Azure Backup Server Installation and Management

Installing an Azure Backup Server is a straightforward process, and it can be done in just a few steps. You'll need to download the Azure Backup Server installer from the Microsoft website.

The installer will guide you through the installation process, which includes registering the server with Azure and configuring the backup storage settings. This is where you'll specify the Azure storage account and container where your backups will be stored.

The Azure Backup Server will automatically discover and register all the servers on your network, making it easy to start backing up your data. You can also add servers manually if needed.

Once installed and configured, the Azure Backup Server will start backing up your data, including files, folders, and system state, to the designated Azure storage account.

Before we dive into setting up your Azure Backup Server, let's make sure we have everything in place.

You'll need to start by getting an Azure subscription, so make sure you have that taken care of.

To begin the setup process, you'll need to provision an Azure Recovery Services Vault. This is a crucial step, so don't skip it.

Next, download the MABS software and credentials for the vault. You can find instructions on how to do this in our previous article.

It's also essential to open the Windows Firewall rules on any server where you intend to install the DPM agent. Alternatively, you can install the agent manually and attach it.

To create a Recovery Services vault, you'll need to sign in to the Azure portal and search for Backup center. Then, go to the Backup center dashboard and select Vault from the Overview pane.

The process is straightforward: select Recovery Services vault and click Continue. On the Recovery Services vault pane, enter the necessary values, including the vault name and resource group.

After providing the values, select Review + create to review your settings before creating the vault. Once you're satisfied, click Create to initiate the creation process. It may take a while to create the vault, so monitor the status notifications in the Notifications area at the upper right.

Once the vault is created, it will appear in the list of Recovery Services vaults. If it doesn't appear, try refreshing the page.

When configuring storage for Azure Backup Server, you have a few options to consider. You can choose between geo-redundant storage and locally redundant storage, with geo-redundant storage being the default option.

To edit the storage replication setting, you need to select the new vault, go to Properties, and then click Update under Backup Configuration. From there, you can select the storage replication type and save your changes.

You'll also need to add backup storage to the Azure Backup Server, which can be done by launching the software and going to Management > Disk Storage and clicking Add. You can then slide available disks over and name them before clicking OK.

When adding backup storage, it's essential to note that you need to add it even if you plan to send data to Azure. In the current architecture of Azure Backup Server, the Azure Backup vault holds the second copy of the data while the local storage holds the first (and mandatory) backup copy.

You can customize your backup storage locations if you have multiple locations, but for most cases, you can simply click Next after making your selections.

Here's a quick rundown of the storage replication options:

When selecting a storage replication type, be mindful of your storage needs and budget. If you choose locally redundant storage, you'll need to balance cost savings with the potential risks of data loss.

You can also specify what should be protected online and in the cloud, and customize your replication schedule for disk backups to be copied to the cloud. Be aware that your cloud-based images could end up a day "behind" if your on-premise backup doesn't complete before the next cloud upload happens.

To install the Azure Backup Server software, you'll need to follow these steps. First, sign in to the Azure portal and navigate to the Recovery Services vault.

If you already have a Recovery Services vault open, you can skip to step 3. Otherwise, select Browse from the main menu to open the Settings pane.

The Settings pane will open by default, but if it's closed, select Settings to open it. Then, select Backup to open the Getting Started wizard.

In the Getting Started with backup pane, Backup Goals will be auto-selected. In the Backup Goal pane, select On-premises from the Where is your workload running menu.

From the What do you want to back up? drop-down menu, select the workloads you want to protect using Azure Backup Server, and then select OK. The Getting Started with backup wizard will then switch the Prepare infrastructure option to back up workloads to Azure.

To download the software package, select the Download links for Install Azure Backup Server and Download vault credentials. This will take you to the Download Center where the software package can be downloaded.

Download all the files coming in from the Microsoft Azure Backup download page, and place all the files in the same folder. The download size of all the files together is > 3 GB, so it may take up to 60 minutes for the download to complete on a 10-Mbps download link.

Once you've downloaded all the files, select MicrosoftAzureBackupInstaller.exe to start the Microsoft Azure Backup Setup Wizard. This will extract the setup files to a location specified by you.

At least 4 GB of free space is required to extract the setup files.

Microsoft Azure Backup Server is a scaled-back version of System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM), designed to provide a cost-effective backup solution for organizations. It allows you to protect on-premises servers and workloads to disk or directly to Azure.

MABS solves several issues with Azure backup, including the lack of centralization, limited workload protection, and the need for a System Center license. With MABS, you can protect workloads like SQL and Exchange to disk on-premises and then up to Azure.

MABS provides two types of protection: disk (D2D) for high RTOs on tier 1 workloads and Azure (D2D2C) for long-term retention. You can also use it to backup directly to Azure.

Installing MABS requires some planning, but it's a straightforward process. You can install MABS on a Windows Server, which can be either on-premises or in Azure.

To protect on-premises workloads, the MABS server must be located on-premises and connected to a domain. This is a requirement for MABS to work properly.

The first step is to choose an installation platform. You can either install MABS on a Windows Server in Azure or on-premises. The choice depends on your specific needs.

To install MABS, you'll need to set up a Windows Server. This can be done in Azure or on-premises. Make sure the server is connected to a domain.

