Azure Virtual Machine Backup – Create Recovery Services vault, Define Backup Policy options, Back up Virtual Machine, Restore Virtual Machines

Backing up a virtual machine (VM) in Azure involves a systematic process that ensures your data and configurations are protected and restorable.

Here's a step-by-step guide.

Create a Recovery Services Vault

A Recovery Services Vault (RSV) is essential for managing VM backups.

Steps

1. Navigate to Azure Portal:

   • Go to the Azure portal and search for Recovery Services Vaults in the search bar.

2. Create a Vault:

   • Click + Create.

   • Select the Subscription and Resource Group.

   • Provide a Name for the vault.

   • Choose the Region where you want the vault to be located.

   • Click Review + Create and then Create.

3. Access the Vault:

   • Once created, go to the vault and configure backup settings.

Define Your Backup Policy Options

Backup policies define the schedule and retention settings for your backups.

Steps

1. In the Recovery Services Vault:

   • Go to Backup Policies under the Settings section.

2. Create a New Policy:

   • Click + Add to create a new policy or modify an existing one.

   • Define the Backup Schedule:

     • Choose the backup frequency (daily, weekly).

     • Set the time of day for backups.

   • Define the Retention Settings:

     • Configure short-term retention (e.g., daily backups retained for 30 days).

     • Configure long-term retention (e.g., monthly backups retained for 12 months).

3. Save the Policy:

   • Once configured, save the policy for later use.

Back Up Your Virtual Machine

Once the vault and policy are set up, associate your VM with the backup process.

Steps

1. Initiate Backup:

   • In the Recovery Services Vault, go to Backup.

   • Under Where is your workload running?, select Azure.

   • For What do you want to back up?, select Virtual Machine.

2. Select the VM:

   • Use the resource selector to choose the VM(s) you want to back up.

   • Assign the previously created backup policy to the VM.

3. Enable Backup:

   • Click Enable Backup.

   • A backup pre-check will ensure all prerequisites are met (e.g., VM state, extensions).

   • Once validated, the initial backup will run based on the policy schedule or immediately if triggered manually.

Restore Your Virtual Machines

If a VM becomes corrupted, deleted, or otherwise unavailable, you can restore it from a recovery point.

Steps

1. Access Restore Options:

   • In the Recovery Services Vault, go to Backup Items under Protected Items.

   • Select Azure Virtual Machine and choose the VM you want to restore.

2. Select a Recovery Point:

   • View available recovery points (e.g., crash-consistent or application-consistent).

   • Choose the desired recovery point based on your needs.

3. Choose Restore Type:

   • Restore VM:

     • Creates a new VM using the backup.

     • Specify the name, resource group, and network settings for the restored VM.

   • Restore Disks:

     • Restores the OS and data disks as managed disks.

     • You can attach these disks to an existing VM or use them to create a new VM.

4. Initiate Restore:

   • Click Restore and wait for the process to complete.

   • Monitor the progress in the Jobs section of the Recovery Services Vault.

Best Practices for VM Backup and Restore

1. Plan Backup Policies: Align retention settings with your organization's compliance and recovery needs.

2. Test Restores Regularly: Perform periodic restore tests to ensure backups are functional and recovery objectives are met.

3. Use Cross-Region Backups: Enable cross-region restore for critical workloads to ensure recovery from regional outages.

4. Enable Soft Delete: Protect against accidental deletion by enabling soft delete in the vault.

5. Monitor Backup Health: Use Azure Monitor or Backup Reports to track backup success, failures, and trends.

Summary

By following these steps, you can ensure your Azure virtual machines are securely backed up and restorable in case of an issue.