Revolutionizing Data Backup in Kubernetes: Unlocking the Power of Change Block Tracking With CSI
11-05, 10:05–10:35 (US/Central), ROOM 1

Do you deploy stateful applications with block volumes in Kubernetes? Do you have difficulty defining a backup strategy for these applications? Join Carl and Pavan as they unveil KEP-3314, a game-changing proposal to introduce Change Block Tracking (CBT) to the CSI specification in Kubernetes. Learn how CBT can enable efficient and reliable differential backups of CSI block volumes and how this can benefit your stateful applications. Discover the evolution of KEP-3314 and the collaborative efforts of the Data Protection Working Group. Get a sneak peek into its design for the alpha release with a live prototype demonstration. Don't miss this engaging session to revolutionize your backup strategies and unleash the true power of CBT in Kubernetes!


As the adoption of Kubernetes to run stateful workloads grows, so does the need for robust data protection solutions. The introduction of Volume Snapshots to CSI addressed some challenges, but data backup and disaster recovery operations remain complex, especially for specialized applications using block volumes. This results in inefficient and resource-consuming backup processes that often require backing up the entire volume, even if only a small portion has changed.

KEP-3314 seeks to address this critical issue by introducing Change Block Tracking (CBT) as a standard API within CSI. With CBT, the identification and tracking of changes between snapshots become seamless, enabling efficient and reliable differential backups for data stored in CSI volumes.

The speakers will delve into the secure and idiomatic design of the CBT API, along with proposed changes to the CSI specification. They will share insights from their involvement with the Data Protection Working Group, the collaborative efforts to refine the design, and feedback gathered over the past year. The session will feature a live prototype implementation, showcasing the power and potential of the CBT API.

Attendees will gain a deep understanding of the CBT approach, the challenges it addresses, and how the proposed KEP-3314 revolutionizes backup and disaster recovery in Kubernetes.
Kubernetes Administrators can optimize backup workflows, reducing backup time, storage costs, and network bandwidth consumption. Storage vendors can enhance their CSI drivers by leveraging the standardized CBT API, ensuring compatibility and extensibility. Backup providers gain a competitive edge with more efficient and reliable solutions, seamlessly integrated with Kubernetes.

Pavan joined Kasten by Veeam in March 2018, where he leads the open-source efforts and manages a team of cloud-native engineers developing creative solutions for data protection in Kubernetes. He has previously worked in data protection and networking at NetApp and Aryaka. Pavan is a maintainer of Kanister, an open-source framework for application-level data management on Kubernetes. He holds a Master's degree in Computer Science from the University of Florida.

Carl is a software architect and developer with extensive industry experience in the storage field, ranging from device drivers and kernel modules to distributed management subsystems and backup products.

Carl currently works for Kasten by Veeam, the leading Kubernetes backup product, primarily with the management of block data in cloud storage. He is an active participant in the Kubernetes Data Protection Working Group, and a contributor to the Changed Block Tracking KEP design.