How to Backup and Restore Azure Virtual Machines with BDRSuite
Don’t think that just because your servers/workstations are in the cloud that they’re automatically backed up. If you get hit with Ransomware, or some sort of OS Corruption, what then? You could rebuild those Servers/Workstations, but what about the data? How much revenue would you lose being down while your IT Staff rebuilds the servers and workstations? Don’t let this happen to you! Backup your Azure workloads with BDRSuite!
For IT administrators that are using Microsoft Azure virtual machines (VMs) for their workloads, Vembu BDRSuite offers backup and disaster recovery solutions. It assists IT Admins in safely backing up Azure virtual machines (VMs) to different regions, public clouds, or their own data center with a 15-minute RTO and RPO and little administrative work.
How it Works
If you would like to back up the Azure VMs over WAN, you must install the Vembu BDR backup server on Windows Azure VMs in the same region, another region, another public cloud, or the local data center. It also needs to be assigned a public DNS Record & IP address. Each VM must then have the Vembu ImageBackup or NetworkBackup agent installed before it can be backed up via LAN or WAN to the BDR backup server.
Backup Azure VMs to the same Regions
- Install the Vembu BDR backup server in the same region to backup Azure virtual machines. In order to facilitate speedy recoveries in the event of OS corruption or system failure, the Azure VM backup data will be kept in the same region. You have the option to replicate the backed-up data to different Azure regions, public clouds, or your local data center.
Backup Azure VMs to other Public Clouds
- It is possible to set up the BDR backup server on different public clouds and plan WAN backups for Microsoft Azure virtual machines.
Backup Azure VMs to other Regions
- Additionally, Vembu assists in configuring the BDR backup server on additional Azure Regions.
- Using a WAN connection, backup your Azure virtual machines to the BDR backup server located in a different region.
- When unanticipated disasters strike the original virtual machines (VMs), Vembu helps you to recover and restart your system by booting the backup virtual machines to Microsoft Azure in other regions.
Backup Azure VMs to your Data Center
- Thanks to Vembu, backing up Azure virtual machines to your local data center is now simple. To perform backups, IT administrators can install Vembu ImageBackup agent on each Azure virtual machine and deploy a BDR backup server on their local data center.
Microsoft Azure VM Backup – Feature Highlights
- Disk Image Backup
- Vembu backs up only the used blocks to the BDR backup server after taking a snapshot of the entire disk using VSS. Entire disk image, including OS, apps, and data, is backed up.
- Application-Level Backup
- Supports MySQL, SQL databases, SharePoint sites, Microsoft Exchange servers, and Exchange mailbox backups.
- Application-Aware Image Backups
- It confirms Microsoft Applications writer consistency at each backup schedule. Additionally, after a successful backup, automatically truncates the transaction logs to prevent storage space overflow.
- Automated Backup Verification
- Using the most recent recovery point, Windows Servers and Workstations will be booted as Virtual Machines. The administrator(s) will receive an email with screenshots of the booted VMs’ screen.
- Instant VM Recovery on Local Data Center
- Azure VMs that were backed up with BDRSuite can be booted instantly in VMware, Hyper-V, and KVM environments, without the need of any manual driver injections or conversion tool assistance.
- Application Recovery
- Quickly retrieve specific application components from Microsoft apps, including Active Directory, SQL, SharePoint, and Microsoft Exchange.
- File-Level Restore
- Supports Linux and Windows computers for file backups. Moreover, it works with pre-configured folders like Desktop, Browsers, My Documents, and My Photos.
- Changed Block Tracking
- After the initial full backup, modified blocks only will be backed up using Vembu’s proprietary CBT driver.
- Retention Policies
- Both the efficient management of the backup data storage size and the maintenance of multiple recovery points for data restoration are made possible by Basic and Advanced (GFS) retention policies.
- Azure-VM recovery
- All backed-up Azure virtual machines are created as VHD, VHDX, VMDK, and IMG virtual images by Vembu.The virtual machines can be restored to Microsoft Azure using VHD/VHDX. These images can also be used to restore Azure virtual machines to different public clouds.
- File Recovery
- Without restoring the entire machine, individual files and folders from the Azure VMs can be quickly restored from the system image backup.
Get started with Azure VM Backup from BDRSuite today!
For more information on BDRSuite 7.0.0, check out the resources below.
Download BDRSuite v7.0.0: You can access the latest version of BDRSuite by visiting Download BSRSuite 7.0.0.
Release Notes: For a detailed breakdown of what’s new in this release, please check out our Release Notes.
Release Blog: To gain insights into the features and benefits of BDRSuite v7.0, take a look at our official Release Blog.
Get more information on these BDRSuite offerings below:
VMware – https://www.bdrsuite.com/vmware-backup
Hyper-V – https://www.bdrsuite.com/hyper-v-backup
Microsoft 365 – https://www.bdrsuite.com/office-365-backup
Endpoint Backup – https://www.bdrsuite.com/endpoint-backup
Azure VM Backup – https://www.bdrsuite.com/azure-vm-backup
KVM Backup – https://www.bdrsuite.com/kvm-backup
Visit BDRCloud.com to get started with Cloud Backups with Vembu!
You can find a list of my previous BDRSuite posts HERE.
Ben Liebowitz, VCP, vExpert
NJ VMUG Leader