Move an Azure Batch account to another region

Article
02/28/2023

There are scenarios where you might want to move an existing Azure Batch account from one region to another. For example, you might want to move for disaster recovery planning. This article explains how to move a Batch account between regions using the Azure portal.

Moving Batch accounts directly from one region to another isn't possible. You can use an Azure Resource Manager template (ARM template) to export the existing configuration of your Batch account instead. Then, stage the resource in another region. First, export the Batch account to a template. Next, modify the parameters to match the destination region. Deploy the modified template to the new region. Last, recreate jobs and other features in the account.

For more information on Resource Manager and templates, see Quickstart: Create and deploy Azure Resource Manager templates by using the Azure portal.

Prerequisites

Make sure that the services and features that your Batch account uses are supported in the new target region.
It's recommended to move any Azure resources associated with your Batch account to the new target region. For example, follow the steps in Move an Azure Storage account to another region to move an associated autostorage account. If you prefer, you can leave resources in the original region, however, performance is typically better when your Batch account is in the same region as your other Azure resources used by your workload. This article assumes you've already migrated your storage account or any other regional Azure resources to be aligned with your Batch account.

Prepare the template

To get started, you need to export and then modify an ARM template.

Export a template

Export an ARM template that contains settings and information for your Batch account.

Sign in to the Azure portal.
Select All resources and then select your Batch account.
Select > Automation > Export template.
Choose Download in the Export template pane.
Locate the .zip file that you downloaded from the portal. Unzip that file into a folder of your choice.

This zip file contains the .json files that make up the template. The file also includes scripts to deploy the template.

Modify the template

Load and modify the template so you can create a new Batch account in the target region.

In the Azure portal, select Create a resource.
In Search the Marketplace, type template deployment, and then press ENTER.
Select Template deployment (deploy using custom templates).
Select Create.
Select Build your own template in the editor.
Select Load file, and then select the template.json file that you downloaded in the last section.

In the uploaded template.json file, name the target Batch account by entering a new defaultValue for the Batch account name. This example sets the defaultValue of the Batch account name to mytargetaccount and replaces the string in defaultValue with the resource ID for mytargetstorageaccount.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "batchAccounts_mysourceaccount_name": {
            "defaultValue": "mytargetaccount",
            "type": "String"
        }
    },

Next, update the defaultValue of the storage account with your migrated storage account's resource ID. To get this value, navigate to the storage account in the Azure portal, select JSON View near the top fo the screen, and then copy the value shown under Resource ID. This example uses the resource ID for a storage account named mytargetstorageaccount in the resource group mytargetresourcegroup.
```
        "storageAccounts_mysourcestorageaccount_externalid": {
         "defaultValue": "/subscriptions/{subscriptionID}/resourceGroups/mytargetresourcegroup/providers/Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/mytargetstorageaccount",
         "type": "String"
     }
 },
```

Finally, edit the location property to use your target region. This example sets the target region to centralus.

    {
        "resources": [
            {
                "type": "Microsoft.Batch/batchAccounts",
                "apiVersion": "2021-01-01",
                "name": "[parameters('batchAccounts_mysourceaccount_name')]",
                "location": "centralus",

To obtain region location codes, see Azure Locations. The code for a region is the region name with no spaces. For example, Central US = centralus.

Move the account

Deploy the template to create a new Batch account in the target region.

Now that you've made your modifications, select Save below the template.json file.
Enter or select the property values:
- Subscription: Select an Azure subscription.
- Resource group: Select the resource group that you created when moving the associated storage account.
- Region: Select the Azure region where you want to move the account.
Select Review and create, then select Create.

Configure the new Batch account

Some features don't export to a template, so you have to recreate them in the new Batch account. These features include:

Jobs (and tasks)
Job schedules
Certificates
Application packages

Be sure to configure features in the new account as needed. You can look at how you've configured these features in your source Batch account for reference.

Important

New Batch accounts are entirely separate from any prior existing Batch accounts, even within the same region. These newly created Batch accounts will have default service and core quotas associated with them. For User Subscription pool allocation mode Batch accounts, core quotas from the subscription will apply. You will need to ensure that these new Batch accounts have sufficient quota before migrating your workload.

Discard or clean up

Confirm that your new Batch account is successfully working in the new region. Also make sure to restore the necessary features. Then, you can delete the source Batch account.

In the Azure portal, expand the menu on the left side to open the menu of services, and choose Batch accounts.
Locate the Batch account to delete, and right-click the More button (...) on the right side of the listing. Be sure that you're selecting the original source Batch account, not the new one you created.
Select Delete, then confirm.

Next steps

Learn more about moving resources to a new resource group or subscription.