How Do You Protect a GPU-Backed Workload When Snapshots and Mobility Have Limits?

This article examines the challenges of protecting GPU-backed workloads (vGPU, MIG, PCI passthrough, RDMA, bare-metal) in virtualized and Kubernetes environments. It argues that traditional snapshot-based backup is insufficient because GPU configurations impose strict compatibility requirements for recovery. The recommended approach is to preserve model artifacts, datasets, checkpoints, and configuration outside the compute instance; treat the VM or pod as replaceable; use application-level checkpointing; and maintain a tested recovery-site compatibility matrix covering GPU model, drivers, firmware, and licensing. It emphasizes measuring actual recovery time rather than relying on backup job success.