This page describes backup plans, which let you define advanced backup
strategies to back up your Cloud SQL and Compute Engine instances and
Compute Engine disks.
In a backup plan, you can define when and how to back up a resource. You can
include the backup frequency, the backup retention period, and the backup vault
location to store backups. When you associate a backup plan to a resource,
the Backup and DR Service automatically backs up and retains backups for those
resources according to the configuration in the backup plan.
Before creating a backup plan, it is necessary to designate the storage
location for your backups. To do so, you must create a backup vault.
A backup plan has backup rules, where the following applies:
One or more backup rules can be used.
You can define the frequency for backup creation: hourly, daily, weekly,
monthly, or yearly.
For weekly backups, you can choose a weekday for the rule.
For monthly backups, you can choose a specific day of the month for the
rule. For example, the 15th of the month.
You can use for both scheduled or on-demand backups.
Includes a backup window where you can define the specific timeframe of
when backup jobs can start. The backup window uses the following:
24-hour clock format, with start and end times between 00 and 24 hours.
A minimum of six hours for the window.
The backup plan always includes the boot disk even if Exclude boot disk is
checked in the Data protection section of Machine configuration, detailed
in Create an instance with additional non-boot disks.
Backup storage consumption
In a backup plan, consider the following for backup storage.
Backups are automatically deleted after the defined backup retention period
is reached.
The default value for backup deletion is inherited from the minimum
retention period of the backup vault used to store those backups.
Backup retention periods cannot be less than the backup vault's
minimum retention period, it must be equal to or greater than it.
Backups created using a backup plan are always immutable and therefore
cannot be modified or deleted for the duration of the backup vault's
minimum enforced retention period.
Backup plan supported regions
Backup plans can be created only in regions where the Backup and DR Service
is available and where the resources to be backed up are located. To create a
backup plan, a backup vault must also be available in a
compatible location.
If you need to create a backup plan in the unsupported regions, use the
backup templates in the management console.
Backup plan is supported in the following regions.
* Querétaro, Montréal and Osaka each have three zones housed in one
or two physical data centers. In the rare event of a disaster, data stored in
these regions can be lost.
Backup plan and rule names
Your backup plan names and rule names must meet the following requirements:
Contain lowercase letters, numeric characters, dashes (-), underscores (_),
and periods (.), spaces are not allowed
Start and end with a number or letter
Maximum of 63 characters
Cannot be represented as an IP address in dotted-decimal notation. For
example, 192.0.2.255
[[["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 2025-08-29 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eBackup plans define strategies for backing up Compute Engine instance resources, including frequency, retention, and storage location.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eBefore creating a backup plan, a backup vault must be created in the same region and project to designate where backups will be stored.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eBackup rules within a plan allow for customization of backup frequency (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly) and support scheduled or on-demand backups.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eBackup retention periods must be equal to or longer than the backup vault's minimum retention period, and backups created through a backup plan are immutable.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eBackup plans can only be created in regions where the Backup and DR Service is available and where the resources to be backed up and a backup vault are located, however templates can be used for unsupported regions.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Overview of backup plans in the Google Cloud console\n\n[Setup](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/cloud-console/backup-plan-create)\n\nThis page describes backup plans, which let you define advanced backup\nstrategies to back up your Cloud SQL and Compute Engine instances and\nCompute Engine disks.\n\nIn a backup plan, you can define when and how to back up a resource. You can\ninclude the backup frequency, the backup retention period, and the [backup vault](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/concepts/backup-vault)\nlocation to store backups. When you associate a backup plan to a resource,\nthe Backup and DR Service automatically backs up and retains backups for those\nresources according to the configuration in the backup plan.\n\nBefore creating a backup plan, it is necessary to designate the storage\nlocation for your backups. To do so, you must create a [backup vault](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/concepts/backup-vault).\n| **Note:** The backup vault and backup plan must be in the same project and in [compatible locations](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/concepts/backup-vault#workload-location-compatibility).\n\nA backup plan has backup rules, where the following applies:\n\n- One or more backup rules can be used.\n- You can define the frequency for backup creation: hourly, daily, weekly,\n monthly, or yearly.\n\n - For weekly backups, you can choose a weekday for the rule.\n - For monthly backups, you can choose a specific day of the month for the rule. For example, the 15th of the month.\n- You can use for both scheduled or on-demand backups.\n\n- Includes a backup window where you can define the specific timeframe of\n when backup jobs can start. The backup window uses the following:\n\n - 24-hour clock format, with start and end times between 00 and 24 hours.\n - A minimum of six hours for the window.\n\nThe backup plan always includes the boot disk even if **Exclude boot disk** is\nchecked in the **Data protection** section of **Machine configuration** , detailed\nin [Create an instance with additional non-boot disks](/compute/docs/instances/create-vm-with-additional-non-boot-disks).\n\nBackup storage consumption\n--------------------------\n\nIn a backup plan, consider the following for backup storage.\n\n- Backups are automatically deleted after the defined backup retention period is reached.\n- The default value for backup deletion is inherited from the minimum retention period of the backup vault used to store those backups.\n- Backup retention periods cannot be less than the backup vault's minimum retention period, it must be equal to or greater than it.\n- Backups created using a backup plan are always immutable and therefore cannot be modified or deleted for the duration of the backup vault's minimum enforced retention period.\n\nBackup plan supported regions\n-----------------------------\n\nBackup plans can be created only in regions where the Backup and DR Service\nis available and where the resources to be backed up are located. To create a\nbackup plan, a backup vault must also be available in a\n[compatible location](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/concepts/backup-vault#workload-location-compatibility).\nIf you need to create a backup plan in the unsupported regions, use the\n[backup templates](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/create-plan/create-template) in the management console.\n\nBackup plan is supported in the following regions.\n\n^\\*^ Querétaro, Montréal and Osaka each have three zones housed in one\nor two physical data centers. In the rare event of a disaster, data stored in\nthese regions can be lost.\n\nBackup plan and rule names\n--------------------------\n\nYour backup plan names and rule names must meet the following requirements:\n\n- Contain lowercase letters, numeric characters, dashes (`-`), underscores (`_`), and periods (`.`), spaces are not allowed\n- Start and end with a number or letter\n- Maximum of 63 characters\n- Cannot be represented as an IP address in dotted-decimal notation. For example, `192.0.2.255`\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\n- [Create and manage a backup plan for vaulted backups](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/cloud-console/backup-plan-create)"]]
Low CO2