What is Azure Backup?
Azure Backup is a fully managed backup-as-a-service that backs up Azure resources, on-premises servers, and hybrid workloads to Recovery Services Vaults. The service provides application-consistent backups, long-term retention, and integrated ransomware protection.
All backups are stored encrypted and can be centrally managed through the Azure Portal.
Core Features
- Azure VM backup with app-consistent snapshots
- SQL Server and SAP HANA database backup
- Azure Files and Blob backup
- MARS agent for on-premises Windows Server
- Instant restore for fast VM recovery
- Cross-region restore for disaster recovery
Typical Use Cases
Azure VM backup: Automatic daily backups of VMs with configurable retention policies and instant recovery.
Hybrid backup: Backing up on-premises Windows servers and Hyper-V VMs to Azure with the MARS or MABS agent.
Database protection: Native backups of SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and SAP HANA databases with transaction log backup for point-in-time recovery.
Benefits
- No backup infrastructure to manage
- Immutable backups for ransomware protection
- Unlimited scaling without capacity planning
- Integration with Azure Policy for compliance enforcement
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Azure Backup cost?
Costs consist of protected instance fee and storage. VM backup starts at approximately $9/month per instance. Storage costs depend on retention and storage tier used.
How does Azure Backup protect against ransomware?
Soft delete retains deleted backups for 14 days. Multi-user authorization requires multiple permissions for critical operations. Immutable vaults prevent any deletion within the retention period.
How quickly can I restore a VM?
With instant restore, VM recovery takes only a few minutes as it mounts directly from the snapshot. Standard restore from the vault takes longer depending on size.
Can I restore backups in a different region?
Yes, with cross-region restore, GRS-replicated backups can be restored in the paired region. This is especially important for disaster recovery.
Integration with innFactory
As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, innFactory supports you with Azure Backup: backup strategy, policy configuration, disaster recovery, and cost optimization.
