MariaDB Backup Strategy Comparison
Current Backup Strategy
The SQL file containing the database's structure and data is generated and is uploaded to Azure Blob Storage using Azcopy
Pain Points
• No Incremental Backups
• Not the most efficient strategy
• Lack of Encryption
• Slow Restore Process
Proposing Strategy
Backup Using Maria-Backup and Restic
Maria-Backup is MariaDB's native backup tool for performing hot backups (without locking the database). It integrates well with storage systems like Azure Blob.
Restic is a modern backup tool that supports various storage backends, including Azure Blob Storage. It is designed for efficiency and flexibility, allowing for incremental backups and deduplication.
Key Features:
· Incremental Backups
· Deduplication
· Encryption
· Flexibility
Azure Backup Vault Strategy
Azure Backup Vault is a managed service that provides automated backup and recovery capabilities for Azure resources, including databases stored in Azure Blob Storage.
Key Features:
· Centralized Management
· Automated Scheduling
· Long-term Retention
· Integration
Comparision
Factor | Restic Backup | Azure Backup Vault |
Scalability | Scalable, but manual management of scaling is required, especially when using Azure Blob Storage. | Fully managed and inherently scalable within the Azure ecosystem. Azure handles scaling automatically. |
Security | Encryption at rest and in-transit encryption are provided by default with Restic. Offers end-to-end encryption. | Azure Backup provides built-in encryption (both at rest and in transit). It also supports Azure AD for role-based access control (RBAC), ensuring secure access management. |
Monitoring and Alerts | No built-in monitoring—you will need to configure your own monitoring systems (e.g., via logs or Azure Monitor). | Comprehensive monitoring, alerting, and reporting through the Azure portal. Offers detailed backup status, health, and performance metrics. |
Disaster Recovery | Restic itself doesn’t have a native disaster recovery solution. Recovery is based on the backup set and configuration. | Azure Backup Vault integrates with Azure’s disaster recovery solutions (e.g., Azure Site Recovery). Supports region failover, cross-region replication, and advanced recovery options. |
Storage Flexibility | Storage flexibility is high as Restic can work with any backend, including Azure Blob Storage. It can be used with other providers if needed. | Tied to Azure Blob Storage, but integrates tightly with Azure's ecosystem, offering various redundancy and replication options (LRS, GRS, RA-GRS). |
Cost | Cost-effective as it’s open-source. However, there are operational costs (such as setting up and managing infrastructure, bandwidth, storage costs for Azure Blob). Approx. $0.0208 per GB per month | Pricing is based on storage consumption and backup frequency (based on Azure Backup pricing model). Enterprise-level pricing but easier to manage. Approx. $0.034 per GB |
Complexity | Requires manual setup and scripting for automation. | Offers a managed service with automated features, reducing manual effort. |