Clone a database cluster from a Kubernetes backup overview

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This page provides an overview of cloning the backup of your AlloyDB Omni database cluster in a standalone server environment or in a Kubernetes environment for the purposes of disaster recovery.

When you clone your database cluster, only the data from the primary instance of the source database cluster is cloned to the primary instance of the target database cluster or server.

A source database cluster is an AlloyDB Omni database cluster where the backup exists. This backup is cloned on other database clusters in a standalone server environment or in a Kubernetes environment. A target database cluster is a database cluster in the Kubernetes environment where the backup of the source database cluster is cloned. A target server is a database cluster in the standalone server environment where the backup of the source database cluster is cloned.

To take a backup of your AlloyDB Omni database cluster, you configure the backup location in the BackupPlan resource manifest file. When you want to clone the backup, you can only clone it to a database cluster that is in the same Kubernetes cluster and uses the same namespace as the source database cluster. For more information about creating a backup, see Back up and restore in Kubernetes.

If you want to clone the backup to another database cluster in a standalone server environment or in a different Kubernetes environment especially for disaster recovery, then you must use the pgBackRest configurations and commands. The backup and restore method for both environments uses pgBackRest as the underlying backup and restore solution.

The following terms are used throughout the subsequent sections that explain how to clone a database cluster:

Source database cluster
An AlloyDB Omni database cluster where the backup exists. This backup is cloned on other database clusters in a standalone server environment or a Kubernetes environment.
Target database cluster
A database cluster in the Kubernetes environment where the backup of the source database cluster is cloned.
Target server
A database cluster in the standalone server environment where the backup of the source database cluster is cloned.

Supported backup and restore combinations

Because the backup of your AlloyDB Omni database cluster can be stored either locally or in a Cloud Storage bucket, the following backup and restore combinations are supported: