allas-backup.md

---

layout: default
title: File backup with Allas
parent: 7. Allas
grand_parent: Part 1
nav_order: 2
has_children: false
has_toc: false
permalink: /hands-on/allas/tutorial_allas-file-backup.html

---

Backing up files to Allas from Puhti

Preparations (if not done already)

1. Login to puhti.csc.fi (open a login node shell if using the web interface)

2. In Puhti, check your environment with the command:

   csc-workspaces
   

3. Switch to the /scratch directory of your project

   cd /scratch/<project>    # replace <project> with your CSC project, e.g. project_2001234
   

4. Create your own subdirectory named as your username (tip! your username is automatically stored in the environment variable $USER):

   mkdir -p $USER
   cd $USER
   

Connecting to Allas

1. Open a connection to Allas wih these commands:

   module load allas
   allas-conf 
   

   💡 It might take a while to run module load allas.

2. If you have several projects with the Allas service available, select the one where you want to perform the backup.

3. Check how the allas-backup tool works with the command:

   allas-backup -h
   

4. Create a backup snapshot with the command:

   allas-backup <filename>    # replace <filename> with the name of the file that you want to backup
   

5. Check what snapshots the backup contains:

   allas-backup list
   allas-backup list | grep $USER
   

   • Make note of the snapshot ID in the first column!

6. Check what files your backup contains:

   allas-backup files <snapshot_id>      # replace the <snapshot_id>
   

7. Restore the files from your backup to Puhti:

   allas-backup restore <snapshot_id>      # replace the <snapshot_id>
   

8. If you want to delete your backup, use command:

   allas-backup delete <snapshot_id>      # replace the <snapshot_id>