Backup and Restore a Contabo VPS to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive etc

Summary

This video tutorial demonstrates how to create a full disk image of a VPS and store it on various cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive. The process involves using the rclone program to connect to Google Drive and backup a Windows Server VPS to the cloud. It then showcases restoring a Zoran OS and redeploying the Windows Server image to a different VPS in another data center, highlighting the flexibility and efficiency of the method.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video demonstrates how to take a complete disk image of a VPS and store it on various cloud storage providers.
• 🛠 The script covers the use of Cantabo and Vulture VPS providers for their resource offerings and user-friendly control panel.
• 🔄 The process includes backing up a Windows Server VPS to Google Drive and restoring it to a different data center.
• 💡 Rclone is introduced as a powerful cloud storage connection utility used for the backup and restore process.
• 🖥️ The video shows a step-by-step guide on installing Rclone on a local Windows PC and configuring it for cloud storage access.
• 🔗 The script explains how to use Rclone to create a remote connection to Google Drive for storing the VPS disk image.
• 📝 A naming convention for disk images is suggested to include data center, disk size, OS, and any restrictions.
• 🔒 The video mentions the importance of testing the integrity of the disk image files using the xz archive test command.
• 🔄 The script details the process of restoring a disk image to a VPS, including decompression and writing to the VPS hard disk.
• 🌐 The video suggests that the process could potentially be applied to other VPS providers with similar booting mechanisms.
• 🔄 The final demonstration shows the successful booting of both Kali Linux and Windows Server 2022 on different VPS instances.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The video demonstrates how to take a complete disk image of a VPS and store it on various cloud storage providers, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive.

Why does the video focus on Cantabo and Vulture VPS providers?

The video focuses on Cantabo and Vulture VPS providers because Cantabo offers the most resources at the lowest cost, while Vulture VPS has the easiest-to-use control panel and offers the most facilities according to the presenter's opinion.

What is the significance of using the rclone program in the process?

The rclone program is used to connect to over 30 different cloud storage providers, allowing the user to store a compressed image of their VPS's hard drive on their chosen cloud service.

How does the video demonstrate the backup process?

The video demonstrates the backup process by showing the installation of rclone on a local Windows PC, accessing the VPS in rescue mode, configuring rclone to access Google Drive, and then creating a compressed disk image of the VPS's hard drive.

What is the recommended naming convention for disk images according to the video?

The recommended naming convention includes the data center location, disk size, operating system, any restrictions (if the image is based on a Cantabo supplied image), type of storage (SSD or NVMe), and the current VPS IP address.

Why is it suggested not to change the operating system on a VPS if it is based on a Cantabo supplied image?

Changing the operating system on a VPS based on a Cantabo supplied image may cause issues when reverting back to the original disk image, as it may contain specific IP and network information that is not compatible with other data centers or VPS configurations.

What is the purpose of the 'lsblk' command used in the video?

The 'lsblk' command is used to list all block devices, which helps identify the device identifier (e.g., sda) for the VPS's hard disk that will be used in the disk imaging process.

How does the video ensure the integrity of the disk image file?

The video uses an 'xz' archive test command to check if the disk image file can be retrieved and successfully decompressed, providing an additional layer of confidence in the integrity of the backup.

What is the process for restoring a disk image to a VPS as shown in the video?

The process involves decompressing the stored disk image file and writing it to the VPS's hard disk, referred to as 'device sda' in the video, followed by rebooting the VPS to apply the changes.

How does the video demonstrate the successful restoration of the disk images?

The video shows the use of a VNC viewer to watch the VPS boot up after restoring the disk images to ensure there are no issues, and also shows RDP sessions to both the European and American VPS to confirm they are operational.

Outlines

00:00

📚 VPS Disk Imaging and Cloud Storage Integration

The script introduces a tutorial on creating a full disk image of a VPS and storing it on various cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive. The presenter highlights their preference for Cantabo and Vulture VPS providers for their cost-effectiveness and ease of use, respectively. The main demonstration involves backing up a VPS with a Windows Server OS to Google Drive, replacing it with Zorran OS, and then restoring the Windows Server image to a VPS in a different data center. The process includes using the rclone program for cloud storage connection and emphasizes the flexibility of restoring the disk image on any Cantabo instance in various data centers.

