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Backups

Overview​

The Backup feature in Lium provides automated, scheduled backups of your pod data to ensure your important files are protected even if your rental container disappears unexpectedly. This feature creates compressed archives of your specified directories and stores them securely in cloud storage with configurable retention policies.

When you rent a GPU pod in Lium, your container has access to persistent volumes mounted at specific paths. While these volumes provide some protection, the backup feature adds an extra layer of security by automatically creating point-in-time snapshots of your critical data and storing them off-site.

Why Use Backups?​

The Problem​

If your rental machine disappears without notice due to hardware failure, network issues, or other unexpected events, you could lose all your work immediately. This includes:

  • Training checkpoints and model weights
  • Processed datasets and intermediate results
  • Configuration files and scripts
  • Research outputs and analysis results

The Solution​

Lium's backup feature mitigates this risk by:

  • Automated Scheduling: Regular backups run automatically based on your configuration
  • Secure Storage: Backups are stored in AWS S3 with enterprise-grade security
  • Flexible Retention: Configure how long backups are kept to balance cost and safety
  • Easy Recovery (in progress): Simple restoration process when you need to recover data

How to Configure Backups​

Step 1: Access Backup Settings​

  1. Navigate to your pod detail page in the Lium dashboard
  2. Click the "Backup" button in the top right corner of the pod interface
  3. This opens the backup configuration panel

Step 2: Configure Backup Settings​

You'll need to specify three key parameters:

Backup Path​

  • What it is: The directory path that will be zipped and uploaded to cloud storage
  • Requirements: Must be a subdirectory of your volume mount path (e.g., under /mnt/)
  • Examples:
    • /mnt/models - Backup only your trained models
    • /mnt/checkpoints - Backup training checkpoints
    • /mnt/project - Backup an entire project directory

Backup Frequency​

  • What it is: How often the backup job runs
  • Options:
    • Every 6 hours - For active development work
    • Every 12 hours - For regular training runs
    • Daily - For stable projects with less frequent changes
    • Weekly - For long-term storage and archival

Retention Period​

  • What it is: How long backups are kept before automatic cleanup
  • Options:
    • 7 days - Short-term protection for active work
    • 30 days - Medium-term retention for ongoing projects
    • 90 days - Long-term retention for important research
    • 180 days - Extended retention for critical data

What Happens Behind the Scenes​

Backup Process​

  1. Scheduled Execution: A cron job runs based on your configured frequency
  2. Data Compression: The system creates a ZIP archive of your specified backup path
  3. Cloud Upload: The compressed backup is securely uploaded to AWS S3 storage
  4. Verification: The system verifies the backup was successfully stored
  5. Cleanup: Old backups are automatically removed based on your retention settings

Storage Location​

  • Backups are stored in dedicated AWS S3 buckets with enterprise security
  • Each backup is timestamped and uniquely identified
  • Access is restricted to your account only

Monitoring​

  • View backup history and status in the "Backups" tab on your pod detail page
  • Track successful backups, and failures

Viewing Backup History​

Accessing Backup History​

  1. Go to your pod detail page
  2. Click on the "Backups" tab
  3. View a chronological list of all backup operations

Billing​

How Backup Billing Works​

Lium uses a transparent, pay-as-you-use billing model for backups:

  • Storage Costs: Based on the actual size of your compressed backups
  • Transfer Costs: Charges for uploading backups to cloud storage
  • Real-time Billing: Costs are fetched from AWS Cost Explorer hourly
  • Direct Pass-through: You pay the actual AWS costs with no markup

Cost Factors​

  • Backup Size: Larger backups cost more to store
  • Retention Period: Longer retention means higher storage costs
  • Backup Frequency: More frequent backups increase transfer costs
  • Data Type: Some data compresses better, reducing storage costs

Cost Optimization Tips​

  • Only backup essential directories, not entire volumes
  • Use appropriate retention periods for different types of data
  • Consider backup frequency based on how often your data changes
  • Regularly review and clean up old backups if retention periods are too long

Frequently Asked Questions​

General Questions​

Q: Can I backup my entire volume? A: Yes, but consider the cost implications. It's more efficient to backup only critical directories rather than entire volumes.

Q: What happens if my backup fails? A: Failed backups are logged in your backup history. The system will retry on the next scheduled run. Check the backup logs for specific error details.

Q: Can I manually trigger a backup? A: Currently, backups run on the configured schedule. Manual triggering may be added in future updates.

Billing Questions​

Q: Why am I being charged when my pod is stopped? A: Backup storage costs continue even when pods are stopped because your backups remain available in cloud storage for the full retention period.

Q: Are there any hidden fees? A: No. You pay only the direct AWS costs for storage and data transfer with no additional markup.

Technical Questions​

Q: What compression is used for backups? A: Backups use standard ZIP compression, which provides a good balance of compression ratio and compatibility.

Q: Can I restore backups to a different pod? A: Yes, backup restoration is not tied to specific pods. You can restore backups to any pod with sufficient storage space. But it's in still progress.

Troubleshooting​

Q: My backup path isn't being found. What's wrong? A: Ensure your backup path is a subdirectory of your mounted volume (typically under /mnt/) and that the directory exists.

Q: Backups are taking a very long time. Is this normal? A: Large backups or slow network connections can cause delays. Consider backing up smaller, more focused directories for faster completion.

Q: I accidentally deleted important files. How do I restore from backup? A: Go to your pod's "Backups" tab, find the relevant backup, and use the restore function to recover your files.

Support​

If you encounter issues with the backup feature or have questions not covered in this documentation, please contact Lium support through the dashboard or reach out to our technical support team.