1. Documentation
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Velero CLI tool

You can obtain the velero CLI tool by using the following options:

  • Downloading the velero CLI tool

  • Accessing the velero binary in the Velero deployment in the cluster

Downloading the Velero CLI tool

You can download and install the Velero CLI tool by following the instructions on the Velero documentation page.

The page includes instructions for:

  • macOS by using Homebrew

  • GitHub

  • Windows by using Chocolatey

Prerequisites

  • You have access to a Kubernetes cluster, v1.16 or later, with DNS and container networking enabled.

  • You have installed kubectl locally.

Procedure

  1. Open a browser and navigate to "Install the CLI" on the Velero website.

  2. Follow the appropriate procedure for macOS, GitHub, or Windows.

  3. Download the Velero version appropriate for your version of OADP and OKD.

OADP-Velero-OKD version relationship

OADP version Velero version OKD version

1.3.0

1.12

4.12-4.15

1.3.1

1.12

4.12-4.15

1.3.2

1.12

4.12-4.15

1.3.3

1.12

4.12-4.15

1.3.4

1.12

4.12-4.15

1.3.5

1.12

4.12-4.15

1.4.0

1.14

4.14-4.18

1.4.1

1.14

4.14-4.18

1.4.2

1.14

4.14-4.18

1.4.3

1.14

4.14-4.18

Accessing the Velero binary in the Velero deployment in the cluster

You can use a shell command to access the Velero binary in the Velero deployment in the cluster.

Prerequisites

  • Your DataProtectionApplication custom resource has a status of Reconcile complete.

Procedure

  • Enter the following command to set the needed alias:

    $ alias velero='oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -it -- ./velero'

Debugging Velero resources with the OpenShift CLI tool

You can debug a failed backup or restore by checking Velero custom resources (CRs) and the Velero pod log with the OpenShift CLI tool.

Velero CRs

Use the oc describe command to retrieve a summary of warnings and errors associated with a Backup or Restore CR:

$ oc describe <velero_cr> <cr_name>

Velero pod logs

Use the oc logs command to retrieve the Velero pod logs:

$ oc logs pod/<velero>

Velero pod debug logs

You can specify the Velero log level in the DataProtectionApplication resource as shown in the following example.

This option is available starting from OADP 1.0.3.

 

apiVersion: oadp.openshift.io/v1alpha1
kind: DataProtectionApplication
metadata:
  name: velero-sample
spec:
  configuration:
    velero:
      logLevel: warning

The following logLevel values are available:

  • trace

  • debug

  • info

  • warning

  • error

  • fatal

  • panic

It is recommended to use the info logLevel value for most logs.

Debugging Velero resources with the Velero CLI tool

You can debug Backup and Restore custom resources (CRs) and retrieve logs with the Velero CLI tool.

The Velero CLI tool provides more detailed information than the OpenShift CLI tool.

Syntax

Use the oc exec command to run a Velero CLI command:

$ oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -- ./velero \
  <backup_restore_cr> <command> <cr_name>
Example

$ oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -- ./velero \
  backup describe 0e44ae00-5dc3-11eb-9ca8-df7e5254778b-2d8ql

Help option

Use the velero --help option to list all Velero CLI commands:

$ oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -- ./velero \
  --help

Describe command

Use the velero describe command to retrieve a summary of warnings and errors associated with a Backup or Restore CR:

$ oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -- ./velero \
  <backup_restore_cr> describe <cr_name>
Example

$ oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -- ./velero \
  backup describe 0e44ae00-5dc3-11eb-9ca8-df7e5254778b-2d8ql

The following types of restore errors and warnings are shown in the output of a velero describe request:

  • Velero: A list of messages related to the operation of Velero itself, for example, messages related to connecting to the cloud, reading a backup file, and so on

  • Cluster: A list of messages related to backing up or restoring cluster-scoped resources

  • Namespaces: A list of list of messages related to backing up or restoring resources stored in namespaces

One or more errors in one of these categories results in a Restore operation receiving the status of PartiallyFailed and not Completed. Warnings do not lead to a change in the completion status.

  • For resource-specific errors, that is, Cluster and Namespaces errors, the restore describe --details output includes a resource list that lists all resources that Velero succeeded in restoring. For any resource that has such an error, check to see if the resource is actually in the cluster.

  • If there are Velero errors, but no resource-specific errors, in the output of a describe command, it is possible that the restore completed without any actual problems in restoring workloads, but carefully validate post-restore applications.

    For example, if the output contains PodVolumeRestore or node agent-related errors, check the status of PodVolumeRestores and DataDownloads. If none of these are failed or still running, then volume data might have been fully restored.

Logs command

Use the velero logs command to retrieve the logs of a Backup or Restore CR:

$ oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -- ./velero \
  <backup_restore_cr> logs <cr_name>
Example

$ oc -n openshift-adp exec deployment/velero -c velero -- ./velero \
  restore logs ccc7c2d0-6017-11eb-afab-85d0007f5a19-x4lbf