Migration Approaches

There are several methods to achieve cluster migration, each with different characteristics:

Full Cluster Snapshot: Taking a complete snapshot of the entire VM, including the operating system, K3s installation, and all data. This is the fastest method but requires compatible infrastructure and significant storage space.

Application-Level Backup: Backing up only the application data (PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, Consul) and reinstalling the platform on the target cluster. This approach offers more flexibility and smaller backup sizes.

Kubernetes-Native Tools: Using tools like Velero or similar backup solutions that understand Kubernetes resources and can migrate entire namespaces, persistent volumes, and configurations.

Hybrid Approach: Combining multiple methods, such as backing up application data separately while using Kubernetes tools for configuration and resource definitions.

This section focuses on the application-level backup approach, which provides the best balance of flexibility, reliability, and compatibility across different infrastructure environments.