Kubernetes Also Needs Backups

Aktios
Sep 2
3 min read

Managing Backup, and Migration in Clusters with Velero

Kubernetes has become the standard in container orchestration, but as architectures scale, so do their risks. Among them, one of the most critical—and often underestimated—is the ability to recover the system after a failure or to migrate it smoothly.

From our experience at Aktios, resilience is not an add-on layer: it’s part of a well-thought-out infrastructure. That’s why we rely on tools that allow us to support our clients in critical processes with security and confidence. One of these tools is Velero, an open-source solution specialized in backup, restore, and migration for Kubernetes clusters.

Why a Cluster Needs More Than Scalability

While Kubernetes makes scalability easier and automates many processes, it does not provide a comprehensive backup solution by default. This means that in cases of human error, infrastructure failure, or the need to move workloads between environments, recovery can be slow and complex if not properly planned.

The challenge grows when dealing with production environments: multiple namespaces, dynamic resources, persistent volumes, cross-dependencies... The answer lies in adopting tools that understand this structure and integrate natively with it.

What Is Veleroand How Does It Work?

Velero enables:

Automated backups of cluster resources, such as deployments, services, configurations, or secrets.
Persistent volume backups via snapshots or file-level backups (Restic/Kopia).
Full or partial restores, either in the same cluster or in another one.
Workload migrations across cloud environments or availability zones.

It’s compatible with major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and allows backup strategies to be fully customized according to system context and criticality.

How We Apply It at Aktios: A Recent Case

At Aktios, we rely on Velero as a backup and restore solution for Kubernetes environments in EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service) because it gives our clients security, agility, and peace of mind in critical operations.

Recently, a client with a single production cluster asked us to upgrade their EKS version. Given the sensitivity of the operation, we performed a full backup of all Persistent Volumes using EBS snapshots managed by Velero.

The operation was completed in just minutes and ensured that, in the event of any unexpected issue during the upgrade, we had a backup ready to restore. This not only protected the environment but also allowed the update to proceed confidently without interrupting business continuity.

Velero in Our Cloud Strategy: The Value It Brings

This experience reinforces our trust in Velero as a key tool for:

Automating and scheduling backups of clusters and persistent volumes.
Simplifying disaster recovery, minimizing downtime.
Enabling granular migrations and restores tailored to each environment.
Supporting best practices in security and governance, especially in AWS.

At Aktios, we use it as part of a cloud-native, resilience-focused architecture. We integrate it with automated processes, secure storage, and validation flows that ensure backups not only exist but also work when needed.

Ready to Fail... and Ready to Recover

A modern cloud strategy must not only focus on growth, but also on recovery. Velero is not a magic solution, but it is a powerful, flexible tool aligned with Kubernetes principles.

Its value lies not just in the technology, but in how it helps build trust: in processes, in deployments, and above all, in the ability to accompany our clients at every step of their technological evolution.

Because protecting data means protecting the business. And in a constantly changing environment, that security makes all the difference. If you’d like to learn more about us and how we can help you, don’t hesitate to get in touch.