Azure Backup
A secure, and scalable solution for data protection and recovery in both on-premises and cloud environments.
Category | Backup & Disaster Recovery |
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Last page update | 19 days ago |
Pricing Details | Pricing varies based on storage type and usage; consult Azure pricing calculator for details. |
Target Audience | Businesses and organizations looking for reliable data backup and recovery solutions. |
Azure Backup manages data protection and recovery in both on-premises and cloud environments by providing a comprehensive, secure, and scalable solution. The service leverages a robust technical architecture that includes the use of Recovery Services vaults, which serve as central management entities for storing recovery points and performing backup-related operations such as on-demand backups, restores, and policy management.
Technically, Azure Backup utilizes Blob storage for storing backups, with the option to choose between locally redundant storage (LRS), zone redundant storage (ZRS), or geo-redundant storage (GRS) depending on the required level of redundancy. For long-term retention, backups can be moved from the Standard tier to the Archive tier, which offers cost-effective storage for data retained for more than six months.
Operationally, Azure Backup integrates with various workloads, including Azure VMs, Azure Managed Disks, Azure File shares, SQL Server databases, SAP HANA databases, and Azure PostgreSQL databases. It also supports on-premises backups using agents like the Microsoft Azure Recovery Services (MARS) agent, Data Protection Manager (DPM), and Azure Backup Server (MABS).
Key operational considerations include the need for a local storage copy when using Azure Backup Server, as the first backup copy must be stored locally before being sent to Azure. Additionally, enabling cross-region restore upgrades the storage from GRS to read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS), enhancing recovery capabilities.
From a technical detail perspective, Azure Backup does not limit inbound or outbound data transfer, although there may be costs associated with initial offline backups using the Azure Import/Export service. The service also provides application-consistent backups, ensuring that recovery points contain all necessary data for quick restoration, and offers built-in monitoring and alerting capabilities within the Recovery Services vault.