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 guide details the process of cloning an AlloyDB Omni database cluster backup for disaster recovery, either in a standalone server or Kubernetes environment.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eCloning a database cluster only transfers the data from the primary instance of the source to the primary instance of the target.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhile backups within the same Kubernetes cluster can be done through \u003ccode\u003eBackupPlan\u003c/code\u003e, cloning to different environments requires using \u003ccode\u003epgBackRest\u003c/code\u003e configurations.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe process differentiates between the source database cluster, where the backup resides, and the target database cluster or server, where the backup is cloned.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eSupported backup and restore combinations include cloning to Kubernetes or a single server, using either Cloud Storage or local backups.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Clone a database cluster from a Kubernetes backup overview\n\nSelect a documentation version: 15.7.1keyboard_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 a standalone server environment or in a Kubernetes environment for the purposes of disaster recovery.\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/15.7.1/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/15.7.1/docs/backup-kubernetes).\n\nIf you want to clone the backup to another database cluster in a\nstandalone server environment or in a different Kubernetes environment especially for disaster 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/15.7.1/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-k8-gcs)\n- [Clone a database cluster in Kubernetes using a local backup](/alloydb/omni/15.7.1/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-k8-local)\n- [Clone a database cluster in a single server using a Cloud Storage backup](/alloydb/omni/15.7.1/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-singleserver-gcs)\n- [Clone a database cluster in a single server using a local backup](/alloydb/omni/15.7.1/docs/kubernetes-dr-backup-singleserver-local)"]]
