AZ-104 Objective 5.2: Implement Backup and Recovery

September 14, 2025•55 min read•Microsoft Azure Administrator

AZ-104 Exam Focus: This objective covers Azure backup and disaster recovery services, including Recovery Services vaults, Azure Backup, backup policies, restore operations, and Azure Site Recovery. Understanding backup strategies, disaster recovery planning, and recovery procedures is crucial for Azure administrators to ensure business continuity. Master these concepts for both exam success and real-world data protection and disaster recovery management.

Understanding Azure Backup and Recovery

Azure provides comprehensive backup and disaster recovery services to protect your data and ensure business continuity. These services include Azure Backup for data protection and Azure Site Recovery for disaster recovery and business continuity. Backup and recovery operations work with Azure Storage accounts for data storage and integrate with Azure Monitor for tracking backup operations.

Backup and Recovery Components

Recovery Services Vault: Centralized backup management for traditional workloads
Azure Backup Vault: Modern backup management for newer workloads
Backup Policies: Automated backup schedules and retention rules
Azure Site Recovery: Disaster recovery and business continuity service
Cross-Region Backup: Geographic redundancy for data protection
Monitoring and Alerts: Backup status monitoring and notifications

1. Create a Recovery Services Vault

Recovery Services vaults are the traditional backup management solution in Azure, providing centralized backup management for VMs, files, folders, and applications.

Recovery Services Vault Features

Core Capabilities:

VM Backup: Full VM backup and restore capabilities
File and Folder Backup: Granular file-level backup
Application Backup: SQL Server, Exchange, SharePoint backup
Cross-Region Restore: Restore to different regions
Long-term Retention: Extended backup retention policies
Backup Encryption: Built-in encryption for backup data

Creating a Recovery Services Vault

# Create Recovery Services vault
az backup vault create \
  --name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --location eastus

# Create vault with specific redundancy
az backup vault create \
  --name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --location eastus \
  --storage-redundancy GeoRedundant

# List Recovery Services vaults
az backup vault list \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup

# Get vault details
az backup vault show \
  --name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup

Vault Configuration Options

Setting	Options	Description
Storage Redundancy	LRS, GRS, ZRS	Backup storage replication
Cross-Region Restore	Enabled, Disabled	Restore to different regions
Soft Delete	Enabled, Disabled	Protect against accidental deletion
Security Settings	Enhanced, Standard	Security features level

2. Create an Azure Backup Vault

Azure Backup vaults are the modern backup management solution, providing enhanced security, monitoring, and management capabilities for newer Azure workloads.

Azure Backup Vault Features

Enhanced Capabilities:

Enhanced Security: Immutable vaults and customer-managed keys
Centralized Monitoring: Unified backup monitoring dashboard
Cross-Region Backup: Built-in cross-region backup support
Backup Policies: Modern policy management interface
Restore Points: Multiple restore point options
Compliance: Enhanced compliance and audit capabilities

Creating an Azure Backup Vault

# Create Azure Backup vault
az dataprotection backup-vault create \
  --name myBackupVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --location eastus \
  --storage-setting '[{"type":"LocallyRedundant","datastoreType":"VaultStore"}]'

# Create vault with cross-region backup
az dataprotection backup-vault create \
  --name myBackupVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --location eastus \
  --storage-setting '[{"type":"GeoRedundant","datastoreType":"VaultStore"}]' \
  --cross-region-restore-state Enabled

# List backup vaults
az dataprotection backup-vault list \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup

# Get vault details
az dataprotection backup-vault show \
  --name myBackupVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup

3. Create and Configure a Backup Policy

Backup policies define when backups are taken, how long they are retained, and other backup-related settings. Policies can be customized based on your specific requirements.

