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Configure PVE Backups

I recently added a new drive to my Proxmox server, and wanted to allocate a good chunk to VM backup storage. I built up some quick notes throughout the process and decided to create a post. Note this process is different than setting up new storage to host/run the actual VM’s. This was done on Proxmox VE 5.3.

Partition Drive for PVE

Throughout this example, the new drive is /dev/sdb and the new partition will be /dev/sdb1. As root partition your new drive using cfdisk - or your favorite partitioning app.

• cfdisk /dev/sdb > New > Specify Size (ex: 1T) > Write
• fdisk -l for a sanity check.

Next, we’ll need to format the partition:

mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1

Now that the partition is configured, you’ll need to create a directory to store the backups, then mount to your new partition to this new directory.

mkdir /mnt/prox-backups
chmod 755 /mnt/prox-backups
mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/prox-backups

Once tested, add this entry to /etc/fstab to mount upon reboots.

Add the new Directory

Next, it’s time to navigate to the Proxmox Web GUI. Click Datacenter and Add a new Directory. Note: if Datacenter is not showing up, make sure to Reset the Layout via the gear icon, up top on your PVE page.

• Set the ID to what ever youd like. Ex: Backups
• Set the directory to what you’ve just created prior. Ex: /mnt/prox-backups
• Set the Content to VZDump Backup File

You’re all set. Now create a backup to test. Navigate to a machine that you’d like to backup, and select the Backup option > Backup Now.

The new storage device should automatically populate or show up as an option. Choose which ever mode is most relevant to your situation. See the official Proxmox documentation for any quesitons.

Once the backup is complete, try to restore from backup if you’d like. If this is your first Proxmox storage addition (besides default local storage) be sure to select the correct storage location when you build a new VM, as it may default to your backup location.