Backup and restore in GCP - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Backup and restore

📖 Scenario: You work as a cloud engineer for a small company. They want to protect their important data stored in Google Cloud Storage by creating backups. You will create a simple backup and restore setup using Google Cloud Storage buckets.

🎯 Goal: Create a Google Cloud Storage bucket named primary-bucket to hold original files. Then create a backup-bucket to store backups. Finally, write a configuration to copy files from primary-bucket to backup-bucket to simulate backup, and a command to restore files back from backup-bucket to primary-bucket.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a Google Cloud Storage bucket named primary-bucket

Create a Google Cloud Storage bucket named backup-bucket

Write a gsutil command to copy all files from primary-bucket to backup-bucket for backup

Write a gsutil command to copy all files from backup-bucket back to primary-bucket for restore

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Backing up important data in cloud storage protects against accidental deletion or corruption.

💼 Career

Cloud engineers often set up backup and restore processes to ensure data durability and availability.

1

Create the primary storage bucket

Create a Google Cloud Storage bucket named primary-bucket using the gsutil mb command.

GCP

# Your command here to create primary-bucket

Hint

Use gsutil mb followed by the bucket URL gs://primary-bucket/ to create the bucket.

2

Create the backup storage bucket

Create a Google Cloud Storage bucket named backup-bucket using the gsutil mb command.

GCP

gsutil mb gs://primary-bucket/
# Your command here to create backup-bucket

Hint

Use gsutil mb followed by the bucket URL gs://backup-bucket/ to create the backup bucket.

3

Backup files from primary to backup bucket

Write a gsutil cp command to copy all files from primary-bucket to backup-bucket recursively for backup.

GCP

gsutil mb gs://primary-bucket/
gsutil mb gs://backup-bucket/
# Your command here to copy files from primary-bucket to backup-bucket

Hint

Use gsutil -m cp -r to copy recursively and in parallel all files from gs://primary-bucket/ to gs://backup-bucket/.

4

Restore files from backup to primary bucket

Write a gsutil cp command to copy all files from backup-bucket back to primary-bucket recursively for restore.

GCP

gsutil mb gs://primary-bucket/
gsutil mb gs://backup-bucket/
gsutil -m cp -r gs://primary-bucket/** gs://backup-bucket/
# Your command here to copy files from backup-bucket to primary-bucket

Hint

Use gsutil -m cp -r to copy recursively and in parallel all files from gs://backup-bucket/ back to gs://primary-bucket/.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of creating a backup in Google Cloud SQL?

easy

A. To save a copy of your database data safely for recovery

B. To increase the speed of your database queries

C. To permanently delete old data from your database

D. To automatically update your database schema

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand backup purpose

   Backups are copies of data saved to protect against data loss.

2. Step 2: Identify backup use in Cloud SQL

   In Cloud SQL, backups allow restoring data if something goes wrong.

3. Final Answer:

   To save a copy of your database data safely for recovery -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Backup = Safe data copy [OK]

Hint: Backup means saving data safely for later recovery [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing backup with performance improvement
• Thinking backup deletes data
• Assuming backup changes database structure

2. Which gcloud command correctly creates an on-demand backup for a Cloud SQL instance named my-instance?

easy

A. gcloud sql backup create --name=my-instance

B. gcloud sql instances backup create my-instance

C. gcloud sql backups create --instance=my-instance

D. gcloud sql create backup --instance=my-instance

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall correct gcloud backup syntax

   The correct command to create a backup is gcloud sql backups create --instance=INSTANCE_NAME.

2. Step 2: Match command to instance name

   Replacing INSTANCE_NAME with my-instance gives the correct command.

3. Final Answer:

   gcloud sql backups create --instance=my-instance -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Backup command = gcloud sql backups create [OK]

Hint: Use 'gcloud sql backups create --instance=NAME' to backup [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'instances backup' instead of 'backups create'
• Incorrect flag names like --name instead of --instance
• Wrong command order or missing 'create'

3. Given this command output snippet after restoring a Cloud SQL backup:

Restoring backup 2024-06-01_12-00 to instance my-instance... DONE

What does this output indicate?

medium

A. The backup was successfully restored to the instance

B. The backup creation failed

C. The instance was deleted

D. The backup is scheduled for later restoration

Solution

1. Step 1: Read the command output carefully

   The message says 'Restoring backup ... DONE', indicating completion.

2. Step 2: Understand the meaning of 'DONE'

   'DONE' means the restore process finished successfully.

3. Final Answer:

   The backup was successfully restored to the instance -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Restore output 'DONE' = success [OK]

Hint: Look for 'DONE' to confirm successful restore [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing restore success with backup failure
• Assuming instance deletion from restore message
• Thinking restore is scheduled, not completed

4. You run the command gcloud sql backups create --instance=my-instance but get an error: ERROR: (gcloud.sql.backups.create) The instance does not support on-demand backups.
What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. You typed the instance name incorrectly

B. The Cloud SQL instance is a First Generation instance which does not support on-demand backups

C. You need to enable billing on your Google Cloud project

D. The backup command requires a different flag for on-demand backups

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand error message about backup support

   The error says the instance does not support on-demand backups.

2. Step 2: Recall Cloud SQL instance generations

   First Generation instances do not support on-demand backups; only Second Generation and later do.

3. Final Answer:

   The Cloud SQL instance is a First Generation instance which does not support on-demand backups -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   First Gen instances lack on-demand backup support [OK]

Hint: Check instance generation; First Gen lacks on-demand backups [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming typo in instance name causes this error
• Thinking billing is the cause
• Believing backup flag is incorrect

5. You want to restore a Cloud SQL instance prod-db to a previous state using a backup from June 1, 2024. Which sequence of steps correctly achieves this with minimal downtime?

hard

A. Restore the backup directly to the current instance while it is serving traffic

B. Delete the current instance, then restore the backup to the same instance name immediately

C. Export the backup to Cloud Storage, then import it back to the instance

D. Create a new instance from the backup, then switch your application to use the new instance

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand restore options for minimal downtime

   Restoring directly to a live instance causes downtime; better to create a new instance.

2. Step 2: Create new instance from backup and switch traffic

   Create a new instance restored from backup, then update your app to use it, minimizing downtime.

3. Final Answer:

   Create a new instance from the backup, then switch your application to use the new instance -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   New instance restore + switch = minimal downtime [OK]

Hint: Restore to new instance, then switch app to avoid downtime [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Deleting instance before restore causing data loss
• Restoring live instance causing service interruption
• Using export/import which is slower and more complex