Setting up GitLab with Docker: Daily Backup, Restore, Migration, and Upgrade

In this article, I will guide you through the steps of setting up GitLab with Docker, performing daily backups, restoring from backups, migrating to a new server, and upgrading to a newer version.

Docker Setup for GitLab

1. Edit the docker-compose.yml file with the necessary configurations:

version: '3.4'

x-logging: &logging
  driver: "json-file"
  options:
    max-size: "10m"
    max-file: "1"

services: 
  gitlab:
    image: gitlab/gitlab-ce:14.0.1-ce.0
    container_name: gitlab
    restart: always
    hostname: git.yoursite.com
    environment: 
      TZ: Asia/Shanghai
      GITLAB_OMNIBUS_CONFIG: |
        external_url "https://git.yoursite.com"
        gitlab_rails['gitlab_shell_ssh_port'] = 23022
        gitlab_rails['backup_keep_time'] = 2592000
        nginx['client_max_body_size'] = 0
        nginx['enable'] = true
        nginx['listen_port'] = 80
        nginx['listen_https'] = false
    ports: 
      - '80:80'
      - '23022:22'
    volumes:
      - '/data/gitlab/config:/etc/gitlab'
      - '/data/gitlab/logs:/var/log/gitlab'
      - '/data/gitlab/data:/var/opt/gitlab'
      - '/data/gitlab/backups:/var/opt/gitlab/backups'
      - '/data/gitlab/cron.d:/etc/cron.d'
    logging: *logging

1. Run docker-compose up -d to start the GitLab service.

2. Set the initial administrator password:
   Enter the GitLab container and execute the command: gitlab-rake "gitlab:password:reset"

After a few seconds, follow the prompts to input the username (root) and the initial password.

The important paths to note are:

Creating a Backup

To create a backup, execute the following command:

gitlab-rake gitlab:backup:create

This will create a backup file in the directory specified in the gitlab_rails['backup_path'] configuration in gitlab.rb.

Restoring from Backup

To restore from a backup, follow these steps:

1. Copy the .tar backup file to the backup_path directory on the new server.
2. Refer to the official documentation: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/raketasks/restore_gitlab.html

docker exec gitlab update-permissions
docker restart gitlab
docker exec gitlab gitlab-ctl stop puma
docker exec gitlab gitlab-ctl stop sidekiq
chmod +r 1674844794_2023_01_28_13.12.15_gitlab_backup.tar
docker exec -it gitlab /bin/bash
gitlab-backup restore BACKUP=1674844794_2023_01_28_13.12.15

Note: If you encounter the ERROR: must be the owner of the extension error during the restore process, you can ignore it. Refer to: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/raketasks/backup_restore.html#restoring-database-backup-using-omnibus-packages-outputs-warnings

Restoring Secret Data

Restoring secret data is essential to avoid 500 errors on the admin's runner interface. Follow these steps:

1. Copy /etc/gitlab/gitlab-secrets.json to the configuration directory on the new server.
2. Inside the Docker container, run:

sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure
sudo gitlab-ctl restart
sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:check SANITIZE=true
sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:doctor:secrets

The admin's runner interface should now work without errors, but all runners may appear offline. To resolve this, restart each runner server using gitlab-runner restart.

Refer to the official documentation: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/raketasks/restore_gitlab.html

Note: When migrating to a new server, you may not need to copy the original server's gitlab.rb configuration, as the settings, such as various paths, might differ between the two servers.

Upgrading GitLab

To upgrade GitLab, follow these steps:

1. Modify the Docker Compose file by updating the image version.
2. Execute docker-compose down; docker-compose up -d to automatically upgrade GitLab.
3. During the initial upgrade startup, monitor the progress using docker logs -f gitlab.

Keep in mind that the upgrade should not span a significant version gap. Refer to the official Upgrade Paths: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/update/index.html#upgrade-paths

Daily Backup

Edit the /etc/crontab file and add the following rule to create daily backups:

0 2     * * 6   root    docker exec gitlab gitlab-rake gitlab:backup:create

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage GitLab with Docker, ensuring data backup, seamless restore, smooth migration, and timely upgrades.