Skip to main content

Velero

Edit on GitHubStar

📚 Learning Resources​

📖 Essential Documentation​

📝 Specialized Guides​

🎥 Video Tutorials​

🎓 Professional Courses​

📚 Books​

🛠️ Interactive Tools​

🚀 Ecosystem Tools​

🌐 Community & Support​

Understanding Velero: Your Kubernetes Disaster Recovery Guardian​

Velero is an open-source tool for safely backing up and restoring Kubernetes clusters, performing disaster recovery, and migrating cluster resources to other clusters. It provides essential data protection capabilities for production Kubernetes environments.

How Velero Works​

Velero operates by creating point-in-time snapshots of your Kubernetes cluster resources and persistent volumes. It uses custom resource definitions to define backup and restore operations, schedules, and policies. During backup, Velero queries the Kubernetes API server to gather resource definitions and coordinates with storage providers to snapshot persistent volumes.

The architecture consists of a server component running in the cluster and a CLI for management operations. Backup data is stored in object storage (S3, GCS, Azure Blob), while volume snapshots are handled by cloud provider APIs or Container Storage Interface (CSI) drivers.

The Velero Ecosystem​

Velero integrates with major cloud providers through specialized plugins that handle object storage and volume snapshots. The plugin architecture supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and on-premises storage solutions. Integration with CSI drivers enables support for various storage systems beyond cloud provider offerings.

The ecosystem includes backup scheduling, retention policies, resource filtering, and migration capabilities. Hooks enable application-consistent backups for databases, while the restore process can map resources to different namespaces or clusters.

Why Velero Dominates Kubernetes Backup​

Traditional backup solutions weren't designed for the dynamic nature of Kubernetes environments. Velero understands Kubernetes-native concepts like namespaces, labels, and custom resources, providing backup granularity that matches how applications are deployed and managed.

Its ability to perform cluster-to-cluster migrations makes it invaluable for disaster recovery scenarios, cloud migrations, and environment promotion workflows. The open-source nature and CNCF adoption have made it the de facto standard for Kubernetes backup and recovery.

Mental Model for Success​

Think of Velero as a comprehensive insurance and moving service for your Kubernetes applications. Like a professional moving company, it carefully catalogs everything in your house (cluster resources), packs valuable items securely (persistent volumes), stores everything safely off-site (object storage), and can recreate your entire setup in a new location (disaster recovery). It also offers regular pickup services (scheduled backups) and can move just specific rooms (namespace filtering) when needed.

Where to Start Your Journey​

  1. Start with simple backups - Create basic cluster backups to understand resource capture
  2. Configure storage providers - Set up object storage and volume snapshot integration
  3. Implement scheduling - Create automated backup policies with appropriate retention
  4. Test restore procedures - Practice disaster recovery scenarios in non-production environments
  5. Add application hooks - Ensure database consistency with pre/post backup scripts
  6. Plan for migration - Design cross-cluster and cross-region recovery strategies

Key Concepts to Master​

  • Backup scope and filtering - Understanding what resources to include and exclude
  • Storage provider integration - Configuring object storage and volume snapshots
  • Scheduling and retention - Automated backup policies and lifecycle management
  • Restore strategies - Full cluster, namespace, and selective resource recovery
  • Application consistency - Using hooks for database and stateful application backups
  • Cross-cluster migration - Moving workloads between different Kubernetes clusters
  • Monitoring and alerting - Tracking backup health and failure notifications
  • Security considerations - Encryption, access control, and compliance requirements

Start with simple namespace backups before progressing to full cluster scenarios. Always test restore procedures regularly - backups are only as good as your ability to restore from them.

📡 Stay Updated​

Release Notes: Velero Releases • Changelog • Plugin Updates

Project News: Velero Blog • VMware Tanzu Updates • CNCF Project Updates

Community: Velero Community Meetings • Kubernetes Backup SIG • Community Forums