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We continue our series of “Getting Started” articles, with most up-to-date information I use with Microsoft Partners and customers when enabling them with Azure infrastructure services. I follows the same structure which is: getting started, training videos if available, then reference architectures, capacity planning and pricing information.

Backup is generally not creating a lot of excitement in IT teams, that’s the very least we can say. The fundamentally difficult parts of it are:

defining data retention and archival policies.
defining the appropriate sizing for the solution.
executing the offsite data copy policy.

I’m not even talking about testing the restore of the backup, because people usually don’t do it Winking smile

Here’s really why Azure can help:

You only have to size for the local backup storage system, archival is done is the cloud.
With all hidden costs of tape systems included like offsite processing, storage on cloud is very likely to be always cheaper than any on-premises storage.
You can easily test restoring data in a separate and isolated environment.
You can easily backup files on servers and client with a small backup agent
You can easily backup your applications running on Hyper-V on Vmware with Azure Backup Server.

Here’s what you need to get started building solutions on Azure:

Overview video	https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/videos/what-is-azure-backup/
Overview article	https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-introduction-to-azure-backup
Training Videos:	https://mva.microsoft.com/en-us/training-courses/hybrid-cloud-workloads-storage-and-backup-8335?l=QeQ9Uyay_6204984382
Pricing reference:	http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/backup/
Technical References:	Azure Virtual Machine Backup: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/backup-azure-vms/ Microsoft Azure Backup: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/backup-azure-backup-windows-server/ Microsoft Azure Backup Server: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/backup-azure-dpm-introduction/
Architecture references:	Azure Backup Limitations – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/28395.azure-backup-limits.aspx Security features for protecting hybrid backups using Azure Backup – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-security-feature
Third parties’ backup solutions supporting Azure	Commvault – https://www.commvault.com/solutions/by-technology/virtual-machine-and-cloud/microsoft-azure Veaam – https://www.veeam.com/cloud-connect.html Veritas – https://www.veritas.com/solution/azure
Service updates information	https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?product=backup

When you have deployed the solution and want to go further with Automation, there’s a pretty nice course on Microsoft OpenEDX: https://openedx.microsoft.com/courses/course-v1:Microsoft+AZURE210x+2016_T4/about

If you want to get started on Azure the good way, you can register to IT Pro Cloud Essentials, it includes online trainings, MCP vouchers and monthly free credits to use Azure: https://www.microsoft.com/itprocloudessentials/en-US

Feel free to connect with me and provide feedbacks!

Arnaud

<updated 14th march 2017>

In this series of “Getting Started” articles, I will post the most up-to-date information I use with Microsoft Partners and customers when enabling them with Azure infrastructure services. I follows the same structure which is: getting started, training videos if available, then reference architectures, capacity planning and pricing information.

Disaster Recovery Plans aka DRP is one the most ungrateful work in IT. Because basically you are going to prepare for some situations that will be painful and difficult. However, this is a good exercise to protect against one of the most prevalent laws in IT: “Anything (Everything) will fail at some point, and very likely at the worst time”.

It puts you in a state of mind that most of people don’t like.and you will ask your boss money for something that you hope will never be used.

That’s where the cloud can help, for both virtualized and non virtualized workloads. Here’s how in 4 easy steps:

First step consists of replicating your production workloads as they are running.
Second step is to automating the disaster recovery plan execution.
Run the workloads in Azure.
Replicate your virtual machines back to your datacenter.

Overview video	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOOwMQPBKfM
Overview article	https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/site-recovery-overview/
Training Videos	https://channel9.msdn.com/Series/Azure-Site-Recovery
Technical References	Azure Site Recovery support matrix – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-support-matrix Prepare for Azure Site Recovery deployment – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-best-practices Migrate AWS workloads to Azure – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-migrate-aws-to-azure
Architecture references	VMware and Physical Servers to Azure – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-vmware-to-azure Hyper-V to Azure – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-hyper-v-site-to-azure VMM to Azure – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-vmm-to-azure Network planning for disaster recovery: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-network-design
Workload guidance	What workloads can you protect with Azure Site Recovery? – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-workload Active directory and DNS SQL Server Sharepoint Dynamics AX Exchange SAP Running automation in ASR – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-runbook-automation
Sizing & capacity planning	Capacity planning: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/site-recovery-capacity-planner Azure Site Recovery Deployment Planner: https://aka.ms/asr-deployment-planner-doc
Pricing reference	https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/site-recovery/
Service updates information	https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?product=site-recovery

When you have put the infrastructure in place and are in the process of fully automating the disaster recovery plan, you need skills on Azure Automation. There’s a pretty nice course on Microsoft OpenEDX: https://openedx.microsoft.com/courses/course-v1:Microsoft+AZURE210x+2016_T4/about

Feel free to connect with me and provide feedbacks!

Arnaud

Arnaud Lheureux

Azure Architect @ Microsoft

Getting started with – Azure Backup

Getting started with – Azure Site Recovery

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