Backup Policy Components

Policy Elements:

Backup Schedule: When backups are performed
Retention Rules: How long backups are kept
Backup Type: Full, incremental, or differential
Compression: Backup compression settings
Encryption: Backup encryption configuration
Instant Restore: Fast restore capabilities

Creating Backup Policies

# Create backup policy for VMs
az backup policy create \
  --name myVMPolicy \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --policy-type AzureIaasVM \
  --backup-management-type AzureIaasVM \
  --workload-type VM \
  --schedule-policy '{"scheduleRunFrequency":"Daily","scheduleRunTimes":["2023-01-01T02:00:00Z"],"scheduleRunDays":null}' \
  --retention-policy '{"retentionPolicyType":"LongTermRetentionPolicy","dailySchedule":{"retentionTimes":["2023-01-01T02:00:00Z"],"retentionDuration":{"count":30,"durationType":"Days"}}}'

# Create backup policy for Azure Files
az backup policy create \
  --name myFilesPolicy \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --policy-type AzureStorage \
  --backup-management-type AzureStorage \
  --workload-type AzureFileShare \
  --schedule-policy '{"scheduleRunFrequency":"Daily","scheduleRunTimes":["2023-01-01T02:00:00Z"]}' \
  --retention-policy '{"retentionPolicyType":"LongTermRetentionPolicy","dailySchedule":{"retentionTimes":["2023-01-01T02:00:00Z"],"retentionDuration":{"count":30,"durationType":"Days"}}}'

# List backup policies
az backup policy list \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault

Backup Policy Configuration

Setting	Options	Description
Backup Frequency	Daily, Weekly, Monthly	How often backups run
Retention Period	Days, Weeks, Months, Years	How long backups are kept
Backup Type	Full, Incremental	Type of backup performed
Compression	Enabled, Disabled	Backup compression

4. Perform Backup and Restore Operations by Using Azure Backup

Azure Backup provides comprehensive backup and restore capabilities for various Azure resources. Understanding the backup and restore process is essential for data protection.

Enabling Backup for VMs

# Enable backup for VM
az backup protection enable-for-vm \
  --vm myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --policy-name myVMPolicy

# Enable backup for multiple VMs
az backup protection enable-for-vm \
  --vm myVM1 myVM2 myVM3 \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --policy-name myVMPolicy

# Check backup status
az backup job list \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --output table

Backup Operations

# Trigger on-demand backup
az backup protection backup-now \
  --item-name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --container-name myVMContainer \
  --backup-type Full

# List backup items
az backup item list \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --container-name myVMContainer

# Get backup job details
az backup job show \
  --name myBackupJob \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault

Restore Operations

# List recovery points
az backup recoverypoint list \
  --item-name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --container-name myVMContainer

# Restore VM from backup
az backup restore restore-disks \
  --item-name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --container-name myVMContainer \
  --rp-name myRecoveryPoint \
  --storage-account myStorageAccount \
  --restore-to-staging-storage-account

# Restore files from VM backup
az backup restore files mount-rp \
  --item-name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --container-name myVMContainer \
  --rp-name myRecoveryPoint

Restore Options

Restore Types:

Full VM Restore: Restore entire VM from backup
Disk Restore: Restore VM disks only
File Restore: Restore individual files and folders
Cross-Region Restore: Restore to different region
Alternate Location Restore: Restore to different resource group

5. Configure Azure Site Recovery for Azure Resources

Azure Site Recovery provides disaster recovery and business continuity by replicating workloads to a secondary region and enabling failover when needed.

Site Recovery Features

Core Capabilities:

Azure-to-Azure Replication: Replicate VMs between Azure regions
On-Premises to Azure: Replicate on-premises VMs to Azure
Automated Failover: Automatic failover capabilities
Test Failover: Non-disruptive testing of failover procedures
Planned Failover: Controlled failover for maintenance
Failback: Return to primary region after failover

Setting Up Site Recovery

# Create Site Recovery vault
az backup vault create \
  --name mySiteRecoveryVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --location eastus

# Enable replication for VM
az site-recovery protected-item create \
  --fabric-name myFabric \
  --protection-container-name myContainer \
  --name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name mySiteRecoveryVault \
  --policy-name myReplicationPolicy \
  --provider-specific-details '{"instanceType":"A2A","fabricObjectId":"/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/myResourceGroup/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/myVM","fabricLocation":"eastus","recoveryResourceGroupId":"/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/myRecoveryResourceGroup","recoveryCloudServiceId":"/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/myRecoveryResourceGroup/providers/Microsoft.ClassicCompute/domainNames/myRecoveryCloudService","recoveryAvailabilitySetId":"/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/myRecoveryResourceGroup/providers/Microsoft.Compute/availabilitySets/myRecoveryAvailabilitySet"}'

# Check replication status
az site-recovery protected-item show \
  --fabric-name myFabric \
  --protection-container-name myContainer \
  --name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name mySiteRecoveryVault

6. Perform a Failover to a Secondary Region by Using Site Recovery

Failover operations allow you to switch from the primary region to the secondary region during planned maintenance or disaster scenarios.

