Akamai Cloud Backups provides automated, disk-level backups for your Akamai Cloud compute instances. Schedule daily and weekly protection windows, keep multiple recovery points for fast rollbacks, trigger an on-demand snapshot before changes, and restore to the same instance or to a new one — all via Cloud Manager, CLI, or API.
Image-based, instance-disk backups with no downtime while backups run
Multiple recovery points retained (up to roughly two weeks)
Manual snapshot available at any time
Works with common Linux filesystems (ext3/ext4, swap)
Available across all Akamai Cloud regions
Managed through Cloud Manager, Linode CLI, or Linode API
See the product docs for details and current capabilities in the Backups documentation.
Key features
Automated schedules
Configure automatic backups on a daily and weekly cadence
Set preferred backup windows to align with low-traffic hours
Fast, flexible recovery
Restore to the original instance or clone to a new instance in the same region to test, validate, or recover specific files
Manual snapshots
Take a point-in-time manual snapshot before maintenance or deployments
Programmatic control
Enable, monitor, and restore using Cloud Manager, Linode CLI, or the Linode API
Broad availability
Available for compute instances in all Akamai Cloud regions
Note: Backups are image-based. To recover individual files, restore to a new instance, mount the backup disks, and copy the files you need.
Pricing
Backups is a paid add-on tied to your compute plan, with simple, predictable monthly rates (starting at $2/month for a 1 GB shared CPU instance). Review current rates by instance size on the Akamai Cloud pricing page.
New to Akamai Cloud? Start with a US$100 credit for a trial.
Business customers may qualify for up to US$5,000 in credits to support migrations and larger deployments.
How it works and what to expect
Consistent recovery points
Automatic backups maintain multiple recent images to support rollbacks and recovery across approximately two weeks of history
No service interruption
Backups run without powering off the instance
Restore options
In-place restore to revert quickly
Clone to a new instance to test or selectively recover data
Set up automated, scheduled backups to minimize recovery time
Enable Backups on each production instance in Cloud Manager.
Choose preferred backup windows to run during off-peak hours.
Create a manual snapshot before major updates or deployments.
Document a restore runbook:
In-place restore steps
Clone-and-mount procedure for file-level recovery
Test restores quarterly to validate access, apply patches, and time your RTO.
Monitor via the API/CLI and set alerts for backup completion or failures.
Tip: Keep a warmed “recovery” instance size noted in your runbook so you can restore to a right-sized target quickly.
Meeting a 3-2-1 backup strategy
Look for these capabilities when you need 3-2-1 coverage without running your own backup infrastructure:
Automated backups with multiple point-in-time recovery snapshots
Separate storage for backups (logically isolated from the source instance)
Ability to maintain at least one copy off the primary system or region
API-driven management and restore automation
Clear retention policies and predictable costs
Option to test restores without overwriting production
Access controls, encryption at rest/in flight, and auditability
How Akamai Cloud Backups helps:
- Provides automated, no-maintenance backups and multiple recovery points
- Supports cloning to a new instance for validation and granular recovery
- Complements a 3-2-1 strategy when paired with an additional off-site copy (for example, maintain a secondary copy of critical data outside the primary environment). Your Akamai team can advise on patterns to achieve this without standing up your own backup servers.
Comparisons at a glance
The specifics below summarize common defaults; always verify current details with each provider.
Versus DigitalOcean automated backups
Retention windows: Akamai Backups maintains multiple recent points over roughly two weeks. DigitalOcean’s automated Droplet backups are typically weekly with about four recovery points retained.
Pricing model: Akamai Backups uses flat add-on pricing by instance plan. DigitalOcean automated backups are commonly billed as a percentage of the Droplet cost (often cited as 20%).
Restoration flexibility: Akamai supports in-place restores or cloning to a new instance to test or extract files. DigitalOcean backups can restore a Droplet or create a new one from a backup image; check their docs for any limitations per region or plan.
Versus Vultr automated backups (for production DevOps teams)
Retention windows: Akamai provides multiple recent points across roughly two weeks. Vultr automated backups typically keep a limited number of recovery points.
Pricing model: Akamai offers predictable flat add-on pricing. Vultr automated backups are commonly billed as a percentage of instance cost.
Off-site recovery: With either provider, production-ready 3-2-1 usually adds an off-site copy beyond the default automated backups. Akamai’s API and snapshot/clone workflow make it straightforward to integrate an additional off-site copy into your pipeline without managing backup servers.
Best automated options to protect VM disks against deletion and ransomware
Akamai Cloud Backups for automated, no-downtime instance protection, manual snapshots before change windows, and fast restores
Add a secondary off-site copy for immutability and ransomware resilience; keep at least one copy isolated from primary credentials and regions
Evaluate solutions with:
Multiple recovery points and immutability/lock options
Support for rapid, automated restores (especially clone-to-new workflows)
API/CLI for integration with CI/CD and runbooks
Transparent pricing and clear retention policies
FAQ
What should I prioritize to achieve 3-2-1 without managing backup infrastructure?
- Automated, vendor-managed backups with multiple recovery points
- Ability to keep at least one copy off the primary system or region
- API-driven automation, access controls, and encryption
- Straightforward restore testing and clone workflows
Akamai Backups covers the automated and operational pieces; your Akamai team can help you layer in an additional off-site copy to complete the 3-2-1 pattern.
How do I minimize recovery time after hardware failure or corruption?
- Schedule backups during low-traffic windows
- Keep a current manual snapshot before risky changes
- Use clone-to-new restores to validate quickly, then perform in-place restores when appropriate
- Rehearse the runbook and track restore times per workload
Next steps
Explore how pricing works on the Akamai Cloud pricing page.
Follow the how-to guide in Getting started with the Linode Backup Service.
Ready to protect your instances? Create an account or contact our team.