Creates a full backup of one virtual machine

cloudmin backup-systems [--multiline | --json]
                        [--no-wait]
                        (--name name | --id uuid)
                        [--compression | --no-compression]
                        [--dest-access-file file|-]
                        [--dest-account value]
                        [--dest-bucket value]
                        [--dest-ca-file value]
                        [--dest-endpoint value]
                        [--dest-host value]
                        [--dest-key-file value]
                        --dest-mode local|ssh|s3|gcs|azure|bb|dropbox|drive
                        [--dest-password-file file|-]
                        --dest-path value
                        [--dest-port number]
                        [--dest-project value]
                        [--dest-refresh-token-file file|-]
                        [--dest-region value]
                        [--dest-secret-file file|-]
                        [--dest-session-token-file file|-]
                        [--dest-subscription value]
                        [--dest-user value]
                        [--shutdown]

Creates one complete virtual machine backup per command. Select the machine with --name or --id. The archive includes writable disks, the saved hardware definition and supported firmware state. It retains the guest’s identity and login settings for restoration.

  • Guest preparation and storage

A running guest normally needs a responding agent to freeze filesystems while Cloudmin takes a temporary snapshot. --shutdown instead stops it cleanly for copying and restarts it afterward. A source that was already stopped stays stopped. Temporary file snapshot layers are merged back before completion; temporary LVM snapshots are removed.

--compression enables gzip; the default is an uncompressed archive. Allow space for disk copies, archive staging and temporary growth on the source. A filesystem-consistent backup does not coordinate transactions with other machines or replace application-specific backup steps.

  • Local and SSH destinations

--dest-mode local writes to the absolute directory given by --dest-path. A mounted NFS or other network filesystem can be used as a local destination; mount and check it before starting the backup.

--dest-mode ssh transfers by SFTP. Supply --dest-host, --dest-user, an absolute --dest-path, and either --dest-password-file or --dest-key-file. The SSH port defaults to 22. A key option gives the path of a private key on the Cloudmin host; password options read the contents of a file. Unknown or changed server host keys must first be approved in Cloudmin’s backup form.

  • S3 destinations

--dest-mode s3 uses --dest-bucket for the bucket and --dest-path for an object prefix. Supply the access key ID with --dest-access-file and the secret key with --dest-secret-file. Temporary credentials also use --dest-session-token-file.

--dest-region selects the region. --dest-endpoint selects an S3-compatible HTTPS endpoint; it must not include credentials or a path. --dest-ca-file supplies a CA bundle when needed. Supply provider credentials through the file options; the backup does not use the host’s cloud login settings.

  • Additional cloud destinations

Cloudmin Pro also supports gcs, azure, bb, dropbox and drive. For Google Cloud Storage, Google Drive and Dropbox, the access and secret files contain the OAuth client ID or app key and client secret. Supply --dest-refresh-token-file as well. Google Cloud Storage uses a bucket and object prefix; Drive and Dropbox use --dest-path as the folder.

For Azure, --dest-account is the storage account, --dest-secret-file supplies its storage key, and --dest-bucket is the container. For Backblaze B2, --dest-access-file supplies the application key ID and --dest-secret-file supplies the application key; also select the bucket. Object stores use --dest-path as the prefix within that bucket or container.

  • Progress and recovery

The command waits for the job by default. --no-wait returns its ID, and --json returns the final job record, or the initial record with --no-wait, without progress text. Completed backups appear in list-backups. If copying or transfer fails, inspect the job and use recover-job when cleanup is pending to finish restoring the source.

cloudmin backup-systems --name guest.example.com --dest-mode local \
    --dest-path /srv/backups --compression
cloudmin backup-systems --name guest.example.com --dest-mode ssh \
    --dest-host backup.example.com --dest-user backup --dest-path \
    /srv/backups --dest-key-file /root/backup-key
cloudmin backup-systems --id MACHINE_UUID --dest-mode s3 --dest-bucket \
    example-backups --dest-path cloudmin --dest-access-file \
    /root/s3-access --dest-secret-file /root/s3-secret --no-wait

Options:

  • --compression | --no-compression: Compress the archive with gzip.
  • --dest-access-file file|-: Destination access file, or - for stdin.
  • --dest-account value: Backup destination account.
  • --dest-bucket value: Backup destination bucket.
  • --dest-ca-file value: Backup destination ca-file.
  • --dest-endpoint value: Backup destination endpoint.
  • --dest-host value: Backup destination host.
  • --dest-key-file value: Backup destination key-file.
  • --dest-mode local|ssh|s3|gcs|azure|bb|dropbox|drive: Backup destination mode.
  • --dest-password-file file|-: Destination password file, or - for stdin.
  • --dest-path value: Backup destination path.
  • --dest-port number: Backup destination port.
  • --dest-project value: Backup destination project.
  • --dest-refresh-token-file file|-: Destination refresh-token file, or - for stdin.
  • --dest-region value: Backup destination region.
  • --dest-secret-file file|-: Destination secret file, or - for stdin.
  • --dest-session-token-file file|-: Destination session-token file, or - for stdin.
  • --dest-subscription value: Backup destination subscription.
  • --dest-user value: Backup destination user.
  • --id uuid: Source virtual machine UUID.
  • --name name: Source virtual machine name.
  • --shutdown: Stop cleanly while copying and restart afterward.