05:00

🔄 VPS Rescue Mode and Cloud Storage Setup

This paragraph details the steps to initiate the VPS rescue mode and configure the rclone program for cloud storage access. The process involves selecting a Debian rescue version, setting up an SSH client, and using the rclone configuration to establish a connection with Google Drive. The script explains navigating through rclone's setup, including choosing the cloud provider, handling authentication, and setting up a remote connection named 'g drive'. The presenter also discusses the importance of a proper naming convention for disk images, which includes data center information, disk size, OS, and any restrictions due to VPS-specific configurations.

10:03

🖥️ Disk Imaging Process and Verification

The script describes the disk imaging process using the 'dd' command combined with 'xz' for compression, which is then stored on Google Drive via rclone. It emphasizes the use of a naming convention for disk images that includes the data center, disk size, OS, and any specific characteristics like 'restricted' if the image has VPS-specific network information. The paragraph also covers the verification of the disk image's integrity using an 'xz' archive test command, ensuring that the backup is error-free before proceeding with restoration. The presenter demonstrates the successful creation and testing of a disk image file.

15:09

🔄 Restoring Disk Images and Multi-VPS Management

The final paragraph outlines the process of restoring disk images to different VPS instances, showcasing the flexibility of using disk images across various data centers. The presenter demonstrates restoring a Kali Linux image and a Windows Server 2022 image to separate VPS instances, confirming successful restoration through VNC and RDP connections. The script suggests that the process could potentially be applied to other VPS providers with similar recovery disk functionalities. The video concludes with an invitation to subscribe for more content and a reminder of the presenter's other related videos.

Keywords

💡Disk Image

A disk image is a complete and exact copy of a hard disk, including its operating system, applications, and files. In the video, the creator discusses taking a disk image of a VPS, which is a critical step for backing up and restoring the system's state. The term is used to describe the process of capturing the entire state of a VPS's hard drive, which can then be stored and deployed elsewhere.

💡Cloud Storage Providers

Cloud storage providers are services that offer remote data storage over the internet. The video mentions over 30 different providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive. These services are used to store the disk images taken from the VPS, allowing for easy access and backup from anywhere with an internet connection.

💡VPS (Virtual Private Server)

A VPS is a virtual machine sold as a service by an internet hosting service. The video focuses on creating a disk image of a VPS and restoring it on different cloud infrastructures. The term is used to describe the virtual environment that is being backed up and restored, highlighting the flexibility and portability of such systems.

💡Cantabo VPS

Cantabo is a VPS provider mentioned in the video that offers a range of resources at a low cost. The script discusses using Cantabo for its infrastructure to demonstrate the process of taking and restoring disk images. The term is used to specify the provider of the VPS on which the disk imaging process is being performed.

💡Vulture VPS

Vulture VPS is another provider mentioned in the script, known for its user-friendly control panel and facilities. The term is used to compare different VPS providers and highlight the ease of use and features that Vulture VPS offers, in contrast to Cantabo.

💡Rclone

Rclone is a command-line program that allows for synchronization and backup of data to various cloud storage providers. In the video, rclone is used to connect to Google Drive and store the disk image of the VPS. The term is used to describe the specific tool that facilitates the connection between the local PC and the cloud storage for backup purposes.

💡Rescue Mode

Rescue mode is a feature in VPS management that allows users to access and repair their server in case of system failure. The script describes using Cantabo's rescue mode to install rclone and configure it for accessing Google Drive. The term is used to describe the mode in which the VPS is operated to perform the disk imaging process.

💡SSH (Secure Shell)

SSH is a cryptographic network protocol for operating network services securely over an unsecured network. In the video, an SSH client is used to access the VPS running the rescue system. The term is used to describe the method of secure remote access to the VPS for performing operations like disk imaging.

💡Debian

Debian is a Linux distribution known for its stability and security. In the script, the Debian rescue version is mentioned as the default choice for the Cantabo rescue system. The term is used to specify the operating system environment in which the disk imaging process is being conducted.

💡Compression

Compression is the process of encoding information using fewer bits. In the video, the 'xz' compression command is used to compress the disk image data for efficient storage. The term is used to describe the method by which the disk image is made smaller before being stored on cloud storage.

💡VNC (Virtual Network Computing)

VNC is a graphical desktop sharing system that allows users to remotely control another computer. The script mentions using a VNC client to watch the VPS boot up after restoring the disk image. The term is used to describe the tool that allows visual confirmation of the successful restoration of the disk image on the VPS.

