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Overview Microsoft Azure Backup

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Overview

Microsoft Azure Backup is a backup solution that utilizes the services of Microsoft Azure public cloud to store and orchestrate the backup workflow. 

This solution has an architecture of client/server, thus all servers that will be protected by the service must contain the Azure Backup Agent installed and be registered on a Backup Vault on Azure. 

The agent is not application aware. Therefore, backup of applications like Active Directory, Exchange, Lync, SharePoint, and SQL Server is not supported by the agent, which only creates/restores backup of folders and files. 

**Supported Operating Systems **

The following operating systems are supported by the Azure agent: 

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 
  • Windows Server 2012 
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 

Only folder and file backups are supported. Backups of System State, Bare Metal Recovery and entire partitions/drives is not supported.

Disks

The following settings are required for a volume to be backed up: 

  • NTFS formatted volumes. Other formats are not supported 
  • The volume must be online and mounted to the operating system 
  • The volume cannot be read-only 
  • Backing up network shares is not supported
  • Volumes encrypted with BitLocker encryption 

There is a limit of 850Gb for each backup job. If the backup targets are greater than this limit it is necessary to break up the jobs with smaller volumes or split the backup job into separate activities.

**Certificate **

The authentication for authorization servers is done using a digital certificate. The certificate is imported into the Azure portal and must contain the following features:

  • Valid for up to three years 
  • Key of at least 2048 bits 
  • Key Usage should be Client Authentication 
  • Must be installed on the local computer's Personal container

Management

The management of backups can be accomplished in several ways. 

During the Azure Backup Agent installation two components are added to the server:

  • Windows Azure Backup 
  • Windows Azure Backup Shell 

The Azure Backup can also be managed by the Data Protection Manager 2012 SP1 with Update Roll-up 2. 

 

**Azure Backup Console **

In Azure Backup Console it is possible to create backup schedules and check the status of jobs.
 
In the initial configuration you need to register the server before starting the backup jobs. 

**PowerShell **

With PowerShell it is possible to perform tasks administratively as well as create backup jobs. In the MSDN portal there is a list of all supported cmdlets:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/hh831765.aspx.

**Backup Vault **

The Azure Backup Vault is responsible for storing the retention settings and allocating storage to be used by the backup agent as a repository. The vault is created on the management portal in Recovery Services.

In the vault settings, the Dashboard tab displays space usage and the number of protected servers.

In the Protected Items tab are displayed the servers and dates of the most recent and the oldest backup. 

And the Servers tab displays all protected servers.

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