Does a Chef Automate HA cluster backup created using chef-automate backup create include all relevant configuration files across the stack (Chef Automate, Chef Infra Server, PostgreSQL, OpenSearch)? If yes, where are these configuration files stored within the backup directory?

Inclusion of Configuration Files

Yes, the chef-automate backup create command captures configuration and data across the full Chef Automate HA stack.

• Chef Automate
  Included. Configuration and service-level data are stored within the backup.
• Chef Infra Server
  Included as part of the unified backup.
• PostgreSQL
  Included. Full database backups (logical dumps) are taken for all relevant services.
• OpenSearch
  Included. Snapshots of indices containing reporting, compliance, and event data are captured.

Directory Structure and File Paths

By default, backups are stored in:
/var/opt/chef-automate/backups

Within this directory, each backup is created under a timestamp-based folder, structured as follows:

/<backup-location>/
├── automate/
│   └── <timestamp-1>/ --- 1st Backup 
│       └── <service-level data (includes PostgreSQL data)> 
│   └── <timestamp-2>/ -- 2nd backup
│       └── <service-level data (includes PostgreSQL data)>
└── opensearch/ 
    └── elasticsearch/ --- The 1st backup will be a full backup and the rest all are incremental 
        └── <base snapshot repository + incremental snapshots>

Key Components

• Configuration and Service Data (Chef Automate)
  Stored under the automate/ directory in timestamp-based subfolders.
  In Chef Automate, all service data—including configuration—is backed up here.

• PostgreSQL Data
  Managed internally by PostgreSQL at the service level.

  Behavior:

  • Each timestamp folder under automate/ contains a complete copy of every service’s PostgreSQL database
  • This includes configuration data
  • There is no separate pg_dump or standalone PostgreSQL directory

• OpenSearch Data
  Stored under:
  opensearch/elasticsearch/

  Backups for OpenSearch behave as follows:

  • The elasticsearch/ directory is created during the first backup
  • It acts as the central snapshot repository
  • All subsequent backups are incremental snapshots stored within this same directory
  • OpenSearch data is not duplicated per timestamp
• Chef Infra Server Data
  Included within the automate/ directory as part of the unified service-level backup.

Important Notes

• Root backup location always contains exactly two top-level directories:
  • automate/ → Full service + PostgreSQL-backed data (per timestamp)
  • opensearch/ → Shared snapshot repository
• Backup model distinction:
  • PostgreSQL → full copy per timestamp (inside automate/)
  • OpenSearch → incremental snapshots (inside opensearch/elasticsearch/)

This structure ensures that a single backup artifact can be used to fully restore a Chef Automate HA environment, including all configuration and operational data.