Configuring Backups

Backups are configured for each VM individually, selecting their own retention policies and routines. They can however utilise the same storage and vaults.

1. Select the Backup option under “Operations” in the sidebar of the VM management page, on https://portal.azure.com/

2. Give your backup Vault a name, (where the backups will be stored), and select the resource group you’d like it to be in.

3. Select Edit this policy, (or select a policy if you’ve already configured one you want). Give the policy a better name and set the schedule.

4. Set the Instant Restore duration. (This retains snapshots along with the disks to allow for a faster restore).

5. Choose your different retentions as required. (Only daily or a variety of all?)

6. Optional! Azure creates a resource group for the Instant Recovery points. Enter your own name if you wish.

7. Click OK and then click Enable Backup.

8. Navigate back to the same location after the backup should have taken place, to confirm that you have backups as you’d expect. (Screenshot from an existing backup routine that runs at 7:30pm).

Restoring backups

There are two options when restoring, “Create new” or “Replace existing”. I’ll go over both options below, (the first few steps are the same).

Azure Storage Account (Gen1)

1. Select the Backup option under “Operations” in the sidebar of the VM management page, on https://portal.azure.com/

2. Select the Restore VM option from the top bar.

3. Click Select to choose your restore point.

4. Select the one you wish to restore and click OK.

5. Select your Restore Configuration, either Create new (6. onwards) or Replace existing (8. onwards).

Create new

6. a. Select Restore Type “Create new virtual machine”. (This will create a whole new VM with the same setup as the previous backup, including all disks).

• Type unique Virtual machine name
• Select Resource group
• Select Virtual network
• Select Subnet
• Select Staging Location (This is where the data will be copied to out of the backup vault, while the resources are created).

6.b. Select Restore Type “Restore disks”. (This will restore the disks to your resource group that you can then swap out for the existing disks on an existing VM).

• Select Resource group
• Select Staging Location (This is where the data will be copied to out of the backup vault, while the resources are created).

7. Select Restore

Replace existing

8. (This will replace the disks on the existing VM, but it will take a new snapshot of that VM before it replaces them).

• Select the Staging Location. (This is where the data will be copied to out of the backup vault, while the resources are created).

9. Select Restore

After Restore

Create new

a. If you created a new VM, you’ll now need to log in and disable anything that you don’t want running. (Think overnight ETL etc).
b. If you created new disks, you’ll now need to edit an existing VM and replace the disks by going to “Disks” on the VM and selecting the restored disks. (You can swap and swap back easily, so this can be used to pull files from a previous day).

Replace existing

This will take a snapshot of the existing disks before replacing them, so if you want to undo the replacement, you’ll need to go through the restore process again, replacing with that newer restore point.

If you have any questions about the process, please comment below!