directory.
Navigate to your home directory
cd /home/mahesh/
Create a compressed backup archive of the 'homepage' service directory with a timestamp
tar -czvf docker-backup-$(date +'%F').tar.gz /home/mahesh/docker/homepage
The $(date +'%F') command dynamically adds the current date to the backup file name, making it easier to manage multiple backups.
Step 3: Restart Docker Containers
After the backup process is complete, you can restart the Docker containers.
Navigate back to your docker-compose directory
cd /home/mahesh/docker/homepage
Start the containers
docker-compose start
Your service should be back up and running, and you now have a full backup of the Docker service, ready to restore if needed.
Restore Procedure for Docker Services
Restoring the service from a backup is simple and requires only a few steps.
Step 1: Install your docker container in my case , homepage
Step 1: Stop the Docker Containers
Before restoring, stop the running containers to avoid conflicts.
Navigate to the docker-compose directory
cd /home/mahesh/docker/homepage
Stop the running containers
docker-compose stop
Step 2: Remove the Current Files
To ensure a clean restore, remove all the current files in the homepage directory.
Remove all files and directories in the 'homepage' folder
rm -rf /home/mahesh/docker/homepage/*
Step 3: Extract the Backup Archive
Once the directory is cleared, extract the backup archive to the original location.
Extract the backup archive (replace YYYY-MM-DD with the actual date of the backup)
tar -xzvf /home/mahesh/docker-backup-YYYY-MM-DD.tar.gz -C /
Ensure you replace YYYY-MM-DD with the correct date of the backup file you are restoring.
Step 4: Start the Docker Containers
Now, restart the containers to bring the service back online.
Navigate to the docker-compose directory
cd /home/mahesh/docker/homepage
Start the containers
docker-compose start
Your service is now restored to the state it was in when the backup was created.
Best Practices for Docker Backup and Restore
- Automate Backups: Use cron jobs or similar scheduling tools to automate backups. You can run the backup script at regular intervals.
- Store Backups Safely: Keep your backup archives in a safe, redundant location. Consider using cloud storage or remote servers
