Back up & restore database
This section outlines how to perform database backups for your beacon node and validator client. The validator client services expose an HTTP backup endpoint which is the safest way to trigger a database backup.
If you perform backups by manually copying the database while the client is running, you risk copying a corrupted database! You might be copying the folder right when the client is in the middle of writing data to the database, and could end up with a bad backup.
Beacon node
Backing up the database manually
Your first need to find your base directory. If you don't usually run your beacon node with the --datadir
option, then you can find the base directory by running your beacon node with
the --help
option. It will vary depending the operating system you use.
For MacOS, it is:
--datadir value Data directory for the databases. (default: "/Users/<user>/Library/Eth2")
If you usually run your beacon node with the --datadir
option, then your base directory is the one specified by the --datadir
option.
Finally, your database is located in the beaconchaindata
subdirectory, at the beaconchain.db
file.
Restoring from a backup
Ensure your beacon node is turned off if restoring a backup. You can restore a beacon chain DB from a backup file with the following command:
- Linux
- Windows
- MacOS
- Arm64
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.sh beacon-chain db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using Bazel
bazel run //cmd/beacon-chain -- db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.bat beacon-chain db restore --restore-source-file=\path\to\backup --restore-target-dir=\path\to\desired\datadir
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.sh beacon-chain db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using Bazel
bazel run //cmd/beacon-chain -- db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.sh beacon-chain db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using Bazel
bazel run //cmd/beacon-chain -- db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Validator client
Add the backup webhook flags to your validator client
Add the following flags to your validator client:
--enable-db-backup-webhook
: Serve an http server to initiate database backups. The handler is served on the validator client's monitoring host and port. Default endpoint ishttp://127.0.0.1:8081/db/backup
if the flag is enabled.--db-backup-output-dir
: Folder path to where backups will be output to, such as/path/to/mybackups
.
Now, your validator client will expose an HTTP endpoint http://monitoringhost:monitoringport/db/backup
, which is http://127.0.0.1:8081/db/backup
by default. You can hit this endpoint using curl or any other tool you prefer, and a backup will initiate which will be output to your --db-backup-output-dir
path.
Restoring from a backup
Ensure your validator client is turned off if restoring a backup. You can restore a validator DB from a backup file with the following command:
- Linux
- Windows
- MacOS
- Arm64
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.sh validator db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using Bazel
bazel run //cmd/validator -- db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.bat validator db restore --restore-source-file=\path\to\backup --restore-target-dir=\path\to\desired\datadir
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.sh validator db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using Bazel
bazel run //cmd/validator -- db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using the Prysm installation script
prysm.sh validator db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir
Using Bazel
bazel run //cmd/validator -- db restore --restore-source-file=/path/to/backup --restore-target-dir=/path/to/desired/datadir