Here are the steps to install MABS:

Microsoft is a tech giant that has been around for a while, and it's known for its wide range of products and services. Microsoft Azure Backup Server is one of its offerings.

Microsoft Azure Backup Server is an on-premises backup server that solves some problems that existed with Azure backup. It was released on October 7th, 2015, and it's designed to provide a cost-effective backup solution for organizations.

Microsoft Azure Backup Server is essentially a scaled-back version of System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM). It gives you similar functionality to DPM without the need for a System Center license. This makes it a great option for organizations that need a backup solution without breaking the bank.

One of the key benefits of Microsoft Azure Backup Server is that it provides a centralized location for backing up on-premises servers. This means you can manage the backup agent of your on-premises servers and see the status of their protection from a single location.

Microsoft Azure Backup Server also gives you two types of protection: Disk (D2D) for high RTOs (Recovery Time Objectives) for tier 1 workloads, and Azure (D2D2C) for long-term retention. This means you can protect your data to disk on-premises and then send it to Azure for offsite storage.

Microsoft Azure Backup Server is a great option for organizations that need a backup solution without the cost of a System Center license. It's also a cost-effective solution for offsite storage with Azure.

To validate whether your Azure Backup Server has connectivity to Azure, use the Get-DPMCloudConnection cmdlet in the Azure Backup Server PowerShell console. If the output is TRUE, then connectivity exists, otherwise there's no connectivity.

The state of your Azure connectivity and subscription will determine the impact on your backup and restore functionality. You can use the following table to find out what's allowed:

If you're using ExpressRoute Microsoft peering, you'll need to select specific services and regions. For more details, visit ExpressRoute routing requirements.

Azure backup optimizes backup time by taking parallel backups of disks in the VM, which can significantly reduce the total time to backup.

The total time to backup to Azure varies depending on several factors, including the time it takes to create snapshots, the time spent queued for backup service with other Azure customers, and the data transfer time itself.

This process can take longer during peak hours, as snapshots taken for the backups may not be immediately transferred.

The queue time and data transfer time also apply to restoring, making the total time for these operations not so short.

You'll need to consider backup time carefully, as it may be the most reliable indicator of your recovery plan's viability.

Here are some factors to consider when planning your backup schedule:

By understanding these factors and planning your backup schedule accordingly, you can ensure a smooth and efficient backup process.

If you're experiencing issues with your Azure Backup server, don't worry, it's not the end of the world.

If Microsoft Azure Backup server fails with errors during the setup phase (or backup or restore), refer to the error codes document for more information.

Azure Backup provides a robust backup and recovery solution for your Azure servers. You can create a Recovery Services vault to store recovery points and perform backup-related operations.

Azure Backup supports backing up Azure servers, including Windows and Linux VMs, through the Azure portal with minimal configuration overhead. This is a great feature, especially if you're already invested in the Azure ecosystem.

To recover your Azure servers, you can easily restore your Windows and Linux virtual machines, specific workloads, system state, or even files and folders from VM backup. Azure portal allows you to monitor your backups and configure simple reporting, alerts, and diagnostic logging for quick action in case of data loss.

You can also leverage NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP to keep your Azure storage system backed up and up-to-date, saving up to 70% on Azure storage costs.

Configuring protection is a crucial step in setting up your backup strategy. You'll need to decide what to back up and how often.

To start, you'll need to expand the resources you want to back up and make your selections. This can include servers, applications, and even data from your Azure virtual machines.

You can choose to back up your entire server, or select specific files and folders to protect. For example, if you have a Hyper-V host server, you can enable system protection for the host itself.

When naming your protection group, choose something descriptive that will help you identify what's being backed up. You can also select the type of protection method you want to use, such as disk, cloud, or both.

The retention range is another important setting to consider. By default, Azure Backup will retain backups for 5 days, but you can increase this to 10 or 14 days if needed.

Here's a rough estimate of storage requirements based on retention points:

Keep in mind that these are rough estimates and may vary depending on your specific needs. It's essential to plan for storage requirements carefully to avoid running out of space.

In addition to selecting what to back up and how often, you'll also need to choose a replication schedule for disk backups to be copied to the cloud. You can select daily or twice-per-day replication, but be mindful of your local backup time and cloud backup time to avoid delays.

By following these steps and considering your specific needs, you can configure protection for your Azure Backup and ensure that your data is safe and secure.

Having a solid recovery plan in place is crucial for any business. You can easily recover your Windows and Linux virtual machines on Azure.

It's best to be prepared for data loss due to human mistakes or software crashes. You can run a test on a separate Azure Virtual Network or on-premises infrastructure to create an isolated environment and run tests on your production data replica without interfering with your actual production environment.

Monitoring for Azure backup through Azure monitor is enabled by default. You can also leverage log analytics work space and create query-based alerts for your backup jobs.

Testing your backup periodically is essential to ensure it works properly. By testing it, you can act quickly if something bad happens and ensure consistent backups in place at all times.

Cloud Volumes ONTAP can help keep your Azure storage system backed up and up-to-date. It brings all the features and resources of the on-premises data center storage solution into Azure storage.

By utilizing Cloud Volumes ONTAP, you can save as much as 70% on Azure storage costs. You can see how much you can save by using the Azure calculator.