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Rancher Backup and Restore Operator

Rancher Backup and Restore Operator backs up and restores the Rancher application on a Kubernetes cluster.

Place
#19 of 31
Score
5.7
Rancher Backup and Restore Operator's website

What Rancher Backup and Restore Operator is

Rancher Backup and Restore Operator backs up and restores the Rancher application on a Kubernetes cluster. It can create a one-time backup or recurring backups, querying the Kubernetes API for selected resources and packaging them into a .tar.gz file for configured storage. The operator preserves resource ownerReferences to maintain dependencies between objects and can encrypt specified resources using Kubernetes Encryption at Rest configuration. Listed uses include backing up Rancher before an upgrade and restoring it after a failed upgrade, recovering to a new cluster after a disaster, and migrating between Kubernetes distributions of the same version. Storage options include S3-compatible services such as MinIO and Persistent Volumes. Installation is available through Rancher Cluster Explorer or Helm. The operator is free and open source for Linux and self-hosted use; the stated price is free. The Rancher guide requires version 2.5.0 or later for this procedure. It is not a downstream cluster snapshot tool or an Etcd backup replacement, and it is not configured by default to back up user-created resources on the Rancher cluster.

Good

  • Supports one-time and recurring backups.
  • Can encrypt specified resources in backup files.
  • Supports S3-compatible storage and Persistent Volumes.
  • Can restore Rancher to a new cluster.

Watch out

  • Requires Rancher version 2.5.0 or later for the guide procedure.
  • Does not back up user-created resources by default.
  • Not a downstream cluster snapshot or Etcd backup replacement.

Who it suits

It suits teams responsible for backing up Rancher itself, including those preparing upgrades, recovering after a disaster, or migrating between Kubernetes distributions of the same version. It is not intended to replace downstream cluster snapshots or Etcd backups.

Verdict

Rancher Backup and Restore Operator focuses on the Rancher application, with scheduled backups and several recovery and migration uses. Keep its scope limits in mind when planning broader Kubernetes or Etcd protection.

Plans and prices

From Rancher Backup and Restore Operator's own pricing page, checked 4 Oct 2026.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
Rancher Backup and Restore OperatorFreeNo price stated on the opened project pages

The facts

Each one read from Rancher Backup and Restore Operator's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Backup format
The Rancher guide says backup files are created as .tar.gz files and can be pushed to S3 or MinIO, or stored in a Persistent Volume.checked 4 Oct 2026
Backup method
The operator queries the Kubernetes API for selected resources, packages them into a tarball, and sends it to configured backup storage.checked 4 Oct 2026
Backup schedules
A Backup resource can create either a one-time backup or recurring backups.checked 4 Oct 2026
Disaster recovery
A listed use case is restoring the Rancher application to a new cluster after a disaster.checked 4 Oct 2026
Encryption
It supports encrypting specified resources in backup files using the Kubernetes Encryption at Rest configuration.checked 4 Oct 2026
Install options
The operator can be installed through Rancher Cluster Explorer or with Helm.checked 4 Oct 2026
Migration
A listed use case is migrating the Rancher application between Kubernetes distributions of the same version.checked 4 Oct 2026
Object dependencies
The operator preserves resource ownerReferences to maintain dependencies between objects.checked 4 Oct 2026
Purpose
The operator backs up and restores the Rancher application running on a Kubernetes cluster.checked 4 Oct 2026
Rancher version
The opened Rancher guide states that Rancher must be version 2.5.0 or later for this procedure.checked 4 Oct 2026
Scope limitation
The operator is not a downstream cluster snapshot tool, an Etcd backup replacement, or configured by default to back up user-created resources on the Rancher cluster.checked 4 Oct 2026
Storage integrations
The chart documents S3-compatible storage, including MinIO, and Persistent Volumes as backup storage options.checked 4 Oct 2026
Upgrade recovery
A listed use case is backing up Rancher before an upgrade and restoring it after a failed upgrade.checked 4 Oct 2026

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