Want to use OVH Backup storage space effectively? You have come to the right place. Our Support Engineers are well-versed in enabling and using this backup storage space.

As a part of our Server Management Services, we assist customers with their OVH backup storage space. Let’s take a look at how our Support Team at Bobcares goes about this task.

All about OVH backup

With OVH providing 500 GB of free backup storage space along with each dedicated server, it is essential to know how to use the space effectively. In order to do that, you need to have access to the OVH control panel as well as access to a dedicated server.

Activating backup storage

1. Initially, log in to the OVH control panel and go to the server’s page.
2. Next, choose the Backup storage tab and then select the Activate the Backup Storage button.
3. After that, click the Confirm button.
4. Then, you will get an activation email indicating that your backup storage will be configured in the next few minutes.

Setting up access control

Did you know the access to the OVH backup storage space is restricted by IP address through the ACL? IPs in the OVH account whitelisted in the ACL will be able to access the storage. Unfortunately, other protocols like CIFS and NFS do not have access by default. In addition, you will have to create an ACL in order to grant them access.

Adding backup access:

1. First, log into the OVH control panel and go to the server’s page.
2. Next, navigate to the Backup Storage tab and select Add an access button.
3. After that, select the IP block to be authorized, as well as the protocol required, and click the next button.
4. Then confirm your options and select the Finish button.

As a result, you have access to the backup storage space from the selected IP block.

Modifying access:
In order to change the protocol of the authorized IP block, you have to select the pencil icon of the IP block that needs to be modified. Then select or deselect the protocols required. Once you are finished, select the tick button and save the changes made.

Deleting access:
Additionally, you can revoke access for an IP block by clicking the trash icon present at the end of the line and selecting confirm.

Resetting the password

1. Initially, log into the OVH control panel and go to the server’s page.
2. Then, choose the Backup storage tab and select Forgotten your password button.
3. After that, click the confirm button.
4. Now, you will receive a password recovery email at the address registered to the admin account. Follow the instructions in the email and reset your password.

Deleting the backup storage

1. First, log into the OVH control panel and go to the server’s page.
2. Then, choose the Backup storage tab and select Delete the Backup storage tab.
3. Next, click Delete the backup storage button and click Confirm to proceed.
4. The Backup storage will be deleted after a couple of minutes.

Ordering disk space

1. Initially, log into the OVH control panel and go to the server’s page.
2. Then, choose the Backup storage tab and select Order disk spacebutton.
3. Next, choose the storage capacity preferred and select the Next button.
4. After that, select the check box to indicate you have read and understood the stated terms and conditions and finally click the Confirm button.
5. This will create your order. Once, the payment is processed you will have access ot the additional storage space.

Using backup storage

The backup storage serve offers spaces and access protocols in addition to backing up your data. Furthermore, you can implement a backup strategy via tools of your choice like FTP/FTPS, ncftp and so on.

Now, you can also backup an individual file to the backup storage with the following command:

# ncftpput -u FtpUserName -p FtpPassword HostName /FolderLocation /File

This contains variables that have to be substituted with your values:

• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• FolderLocation: The target folder’s path where the file has to be saved
• HostName: The hostname of the backup storage
• File: Name of the file to be saved

In order to backup a folder, create a folder archive and upload it with this command:

# tar czf - /FolderName | ncftpput -u FtpUserName -p FtpPassword -c HostName ArchiveName.tar.gz

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• FolderName: The path to the folder you want to back up
• HostName: The hostname of the backup storage
• ArchiveName: The name of the folder to be backed up

Additionally, you can use this command to download an archive file from the backup storage:

# ncftpget -v -u FtpUsername -p FtpPassword HostName /LocalFolder /File

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• HostName: The hostname of the backup storage
• LocalFolder: The local folder’s path where the file will be saved
• File: The location of the file that has to be downloaded.

