Enable Backup for GKE for a cluster

Autopilot Standard

This page describes how to enable Backup for GKE for a cluster.

You can enable Backup for GKE for Standard and Autopilot clusters in the following ways:

During cluster creation or updates with the Cloud console, gcloud, or Terraform.
Automatically enabled when you create your first backup plan or restore plan for Standard or Autopilot clusters.

Enabling Backup for GKE during cluster creation is preferable as it saves time and is faster to create a cluster with the agent installed than to create the cluster and then enable the agent.

Enable Backup for GKE for a Standard cluster

You can enable Backup for GKE for a Standard cluster with the Google Cloud CLI, Google Cloud console, or Terraform.

gcloud

To install the Backup for GKE agent, add the following parameter: sh --addons=BackupRestore to the Google Cloud CLI cluster creation command.

The following example shows how you can create a 1.24 cluster with the Backup for GKE agent installed:

gcloud container clusters create CLUSTER_NAME \
    --project=PROJECT_ID  \
    --region=COMPUTE_REGION \
    --cluster-version=1.24.2-gke.1900 \
    --addons=BackupRestore

Replace the following:

CLUSTER_NAME: the name of the cluster to back up.
PROJECT_ID: the ID of your Google Cloud project.
COMPUTE_REGION: the Compute Engine region for the cluster, for example us-central1. For zonal clusters, use --zone=COMPUTE_ZONE instead.

Console

Use the following instructions to enable Backup for GKE for a Standard cluster in the Google Cloud console:

Go to the Google Kubernetes Engine page in the Google Cloud console.

Go to Google Kubernetes Engine
Click Create.
In the Create cluster dialog, click Configure that is next to Standard cluster mode.
In the navigation menu, click Backup plan and then select the Enable Backup for GKE checkbox.
Optional: Select the Create backup plan checkbox.
1. In the Backup plan name field, enter a name.
2. From the Region list, select a location where the backups to be stored. The Regions list displays the regions where Backup for GKE is supported. For a list of Backup for GKE supported regions, see Backup for GKE locations.
  
  The Backup plan details section displays the plan details with the daily scheduled backups and seven days of retention period by default.
3. Click Edit backup plan details to update backup plan details.
Click Create.

Terraform

Enable using a gke_backup_agent_config entry in your google_container_cluster resource:

resources "google_container_cluster" "primary" {
   name = "my_cluster"
   ...
   gke_backup_agent_config {
      enabled = true
   }
}

For more information, see container_cluster gke_backup_agent_config

Enable Backup for GKE for a Autopilot cluster

You can enable Backup for GKE for a Autopilot cluster with the Google Cloud CLI, Google Cloud console, or Terraform.

gcloud

To install the Backup for GKE agent, add the following parameter: sh --enable-backup-restore to the Google Cloud CLI cluster creation command.

The following example shows how you can create a autopilot cluster with the Backup for GKE agent installed:

gcloud container clusters create-auto CLUSTER_NAME \
   --project=PROJECT_ID  \
   --region=COMPUTE_REGION \
   --release-channel=RELEASE_CHANNEL \
   --enable-backup-restore

Replace the following:

CLUSTER_NAME: the name of the cluster to back up.
PROJECT_ID: the ID of your Google Cloud project.
COMPUTE_REGION: the Compute Engine region for the cluster, for example us-central1. For zonal clusters, use --zone=COMPUTE_ZONE instead.
RELEASE_CHANNEL: the name of the release channel for the cluster. The default is Regular.

Console

Use the following instructions to enable Backup for GKE for a Autopilot cluster in the Google Cloud console:

Go to the Google Kubernetes Engine page in the Google Cloud console.

Go to Google Kubernetes Engine
Click Create.
In the Create cluster dialog, click Configure that is next to Autopilot cluster mode.
In the navigation menu, click Advanced settings.
Click the Backup plan section and select the Create backup plan checkbox.
In the Backup plan name field, enter a name.
From the Region list, select a location where the backups to be stored. The Regions list displays the regions where Backup for GKE is supported. For a list of Backup for GKE supported regions, see Backup for GKE locations.
Click Create.

The Backup plan details section displays the plan details with the daily scheduled backups and seven days of retention period by default.

Terraform

Enable using a gke_backup_agent_config entry in your google_container_cluster resource:

resources "google_container_cluster" "primary" {
  name = "my_cluster"
  enable_autopilot = true
  ...
  gke_backup_agent_config {
    enabled = true
  }
}

For more information, see container_cluster gke_backup_agent_config

Verify that Backup for GKE is enabled on your cluster

You can verify that your cluster is using Backup for GKE with the gcloud CLI or the Google Cloud console.

gcloud

Verify that Backup for GKE is enabled for your cluster:

gcloud container clusters describe CLUSTER_NAME \
    --project=PROJECT_ID  \
    --region=COMPUTE_REGION

Replace the following:

CLUSTER_NAME: the name of the cluster.
PROJECT_ID: the ID of your Google Cloud project.
COMPUTE_REGION: the Compute Engine region for the cluster, for example us-central1. For zonal clusters, use --zone=COMPUTE_ZONE instead.

If Backup for GKE is enabled, the output of the command includes these lines:

addonsConfig:
  gkeBackupAgentConfig:
    enabled: true

Console

Perform the following tasks in the Google Cloud console:

Use the following instructions to verify Backup for GKE for a cluster in the Google Cloud console:

Go to the Google Kubernetes Engine page in the Google Cloud console.

Go to Google Kubernetes Engine
Click the name of the cluster that you want to inspect.
In the Features section, verify that Backup for GKE is Enabled.

What's next

Learn more about defining custom backups.
Learn more about planning a set of backups.