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:
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThis page explains how to clone an AlloyDB Omni database cluster backup in either a standalone server or Kubernetes environment, using the primary instance data.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eBackups are configured using the \u003ccode\u003eBackupPlan\u003c/code\u003e resource manifest, and in Kubernetes, backups can only be cloned to clusters within the same Kubernetes cluster and namespace.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003e\u003ccode\u003epgBackRest\u003c/code\u003e configurations and commands are required when cloning a backup to a different database cluster for disaster recovery in both standalone and Kubernetes environments.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe "Source database cluster" is where the backup originates, while the "Target database cluster" or "Target server" is where the backup is cloned to in a Kubernetes or standalone environment, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eCloning is supported from backups in Cloud Storage or local storage, with detailed instructions provided for each combination within Kubernetes and standalone server setups.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Overview of cloning a database cluster from a Kubernetes backup\n\nSelect a documentation version: 15.5.2keyboard_arrow_down\n\n- [Current (16.8.0)](/alloydb/omni/current/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [16.8.0](/alloydb/omni/16.8.0/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [16.3.0](/alloydb/omni/16.3.0/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [15.12.0](/alloydb/omni/15.12.0/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [15.7.1](/alloydb/omni/15.7.1/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [15.7.0](/alloydb/omni/15.7.0/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [15.5.5](/alloydb/omni/15.5.5/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [15.5.4](/alloydb/omni/15.5.4/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n- [15.5.2](/alloydb/omni/15.5.2/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-overview)\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nThis page provides an overview of cloning the backup of your AlloyDB Omni database cluster in either a standalone server environment or a Kubernetes environment.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nWhen you clone your database cluster, only the data from the primary instance of\nthe source database cluster is cloned to the primary instance of the target\ndatabase cluster or server.\n\nTo take a backup of your AlloyDB Omni database\ncluster, you configure the backup location in the\n[`BackupPlan`](/alloydb/omni/15.5.2/docs/backup-kubernetes)\nresource manifest file. When you want to clone the backup, you can only clone it\nto a database cluster that is in the same Kubernetes cluster and uses the same\nnamespace as the source database cluster. For more information about creating a\nbackup, see [Back up and restore in\nKubernetes](/alloydb/omni/15.5.2/docs/backup-kubernetes).\n\nIf you want to clone the backup to another database cluster in either a\nstandalone server environment or a Kubernetes environment especially for\ndisaster recovery, then you must use the `pgBackRest` configurations and\ncommands. The backup and restore method for both environments uses `pgBackRest`\nas the underlying backup and restore solution.\n\nThe following terms are used throughout the subsequent sections that explain how\nto clone a database cluster:\n\nSource database cluster\n: An AlloyDB Omni\n database cluster where the backup exists. This backup is cloned on other\n database clusters in a standalone server environment\n or a Kubernetes environment.\n\nTarget database cluster\n: A database cluster in the Kubernetes\n environment where the backup of the source database cluster is cloned.\n\nTarget server\n: A database cluster in the standalone server\n environment where the backup of the source database cluster is cloned.\n\nSupported backup and restore combinations\n-----------------------------------------\n\nBecause the backup of your AlloyDB Omni database cluster can be\nstored either locally or in a Cloud Storage bucket, the following backup and\nrestore combinations are supported:\n\n- [Clone a database cluster in Kubernetes using a Cloud Storage backup](/alloydb/omni/15.5.2/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-k8-gcs)\n- [Clone a database cluster in Kubernetes using a local backup](/alloydb/omni/15.5.2/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-k8-local)\n- [Clone a database cluster in a single server using a Cloud Storage backup](/alloydb/omni/15.5.2/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-singleserver-gcs)\n- [Clone a database cluster in a single server using a local backup](/alloydb/omni/15.5.2/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-singleserver-local)"]]