OVH backup storage: Curl (for linux)

Here, you have to change the backup storage’s hostname in order to use FTPS. For instance, if the hostname is ftpback-rbxX-YYY.ip-Z.Z.Z.Z.net, you have to change it to ftpback-rbxX-YYY.mybackup.ovh.net. Moreover, you also have to add the -ssl flag to the commands seen below.
Additionally, you can run this command to save an individual file to the backup storage:

# curl -aT File ftp://FtpUsername:FtpPassword@HostName/FolderLocation

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• File: Name of the file to be saved
• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• HostName: The backup storage’s hostname
• FolderLocation: The target folder’s location path, where you want to save the file

You can also backup a folder by creating a folder archive and uploading it with this command:

# tar czf - /FolderName | curl ftp://FtpUsername:FtpPassword@HostName/FolderLocation/ArchiveName-$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M).tar.gz -T -

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• FolderName: The location of the folder to be backed up
• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• HostName: The backup storage’s hostname
• FolderLocation: The location of the target folder where the folder will be saved
• ArchiveName: The name of the folder to be backed up

Furthermore, you can download any archive file from the backup storage with this command:

# cd /LocalFolder
# curl -u FtpUsername:FtpPassword ftp://HostName/File

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• FtpUsername: Your FTP username
• FtpPassword: Your FTP password
• HostName: The hostname of the backup storage
• LocalFolder: The name of the local folder where the file will be saved
• File: The path to the file you want to download

OVH backup storage: Iftp (for Linux)

Since Iftp relies on FTP+SSL/TLS, we have to change the backup storage’s hostname. For instance, if the hostname is ftpback-rbxX-YYY.ip-Z.Z.Z.Z.net, we have to change it to ftpback-rbxX-YYY.mybackup.ovh.net.
You can save individual files to the backup storage with this command:

# lftp ftp://FtpUsername:FtpPassword@HostName:21 -e "cd FolderLocation; put File; quit"

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• File: The name of the file you want to save
• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• HostName: The hostname of the backup storage
• FolderLocation: The location of the target folder

You can also backup a folder by creating a folder archive and uploading it with this command:

# tar czf - /FolderName | ftp://FtpUsername:FtpPassword@HostName:21 -e "cd FolderLocation; put /dev/stdin -o ArchiveName-$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M).tar.gz;quit"

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• FolderName: The location of the folder to be backed up
• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• HostName: The backup storage’s hostname
• FolderLocation: The location of the target folder
• ArchiveName: The name of the folder to be backed up

In addition, you can download any archive file from the backup storage with this command:

# cd /LocalFolder
# lftp ftp://FtpUsername:FtpPassword@HostName:21 -e "get /File; quit"

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• FtpUsername: The FTP username
• FtpPassword: The FTP password
• HostName: The hostname of the backup storage
• LocalFolder: The name of the local folder where the file will be saved
• File: The path to the file you want to download

OVH backup storage: Filezilla (for Windows)

Once FileZilla is installed on the server, it is time to configure it so that it connects to the backup storage via the FTP credentials. Moreover, these credentials are emailed to you during the activation of the Backup storage. For the connection to be successful, you will require the hostname as well as the password of the Backup Storage.

OVH backup storage: NFS

First, ensure that the IP blocks are authorized to access the storage as well as use the NFS protocol. Moreover, you may have to install the NFS client and also start the NFS/portmap service based on your Linux operating system.
Then , mount the NFS share as a normal partition as seen below:

# mount -t nfs HostName:/export/ftpbackup/ServiceName /FolderMount

In addition, the variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• HostName: The backup storage’s hostname
• ServiceName: The name of the server (e.g. ns0000000.ip-123-123-123.net)
• FolderMount: The target folder where the NFS share will be mounted

After the share is mounted, use commands like rsync and cp like you would on a normal directory.

OVH backup storage: CIFS (Windows)

First, log on to the server and enter the following command in the command prompt:

net use z: \\HostName\ServiceName

Moreover, the variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• HostName: The backup storage’s hostname
• ServiceName: The name of the server (e.g. ns0000000.ip-123-123-123.net)

OVH backup storage: CIFS (Linux)

First, set up an SSH connection to the server and enter this command:

# mount -t cifs -o sec=ntlm,uid=root,gid=100,dir_mode=0700,username=root,password= //HostName/ServiceName /mnt/FolderMount

The variables in this code can be substituted with your values:

• HostName: The backup storage’s hostname
• ServiceName: The name of the server (e.g. ns0000000.ip-123-123-123.net)
• FolderMount: The folder where the share will be mounted.

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Conclusion

To summarize, we went over the different ways to utilize OVH Backup storage space for Dedicated Servers under the guidance of the skilled Support Engineers at Bobcares.