Full server backup and restore overview

Use flightctl-backup and flightctl-restore to export and import Red Hat Edge Manager server state, including PostgreSQL data, PKI material, service configuration, and deployment artifacts.

Backup archive contents
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Before you store archives off-host or restore on a replacement host, confirm that flightctl-backup captured the components your recovery plan requires. A successful run packages at minimum:

  • Database: logical dump of the internal flightctl PostgreSQL database (when the database runs with the deployment)
  • PKI: certificate authority keys, TLS certificates, and related secrets required for enrolled devices to reconnect over mTLS without re-enrollment
  • Configuration: service configuration (service-config.yaml on Red Hat Enterprise Linux or the service ConfigMap on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform), plus the PAM Issuer volume or Helm values.

The archive also includes metadata.json (backup timestamp, Red Hat Edge Manager version, deployment type) and a companion .sha256 checksum file. Before restore, verify integrity by running sha256sum -c on that file from the directory that contains the archive. The command must report OK. flightctl-restore also validates the checksum before extraction. For more information about backup archive structure and integrity verification, see Additional resources.

Full server compared to database-only backup
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Use the following scenarios to match your recovery goal to the right backup scope. The Related topics column lists links in Additional resources.

Scenario Recommended approach Related topics

Disaster recovery of the entire control plane (new host or cluster, same version)

flightctl-backup and flightctl-restore <archive>
  • Backing up the full server on Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Backing up the full server on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform

DBA-led or storage-level PostgreSQL backup only

Your organization’s pg_dump, snapshots, or volume backup; then flightctl-restore for KV and device reconciliation if needed

Backing up the PostgreSQL database for Red Hat Edge Manager on Red Hat Enterprise Linux

External PostgreSQL (not managed by the deployment)

Back up the database with your database team’s tools; use flightctl-backup for PKI and configuration, or follow their runbook

External PostgreSQL databases
Note

flightctl-restore without an archive argument continues to perform device preparation only (for example, after a manual database restore). Archive-based restore is the supported path for full server recovery.