Highlights

The video demonstrates how to create a complete disk image of a VPS and store it on various cloud storage providers.

Cantabo VPS offers the most resources at the lowest cost, while Vulture VPS has an easy-to-use control panel with many facilities.

The process allows for the restoration of a different OS on the same VPS and redeployment of the original image to a different VPS.

The demonstration includes backing up a Windows Server VPS to Google Drive and restoring a Zorran OS, then restoring the Windows Server image to a different data center.

The video outlines the basic game plan for the process with a diagram for clarity.

The process can potentially be applied to other VPS providers or even home PCs with minor changes.

Installing rclone on a local Windows PC is a one-time process required for accessing Google Drive via a web browser in Cantabo rescue mode.

Rclone can connect to over 30 different cloud providers, making it versatile for various storage needs.

The video provides a step-by-step guide on installing rclone, including adding it to the system's path for easy access.

Using the Cantabo VPS rescue mode to install and configure rclone for accessing Google Drive.

The video explains how to set up a remote connection to Google Drive using rclone, including authentication and configuration.

A detailed guide on naming disk images for clarity and future restoration, including data center, disk size, OS, and any restrictions.

The use of the 'dd' command combined with 'xz' for compressing the disk image, leveraging all CPU cores for efficiency.

Demonstration of testing the disk image file for integrity using 'xz' to ensure no corruption occurred during the backup.

Restoring a backup involves decompressing the stored image and writing it to the VPS's hard disk.

The video concludes with the successful restoration of both Kali Linux and Windows Server 2022 on separate VPS instances.

The process is potentially applicable to other VPS providers that support booting from a recovery disk or similar.

Transcripts

in this video i am going to show you how

you can take a complete disk image of a

vps and store it on one of over 30

different cloud storage providers like

google drive dropbox and microsoft

onedrive to name but a few

over the past six months on this channel

i have shown you how you can build a

cantabo vps with a number of different

linux and windows operating systems

the reason i keep coming back to both

cantabo or vulture vps providers is that

cantabo although not for beginners does

offer you the most resources for the

lowest cost whereas the vulture vps

control panel is the easiest to use and

offers the most facilities in my opinion

from the 20 or so vps providers i have

used over the years

after installing and using one of the

operating systems i am now able to take

an image of it restore a different one

and then redeploy the first image to a

separate vps elsewhere on the cantabo

infrastructure

to demonstrate what i mean i am going to

back up my european data center

center-based vps with its windows server

operating system to my cloud-based

google drive then restore a zorran os

version to take the place of the windows

one

i am finally going to restore the

windows server image that i have just

taken to a cantabo vps in one of their

american data centers so i can continue

work on it

[Music]

so let's get cracking

the basic game plan i am going to use is

shown in the diagram on screen is so

that you understand the overall picture

[Music]

this is because although i am going to

be demonstrating by using the cantabo

vps infrastructure where i have tested

it you may also be able to apply this

same process on other vps providers or

even your home pc with only the odd

change required or find different

situations where you would like to use

it

[Music]

i am also going to be demonstrating by

using google drive as the cloud storage

location as it is one of the most

popular ones

however as the rclone program i am going

to be using can connect to over some 30

different cloud providers if you want to

use a different one the chances are that

it also supports it too

so what we are going to do first and

this is a one-off process is install our

clone on our local windows pc

that is because when we later run our

clone in the cantabo rescue mode which

is text based only it will want to sign

into my google cloud via a web browser

and it can use my local pc for that

[Music]

then we are going to run the cantabo vps

rescue mode in which we are going to

install our clone and configure it so it

can access my google drive and then

finally be able to store a compressed

image of our vps's hard drive onto it

it also means as we can do this on any

cantabo instance i am able to restore

the very same disk image but this time

on a vps running in a different data

center

so first we are going to be installing

our clone the powerful cloud storage

connection utility on our local pc

i am going to be demonstrating by using

my local windows pc but it also can be

installed on mac os or other local

operating systems in a similar way

as this is a one-off process once it's

done we never have to do it again

so let's do that

i go to the downloads page on the rclone

website and get the 64-bit version for

windows

[Music]

once downloaded i extract the files

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then for ease of identification in the

future i make an rclone directory on my

c drive

[Music]

