Do we need to take the backup of VMSS

Question

Do we need to take the backup of VMSS.

what is the ideal scenario and use case

Answer 1

Hi Stalin Rayala (External),

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A Platform! Thank you for asking your question here.

VMSS is designed to provide high availability and scalability and typically, the VMs within a scale set are intended to be stateless. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. Stateless Applications: For applications running on VMSS that are designed to be stateless (i.e., they don’t store data locally), traditional VM backups are usually not necessary. Instead, you should focus on:

• Configuration Management: Use Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates to manage and version your VMSS configuration. This allows you to redeploy your VMSS quickly if needed.
• Application Data: Ensure that any critical data is stored in persistent storage solutions like Azure SQL Database, Azure Blob Storage, or other managed services. Back up this data regularly rather than backing up the VM instances.

1. Stateful Applications: If your applications are stateful or require local storage, consider the following:

• Custom Images: Create custom images of your VMSS instances to facilitate rapid redeployment with the same configuration and software.
• Persistent Disks: Use Azure Managed Disks and back up any data stored on these disks using Azure Backup.

1. Disaster Recovery: Implement a robust disaster recovery plan using Azure Site Recovery or other similar services to ensure business continuity in case of major failures or outages.

Use Cases:

• Development and Testing Environments: Backups of VM instances are generally less critical in development or testing environments where instances are frequently recreated. Ensure that any important data is backed up and configurations can be redeployed easily.
• Production Environments: Focus on backing up critical data and managing configurations via IaC. Ensure you have a disaster recovery plan in place to handle potential disruptions.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the official Microsoft documentation on vm-compute-support, Azure Backup, and Azure Site Recovery.If you have any further queries, do let us know.

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