Backups

Backups capture instance files so you can restore quickly after failed updates, data corruption, or accidental deletion.

Backup Storage Options

Shardlyn supports multiple backup storage backends:

S3-Compatible Storage

Store backups in cloud object storage for durability and scalability:

• AWS S3: Native support with AWS credentials
• MinIO: S3-compatible storage
• Other: Any S3-compatible service (Backblaze B2, DigitalOcean Spaces, etc.)

Configuration in Settings > Backup Storage:

• Bucket name
• Endpoint URL (for non-AWS services)
• Region
• Credential reference (configured in Settings > Credentials)

Create a Backup

From UI

1. Navigate to Instance Detail > Backups tab
2. Click Create Backup
3. Optionally specify:
   • Name: Descriptive backup name (e.g., "pre-update")
   • Path: Specific directory to backup (default: root mount)
4. Wait for backup to complete

From API

POST /v1/instances/{id}/backups
{
  "path": "/data",
  "name": "pre-update"
}

List Backups

View all backups for an instance:

• Backup name and timestamp
• File size
• Storage location
• Status (completed, pending, failed)

Download Backup

Download backup archives locally:

1. Click download icon on the backup entry
2. Save the .tar archive
3. Extract with: tar -xf backup.tar

Restore from Backup

Restore instance files from a backup:

1. Stop the instance (recommended)
2. Select backup to restore
3. Choose restore mode:
   • Merge: Add/overwrite files, keep existing
   • Replace: Remove all files, extract backup
4. Start instance after restore

Warning: Replace mode permanently deletes files not in the backup.

Best Practices

• Schedule backups before upgrades: Always backup before updating workloads, apps, or mods
• Keep off-site copies: Configure S3 storage for disaster recovery
• Test restore workflows: Verify backups can be restored on a staging instance
• Automate: Use API to schedule regular backups via cron or CI/CD
• Retention policy: Delete old backups to manage storage costs

Backup Lifecycle

creating → completed → downloaded (optional)
                    ↘ → deleted

Next Steps

• File Management — Upload, edit, and manage workload files
• Observability — Monitor backup job metrics
• Billing — Backup storage limits per plan
• API Reference — Backup API endpoints