and copy the extracted r clone files to

that directory

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finally so they can easily be accessed

from any pc directory i add the rclone

directory into the machine's path

environment variable

[Music]

and that's it it's that easy we have

fully installed it

to test it i simply open a command

window type rclone and press enter

[Music]

the fact that it responds means our

local pc is able to find it

as you can see on screen i am part way

through installing and testing a range

of software on windows server

so i am going to be imaging its hard

disk loading a zoran os operating system

i built in an earlier video so i can

look at a few things before restoring

the windows server image back onto a vps

housed in a completely different data

center where i have another vps so i can

carry on from where i left off

installing and testing windows server

software

so on the cantabo control panel i go to

the vps tab and select the rescue system

[Music]

on the resultant screen i leave the

recommended debian rescue version

unchanged and enter a password for the

root user that i will use in a minute

[Music]

in the next section i will need an ssh

client so i can access the vps running

this rescue system

now because i am on windows i download

the putty ssh client importantly from

the official putty website

[Music]

once installed i started

as you can see i have already set up two

named sessions if i load the connection

to the europe vps you can see that it's

just connecting to user root at the

server's ip address on port 22.

i have also changed the font on the

appearance tab to something that shows

up on this video better

i now return to the main screen and hit

the open button

if asked i accept the connection and

when prompted key in the root password

we entered a minute ago on the cantabo

vps rescue web page then press enter

then in the ssh window that is connected

to contabo's rescue cd image that we are

running on this vps remember i paste in

the first command that you will find in

the youtube description

this command firstly ensures all

repository indexes are up to date then

gets by using the curl command the

latest version of the rclone cloud

storage via its install script makes a

directory the cloud storage will be

mounted to later and then finally starts

the main arc clone configuration

the rclone program has to make a remote

connection to my google drive which for

shorthand it just refers to as remotes

[Music]

it finds no existing remotes so i type

in to set up a new one which will be to

google drive

[Music]

i name the remote

[Music]

it then provides a list of all the

different types it supports

i can connect to a whole series of cloud

storage options which you can see on

screen

however as i said earlier for this

demonstration i will be using google

drive so i look for that

once found it can be selected by

entering the number 18 or because future

versions of our clone might change this

number i use its short name identifier

which will not change which is the word

drive

[Music]

there will now be a series of questions

that allow complex connections to be

made

we are just creating a basic one so can

leave client id blank and hit enter

for client secret i also hit enter

for scope i select option 1 full access

[Applause]

again i leave service account file empty

and hit enter

it bundles further complex connections

options together and just asks us if we

want to edit any of them i select no

it then asks us if we would like to use

automatic configuration this means it

wants to open a web browser on this vps

but as we don't have a gui desktop it

means we have no web browser on this vps

so i answer no

it therefore gives me a one line command

to copy to my local pc

to do the copying from a putty window

and this will feel quite foreign is just

to highlight what i want to copy and not

hit control and c just highlighting it

is enough to put it on the local pc's

clipboard

i then start a command window on my

local pc which i have given a green

background just so it is easily

distinguishable

i then paste in the rclone command and

run it

it opens my local pc's desktop web

browser and i login or select the google

account i want to use

i then allow our clone access to it

[Music]

once the login shows it has been

successful i return to the command

window

[Music]

and copy the provided authorization code

back into the putty window i am using

now that it has connected to my google

drive it asks me whether this is a team

drive

i select no

[Applause]

and finally it asks me if all the

information i have given is okay

i select yes

it has now finished and using all my

answers set up a remote connection to

google drive which i have called g drive

i recognize at first viewing this

process might seem complex but it's

really not

our clone has a website that you can see

on screen and if i scroll down it has

dedicated configuration instructions for

all its supported providers which

includes google drive

if i go in to look at the google drive

configuration dedicated page

it shows me all the screens i showed you

and below it pages and pages of google

drive specific connection information

should i ever wish to do something

non-standard

this video and everything i have shown

you when connecting to google drive came

from this page

[Music]

