Azure Backup Improved

In keeping with the near constant stream of improvements to all aspects of Azure, Microsoft has just announced some updates to Azure Backup.

Previously, there were several limits, including;

• Azure Backup uses only one single retention policy to back up the data. This was limiting,
• The number of backup copies is limited to 120. Daily backups, therefore only cover last 3 months.
• Azure Backup does not provide the option of sending the data over network bandwidth alone to the end customer. Another limit.

But today, MS announced some major changes to Azure Backup.

• You can now set multiple retention policies on backup data. The impact of this is that backup data can now be stored for multiple years by maintaining more backup copies near term, and less backup copies as the backup data becomes aged.
• The number of backup copies that can be stored at Azure is increased to 366 – a 3 fold increase. 
• Azure Backup integrates with the Azure Import service to send the initial backup data to Azure data center. This capability will enable the customers to ship the initial backup data through disk to the nearest Azure data center. This can be a significant benefit if you want to backup a LARGE amount of fairly static data.

The latest update also fixes some older issues, like not being able to backup >  850GB, etc.

del.icio.us Tags: Azure,Azure Backup

Sometimes When You Ask – You Get! Thanks Azure!

Over the past few months, I've been running a set of 1-day sessions for Microsoft SMB partners – these sessions are a combination of lecture and lab work. This material shows them how to position key Azure and Windows Server 2012 R2 features and gives them experience in using the products.

In a recent session, I was asked about Azure Backup and client systems. At that point (early September this year), the answer was no – Azure Backup did not support Windows 8 (or any client problem). The scenario here is the road warrior who never got back to base, but was forever somewhere in the cloud (via whatever networking they may find in their travels!). They just want their data backed up so if the laptop dies, is stolen or the disk itself dies – they can recover their data once the replacement hardware is up and running fully. Seemed to me to be a service I might buy for myself!

This seemed to me to worthy of consideration. So I posted a request over on Feedback.Azure.com. A couple of days later, I got surprise email from the Azure  Backup PM who wanted to chat with me about the suggestion I'd posted. We then had a conference call and I was able to explain the user need, and the potential for the suggestion. He listened, asked great questions then hinted that this is something they could consider for a future release. I did not hold out much hope of features any time soon, but it was nice to be listened to and to maybe having an impact down the road.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I read today's post on the Azure Team Blog, which announced support for Windows Cliewnt OS's! From asking to delivery in 14 weeks. Nice job!

del.icio.us Tags: Azure,Backup,Axure Backup for Client

Azure for Longer Term Backup

I’ve been teaching the AOTG (Ahead of the Game) partner training around the UK, and shortly in Eire. It’s been very interesting talking to Microsoft’s SMB partners and looking at how they sell and utilise Azure. One of the Azure Products this training is advocating is Azure Backup. Last week, when I was teaching this in Manchester, one delegate pointed out that the big downside to Azure backup was that there was not much of a retention period and as such was not helpful to the delegate’s customers.

Fast forward a few days, and the wish has come true. I had a conference call this morning with the Azure backup who told me that this request had been heard loud and clear and is now in place. He pointed me to the blog post at: http://azure.microsoft.com/blog/2014/09/11/announcing-long-term-retention-for-azure-backup/

Sure enough, you can get all the backup you need (well all reasonable backups!). And the maximum retention period is 9 years, as the blog post explains.

One word: Awesome!

del.icio.us Tags: Azure,Azure backup,cloud