Install Backup for GKE

This page describes how to enable Backup for GKE.

Before you begin

Before you start, make sure you have performed the following tasks:

  • Enable the Google Kubernetes Engine API.
    • Enable Google Kubernetes Engine API
  • If you want to use the Google Cloud CLI for this task, install and then initialize the gcloud CLI. If you previously installed the gcloud CLI, get the latest version by running gcloud components update.

Enable the Backup for GKE API

You must enable the Backup for GKE service in your project before you can set up backups and restores for any GKE clusters in that project. You can enable the Backup for GKE service by using the Google Cloud CLI or the Google Cloud console.

gcloud

To enable the Backup for GKE service, run the following command:

gcloud services enable gkebackup.googleapis.com

Console

In the Google Cloud console, enable the Backup for GKE API:

Enable the API

Terraform

Create an appropriate "google_project_service" resource to enable the gkebackup.googleapis.com service:

resource "google_project_service" "my_service" {
   project = "my_project"
   service = "gkebackup.googleapis.com"
}

For more information, see google_project_service.

Enable Backup for GKE on a new cluster (optional)

When you create your first BackupPlan or RestorePlan for a Google Kubernetes Engine cluster, the Backup for GKE agent will automatically be installed in that cluster. However, you can also choose to install the agent during cluster creation. This saves time since it is faster to create a cluster with the agent installed than to create the cluster and then enable the agent.

gcloud

This option is only available for Standard Google Kubernetes Engine clusters.

To install the Backup for GKE agent, add the following parameter: --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

This option is only available for Standard Google Kubernetes Engine clusters.

Perform the following tasks in the Google Cloud console:

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

    Go to Google Kubernetes Engine

  2. Click Create.

  3. In the Standard section, click Configure.

  4. Specify a name and location for the cluster.

  5. In the navigation menu, click Features page and then select the Enable Backup for GKE checkbox.

  6. Click Create.

Terraform

Enable via 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

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

Describe the cluster:

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

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:

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

    Go to Google Kubernetes Engine

  2. Click the name of the cluster that you want to inspect.

  3. In the Features section, verify that Backup for GKE is Enabled.

Disable Backup for GKE on an existing cluster

You can disable Backup for GKE with the gcloud CLI or the Google Cloud console.

gcloud

When updating an existing cluster, specify the --update-addons=BackupRestore=DISABLED option in the gcloud CLI:

gcloud container clusters update CLUSTER_NAME \
    --project=PROJECT_ID  \
    --region=COMPUTE_REGION \
    --update-addons=BackupRestore=DISABLED

Console

Perform the following tasks in the Google Cloud console:

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

    Go to Google Kubernetes Engine

  2. Click the name of the cluster that you want to inspect.

  3. In the Features section, click Edit for Backup & Restore.

  4. Clear the Enable Backup for GKE checkbox.

  5. Click Save Changes.

What's next