returning to the putty ssh window i quit

out of the rclone configuration and then

mount the google drive remote to the vps

recovery's local directory that was set

up earlier so simply accessing this

directory from now on is actually

accessing google drive

we now create a directory on the google

drive if it doesn't already exist and

then list all files found in that

directory

when naming disk images i have found the

following naming convention really

useful

the first part tells you what data

center the vps when backed up was in in

case there is anything data center

specific about any disk image

the second part indicates the size of

the current disk as any future

restoration on a disk will need this

size as a minimum

then comes the operating system in the

backup so that's ubuntu 22.04 in this

case

then comes the tricky bit if the machine

has a cantabo image at its core for

example on any of the highlighted videos

where the image wasn't built from

original isos that we got as part of the

video or it is not an image that i

supplied then it will have specific ip

and network cantabo information in it

which means it cannot be restored to

another data center or even a vps with a

different ip address

i have also found in testing that even

though in theory this disk image can be

restored back on this machine at any

time if this vps has since the disk

image was taken had any other different

operating system on it then returning to

this one afterwards the vps doesn't

always boot up correctly

therefore i suggest that if your vps is

based on a cantabo supplied image you

just take regular disk images of the vps

to save where you're up to but never

change the machine to use a new

operating system otherwise reverting

back to these disk images afterwards may

not work

to remind me of that restriction i put

the work restricted in the file name

otherwise i leave it blank

i then indicate if it was taken from an

ssd or nvme hard disk in case the disk

image has any disk type drivers in it

i then capture the current vpsip address

in case the disk image has any specific

ip or mac address network identification

in it

in the next section i will show you how

to take a new disk image backup

on screen you can see i have zoomed into

the putty window

to take the disk image i first key the

command lsblk to see what this rescue

disk uses to refer to this vps's 50

gigabyte hard disk

as you can see from the output it's

device sda

for reference i will keep that on screen

while we look at the backup command

itself

so for information this command uses the

linux dd command and first reads in the

input file dev sda and prints out the

current progress

it then passes each chunk of the input

file onto the xz compression command

where it uses compression level 0 which

is the fastest setting and by using the

dash t option it is told to use all cpus

on the machine then even makes it faster

than the more popular gzip linux

compression utility

it then pipes that compressed data to a

file in the rclone disk images directory

which is on google drive

[Music]

now it's finished i will quickly show

you my google drive via my local pc's

web browser

so on screen you can see my google drive

and init a directory called rclone disk

images

if i go into that i can see the file we

have just created

and the kali linux file i produced

earlier

also a copy of a disk image file where i

have on purpose changed one byte of it

some third of the way through just to

prove we are able to detect even such

minor damage

so i return to the putty window but keep

the list of files on screen for

reference

[Music]

the following command which like all

commands are in the youtube description

is just a standard xz archive test

command again using all cpus this

machine has and is just testing it can

retrieve and successfully decompress the

file we have just written

it should be noted that as both xz and

rclone have independent error checking

within him so all files produced have

been fine but this separate testing of

the resultant disk image file just

provides additional confidence

[Music]

and just to show you what it looks like

if it ever detects any errors

if i try to test a file i damaged on

purpose you can see that even though it

was just a single byte i changed it has

recognized it and reported the error

it should be noted however in the whole

of the last month when i have been

researching and making this video i have

never had any file fail this testing

process but i still recommend doing it

as a double check

in the next section i will show you how

to restore a backup

still in the putty window i am going to

restore a version of kali linux i made

in an earlier video

as such this command decompresses the

kali linux file i have stored on my

google drive and writes it out to the

vps hard disk which is referred to as

device sda

[Music]

and when finished i simply reboot

[Music]

now this bit isn't necessary but using

the vnc ip address and user credentials

i have set up the real vnc client that i

have talked about in other videos

but i use it just to watch the european

vps we have just installed kali linux on

boot up to confirm there are no problems

[Music]

i have put on screen the putty window to

the american vps which i have colored

blue just to distinguish it from the

european vps i was using earlier

on it i decompressed the windows server

2022 disk image i created just a minute

ago

[Music]

again when finished i reboot

[Music]

and again i use the vnc viewer to watch

it boot up

[Music]

to prove to you both machines are

available at the same time i have

created a rdp link to both and logged on

you can see both rdp sessions on screen

now and although i haven't tested it yet

it should be possible to restore the

kali linux or windows server 2022 disk

image onto other vps providers if they

have a way of booting their vps off

something like a recovery disk or

similar

on screen you will find some youtube

videos of mine that the algorithm has

selected for you that you might like

and if you want to see more videos in

the future like this one click on the

cloud tech logo

thanks for watching

[Music]