Azure Backup for azure sql vm

Question

Hello I have a Azure sql vm. In azure backup I see azure VM b/up and sql on azure vm b/up. If I use azure vm b/up will it also b/up the DB in it?

Answer 1

Hello @Girish ,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A platform. Happy to answer your question.

I understand you have configured both SQL and VM backup for azure VM. Azure VM backup will backup complete VM, incase of restore, you have the below options

1. Complete VM restore
2. File/folder Level restore.
3. Restore Disks

VM Recovery options:

Note : From an Azure VM backup you cannot restore the SQL DB alone.

Recommendation: It is a good practice to configure a seperate SQL workload backup which SQL DB backup. This gives you the ability to restore the specific SQL DBs quickly in case of any issues. It additionally provides the following advantages specifically for SQL Server:

1. Workload aware backups that support all backup types - full, differential, and log
2. 15 minute RPO (recovery point objective) with frequent log backups
3. Point-in-time recovery up to a second
4. Individual database level backup and restore

SQL restore options:

References: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/about-azure-vm-restore

Hope this helps!

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Answer 2

Hi @Girish

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A platform. Happy to answer your question.

Direct answer to your question is yes, when you enable Azure VM Backups, it also takes backup of SQL running inside a Azure VM as all VM Backups are application aware on Windows.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-vms-introduction#snapshot-creation

Windows VMs: For Windows VMs, the Backup service coordinates with VSS to take an app-consistent snapshot of the VM disks. By default, Azure Backup takes a full VSS backup (it truncates the logs of application such as SQL Server at the time of backup to get application level consistent backup). If you're using a SQL Server database on Azure VM backup, then you can modify the setting to take a VSS Copy backup (to preserve logs). For more information, see this article.

However taking SQL Backup for your SQL DBs is recommended as it enable you to do granular restore at DB level, Azure VM backup can only help you bring back a machine with a SQL instance running inside it however if the need comes to restore DB for a production machine, having SQL backups is a must to achieve your RPO and RTO.

Hope this helps.

--please don't forget to upvote and accept as answer if the reply is helpful--