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Scenario #340
Storage
Kubernetes v1.23, Velero

Backup Restore Process Created Orphaned PVCs

A namespace restore from backup recreated PVCs that had no matching PVs, blocking further deployment.

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What Happened

Velero restored PVCs without matching spec.volumeName. Since PVs weren’t backed up, they remained Pending.

Diagnosis Steps
  • 1PVC status showed Pending, with no bound PV.
  • 2Described PVC: no volumeName, no SC.
  • 3Velero logs: skipped PV restore due to config.
Root Cause

Restore policy did not include PVs.

Fix/Workaround
• Recreated PVCs manually with correct storage class.
• Re-enabled PV backup in Velero settings.
Lessons Learned

Partial restores break PVC-PV binding logic.

How to Avoid
  • 1Always back up PVs with PVCs in stateful applications.
  • 2Validate restore completeness before deployment.
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