Vault RAFT / Integrated Storage snapshot errors with other storage types – HashiCorp Help Center

Introduction

Problem

Errors are encountered when attempting to perform a save or a restore of a Vault snapshot onto different storage types that are not Raft (aka Integrated Storage). For example a Consul storage type may be in use as per what's configured in Vaults (HCL) configuration file within the storage stanza; then restorting to the CLI snapshots operators like those below shall result in errors similar to:

save

vault operator raft snapshot save raft_filename.snap
Error taking the snapshot: Error making API request.
URL: GET http://<VAULT_ADDR:8200>/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot
Code: 404. Errors:
* 1 error occurred:
        * unsupported path

restore (force)

vault operator raft snapshot restore -force raft_filename.snap
Error installing the snapshot: Error making API request.
URL: POST http://<VAULT_ADDR:8200>/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-force
Code: 404. Errors:
* 1 error occurred:
        * unsupported path

restore

vault operator raft snapshot restore -force raft_filename.snap
Error installing the snapshot: Error making API request.
URL: POST http://<VAULT_ADDR:8200>/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot
Code: 404. Errors:
* 1 error occurred:
        * unsupported path

Prerequisites

Vault all versions with storage backend different than RAFT integrated storage.

Cause

If the storage backend is not a RAFT integrated storage type, then a save or restore of a RAFT snapshot is not available. For example the storage stanza may contain:
- ```
storage "file" {
   path = "<filesystem_mount>/vault/data"
}
```

Trying to save a RAFT snapshot with a "file" storage will yield a HTTP-404 response:

vault operator raft snapshot save raft.snap
Error taking the snapshot: Error making API request.
URL: GET http://<VAULT_ADDR:8200>/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot
Code: 404. Errors:
* 1 error occurred:
        * unsupported path

Solutions:

Review the Vault configuration and ensure that the RAFT integrated storage stanza is matching the storage backend of the Vault cluster.
After revalidating the configuration of running a Vault with RAFT storage backend and having a TOKEN with ROOT permissions retry the save or restore snapshot operation.

Outcome

As part of Vault Standard Operating Procedure, save or restore a Vault snapshot should be successful.

Additional Information

Vault Standard Operating Procedures
Vault Storage Stanza
Vault RAFT integrated storage configuration
Vault Integrated storage backend