Backup Azure DevOps Git Repositories

Here we will see how to backup the repository using the YAML file. This includes the following steps

1. Create an Azure DevOps Personal Access Token (PAT)
2. Create a YAML file
3. Create Subscription Connection

Create an Azure DevOps Personal Access Token (PAT)

Step 1: Sign in to your Azure DevOps Portal

Step 2: Go to Personal Access Token

Step 3: Create a Token by clicking on “New Token“

1. Give it a name
2. Select the “Read” checkbox to fetch the repository
3. Click on Create

Note: Copy and Save the token as you will not be able to see it again

Create a YAML Pipeline

Step 1: Go to Pipelines

Step 2: Choose Azure Repos Git

Step 3: Select your repository

Step 4: Configure it as a starter Pipeline

Below is the default code you will see.

trigger:
  branches:
    include:
      - '*'
stages:
  - stage: _default
    jobs:
      - job: Job
        pool: 
          vmImage: windows-latest
        steps:
          - task: CmdLine@2
            inputs:
              script: git clone --mirror https://----PAT-TOKEN---@dev.azure.com/{organization}/{project}/_git/{repo}
          - task: ArchiveFiles@2
            inputs:
              rootFolderOrFile: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)
              includeRootFolder: true
              archiveType: zip
              archiveFile : $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/Backup.zip
              replaceExistingArchive: true
          - task: AzureFileCopy@3
            displayName: AzureBlob File Copy
            inputs:
              SourcePath: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/Backup.zip
              azureSubscription: '{subscription-connection}'
              Destination: 'AzureBlob'
              storage: '{storage-name}'
              ContainerName : '{container-name}'
              BlobPrefix : '{blob-name}'
              

Trigger: The wildcard (*) will monitor all the branches, the pipeline will be triggered whenever you have any changes in your repository

CmdLine: The command calls “git clone –mirror ” to make a copy of your repository. PAT needed to be used while fetching a repository

Archive Files: It will take the git repository which was cloned in the previous step and then zipped to “Backup.zip”

File Copy: It will take the archive copy and send it to Azure Blob Storage

Creating a Subscription Connection

Step 1: Go to Project Settings

Step 2: Go to Service connections

Step 3: Click on New service connection

Step 4: Choose Azure Resource Manager

Step 5: Select Authentication Method as Service Principal (automatic)

Note: Make sure to use the same credentials to login to DevOps as in Azure Portal

Step 6: Subscription will be chosen automatically.

1. Give it a name
2. Select a resource group where you have your storage account
3. Then save

Step 7: Use the connection name in YAML. Save and Run

It will create a Job

See the status of the Job

After Job gets completed, you will see a zip file in your blob