Learn how to configuring File Share Backup and verifying & restoring the Backup using Azure Backup

Azure Backup allows you to back up and restore data from Azure File Shares using Azure File Share backup.

This is an efficient and secure way to protect your important files stored in Azure, while also ensuring that your data is safe and can be recovered in case of failure or accidental deletion.

Below is a detailed guide on how to configure Azure File Share backup, verify the backup, and restore data from the backup.

Prerequisites for Configuring File Share Backup

Before you configure Azure File Share backup, make sure you meet the following prerequisites:

1. Azure Subscription: You must have an active Azure subscription.

2. Azure Storage Account: Your file share needs to be hosted in an Azure Storage Account.

3. Recovery Services Vault: You need a Recovery Services Vault in Azure to store backup data.

4. Backup Agent: To back up Azure File Shares, you need to install the Azure Backup Agent on the virtual machine (VM) or server that hosts your file shares. Alternatively, Azure File Share backup can also be configured directly for Azure File Shares without requiring an agent.

5. Azure Backup: Ensure Azure Backup is available and you have sufficient permissions (like Backup Contributor or Owner role).

Steps to Configure File Share Backup

Step 1: Create a Recovery Services Vault

1. In the Azure Portal, search for Recovery Services Vault and click Create.

2. Select the Subscription, Resource Group, and Region where your vault will be located.

3. Name the Recovery Services Vault and click Review + Create. After validation, click Create to set up the vault.

Step 2: Set Up Backup for Azure File Shares

Navigate to the Recovery Services Vault

1. In the Azure Portal, open your Recovery Services Vault that you just created or selected.

2. In the Recovery Services Vault pane, under the Getting Started section, click on Backup.

Configure Backup

1. In the Backup Goal section, select "Azure" for Where is your workload running? and choose "Azure File Share" as the What do you want to back up?

2. Click Start to begin the backup configuration.

Select Storage Account

1. Choose the Azure Storage Account where your Azure File Share resides. This is the storage account that contains the data you want to back up.

2. Ensure the Azure File Share is in the same region as the Recovery Services Vault to ensure optimal backup performance.

Backup Policy

1. Backup Frequency: Set the backup schedule (daily, weekly, or custom intervals) for how often you want to back up your file share.

2. Retention Range: Configure the retention policy for your backups, determining how long backup data will be kept in the vault.

3. Storage Redundancy: Select the redundancy option for the backup data. You can choose between Locally Redundant Storage (LRS) or Geo-Redundant Storage (GRS) based on your requirements for data availability and disaster recovery.

Enable Backup

Once you've configured your backup policy, click Enable Backup to start backing up your Azure File Share.

Monitor Backup

Once the backup configuration is complete, you can monitor backup jobs from the Backup Items section in the Recovery Services Vault.

Verifying File Share Backup

After setting up the backup, it’s essential to verify that your backups are running correctly and that the data is stored safely.

Check the Backup Status

1. In the Recovery Services Vault, go to the Backup Items section.

2. Select Azure File Share under Backup Items to view the status of backups.

3. Verify that backups are being taken on schedule and that the status is marked as Success for each backup job.

Monitor Alerts

1. You can also monitor backup health through Azure Monitor.

   • Set up alerts for backup failures or issues with the backup process.

2. In the Recovery Services Vault, go to Monitoring > Backup Jobs to see recent job statuses and any issues.

Backup Reports

1. Navigate to Reports in the Recovery Services Vault to get detailed reports on your backup status, trends, and compliance.

Restoring Data from Azure File Share Backup

Restoring data from an Azure File Share backup is a straightforward process.

You can restore a specific file or folder, or even the entire file share.

Step 1: Start the Restore Process

1. In the Recovery Services Vault, under Backup Items, select Azure File Share.

2. Choose the file share from which you want to restore the data.

3. Click on the Restore button in the top menu bar to begin the restore process.

Step 2: Choose Restore Point

Select Recovery Point

1. You will be prompted to choose a recovery point. This is the specific backup version you want to restore from (e.g., from a specific date and time).

2. Recovery points are automatically created based on the backup schedule you've defined (e.g., daily, weekly).

3. You can select from the available recovery points, which will show up as timestamps.

Choose Restore Type

1. Restore to Original Location: This will restore the data back to the original Azure File Share. If the data has been deleted or modified, it will replace the current files with the backup.

2. Restore to a New Location: If you want to restore the data to a new Azure File Share or folder (without affecting the existing data), select this option. You will be prompted to specify a new file share or directory.

Step 3: Restore Files or Folders

Choose Files or Folders

1. After selecting the restore point and location, you can choose to restore individual files or folders, or you can restore the entire file share.

2. If you only need to recover a specific file or directory, browse the backup and select the items you want to restore.

Start the Restore

1. Once you’ve selected the data to restore and the location, click Restore.

2. Azure Backup will initiate the restore operation. The time it takes will depend on the amount of data being restored and the size of the selected recovery point.

Step 4: Monitor the Restore Process

You can monitor the restore job from the Backup Jobs section of the Recovery Services Vault.

This will show you the status of the restore job, and you’ll receive a notification once the restore is complete.

Step 5: Verify the Restore

After the restore job completes, navigate to the restored file share or the new location you chose.

Verify that the files have been restored successfully and that they are in the expected state.

Optional: Advanced Restore Options

File-Level Recovery

If you only need to restore specific files from an Azure File Share (e.g., a deleted file or an old version), Azure Backup allows you to perform file-level recovery.

You can browse the recovery point for the files or folders you want to restore and only restore those items without restoring the entire file share.

Cross-Region Restore

If your Azure File Share is part of a larger distributed environment, you can use Geo-Redundant Storage (GRS) to ensure that your backup is replicated across regions.

In the event of a regional failure, you can restore the file share from the secondary region.

Best Practices for Managing Azure File Share Backup

1. Regular Backup Scheduling: Ensure that backups are scheduled at regular intervals (daily or weekly), depending on how critical the data is. Always ensure that you retain backups long enough to cover your business's data retention needs.

2. Test Restores: Periodically, you should test backup restores to ensure that your backup process is reliable and that you can recover data quickly when needed.

3. Monitor Backup Health: Regularly monitor the health of backup jobs through the Azure Portal and use Azure Monitor alerts to notify you of failed or missed backups.

4. Retention and Compliance: Implement a retention policy that aligns with your organizational or regulatory compliance requirements. Use Azure Blob Storage's cold or archive tiers for long-term backup retention.

5. Backup Redundancy: Choose the right redundancy option (LRS or GRS) based on your need for high availability and disaster recovery.

Summary

Configuring Azure File Share backup and performing restores is an essential step in ensuring that your data is protected from accidental loss, corruption, or deletion.

By following the steps outlined above, you can set up a reliable and efficient backup strategy for Azure File Shares, verify backup health, and restore files as needed.

Additionally, using Azure’s built-in monitoring and alerting features will help you maintain backup integrity and ensure that you can recover your data quickly in case of emergencies.