How to configure automatic backup of virtual machines and their disks using Proxmox Backup Server to ensure infrastructure fault tolerance?

Reliable protection of server infrastructure requires regular creation of virtual machine backups. Using a specialized solution like Proxmox Backup Server allows you to efficiently organize the backup process thanks to built-in server-side data deduplication and on-the-fly encryption. This significantly saves disk space and guarantees information confidentiality.

To set up such a backup, you first need to add the Proxmox Backup Server storage in the Proxmox VE hypervisor web interface. Go to the Datacenter section, select the Storage tab, and click Add, specifying the backup server IP address, username, password, and a unique encryption key. The encryption key is crucial, as without it, recovering data in the event of a backup server compromise will be impossible.

Next, proceed to configure the backup schedule. In the Datacenter menu, select the Backup item and create a new job, specifying the target storage, run schedule (e.g., daily at night), and the list of virtual machines to include in the backup. It is recommended to use the Snapshot mode for minimal virtual machine downtime during disk snapshot creation.

After creating the job, run it manually to check functionality and correct data transmission. Verify in the logs that the deduplication process runs successfully and the transfer speed matches your network capabilities. Set up a regular data verification procedure on the backup server itself to detect potential file-level file system corruption in a timely manner.