In this chapter, we will cover the task of creating instance backups and/or snapshots using the native OpenStack capability built into the compute service (Nova). When adopting a true cloud approach, you will find a great use in snapshots versus backups, but it is still a good idea to understand both the capabilities and the proper use case for each. We will see how to manually create backups or snapshots first and then move on to creating a playbook with roles to fully automate it on a tenant level. In this chapter, we will cover the following points:
Define backups and snapshots
Creating backups and snapshots manually
Restoring an instance backup
Automation considerations
Coding the playbook and roles
Playbook and role review