Failover Types

Failover Options:

Test Failover: Non-disruptive testing of failover procedures
Planned Failover: Controlled failover for maintenance
Unplanned Failover: Emergency failover during disasters
Failback: Return to primary region after failover

Performing Failover Operations

# Test failover
az site-recovery protected-item failover \
  --fabric-name myFabric \
  --protection-container-name myContainer \
  --name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name mySiteRecoveryVault \
  --failover-type TestFailover \
  --provider-specific-details '{"instanceType":"A2A","recoveryPointId":"/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/myResourceGroup/providers/Microsoft.RecoveryServices/vaults/mySiteRecoveryVault/replicationFabrics/myFabric/replicationProtectionContainers/myContainer/replicationProtectedItems/myVM/recoveryPoints/myRecoveryPoint"}'

# Planned failover
az site-recovery protected-item failover \
  --fabric-name myFabric \
  --protection-container-name myContainer \
  --name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name mySiteRecoveryVault \
  --failover-type PlannedFailover

# Unplanned failover
az site-recovery protected-item failover \
  --fabric-name myFabric \
  --protection-container-name myContainer \
  --name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name mySiteRecoveryVault \
  --failover-type UnplannedFailover

# Commit failover
az site-recovery protected-item commit \
  --fabric-name myFabric \
  --protection-container-name myContainer \
  --name myVM \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name mySiteRecoveryVault

Failover Best Practices

Failover Guidelines:

Test failover procedures regularly
Document failover procedures and contacts
Monitor replication health continuously
Plan for network connectivity in secondary region
Test application functionality after failover
Plan for failback procedures

7. Configure and Interpret Reports and Alerts for Backups

Monitoring and alerting are essential for maintaining backup health and ensuring successful backup operations. Azure provides comprehensive reporting and alerting capabilities.

Backup Monitoring

Monitoring Features:

Backup Jobs: Monitor backup job status and progress
Backup Health: Overall backup service health
Storage Usage: Backup storage consumption
Recovery Points: Available recovery points
Alerts: Automated notifications for issues
Reports: Detailed backup reports and analytics

Configuring Backup Alerts

# Create backup alert rule
az monitor scheduled-query create \
  --name "Backup Failure Alert" \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --scopes /subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/myResourceGroup/providers/Microsoft.RecoveryServices/vaults/myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --condition "count 'AzureDiagnostics | where ResourceType == "BACKUPVAULTS" and status_s == "Failed"' > 0" \
  --description "Alert when backup jobs fail" \
  --evaluation-frequency 5m \
  --window-size 15m \
  --severity 1 \
  --action myActionGroup

# Create backup storage alert
az monitor metrics alert create \
  --name "Backup Storage Alert" \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --scopes /subscriptions/{subscription-id}/resourceGroups/myResourceGroup/providers/Microsoft.RecoveryServices/vaults/myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --condition "avg BackupStorageUsed > 1000" \
  --description "Alert when backup storage exceeds 1TB" \
  --evaluation-frequency 1h \
  --window-size 1h \
  --severity 2 \
  --action myActionGroup

Backup Reports

# Get backup job summary
az backup job list \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --status Completed \
  --start-date 2023-01-01 \
  --end-date 2023-01-31

# Get backup storage usage
az backup vault backup-properties show \
  --name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup

# Get backup item summary
az backup item list \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --vault-name myRecoveryServicesVault \
  --backup-management-type AzureIaasVM \
  --workload-type VM

Common Backup Alerts

Alert Type	Trigger Condition	Action
Backup Failure	Backup job fails	Investigate and retry backup
Storage Quota	Storage usage exceeds threshold	Review retention policies
Long-term Retention	Backup retention period exceeded	Review compliance requirements
Replication Health	Site Recovery replication fails	Check network connectivity

Backup and Recovery Best Practices

Implementation Guidelines:

Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies, 2 different media, 1 offsite)
Test backup and restore procedures regularly
Implement appropriate retention policies
Use cross-region backup for geographic redundancy
Monitor backup health and set up alerts
Document recovery procedures and contacts
Implement proper access controls for backup resources
Regularly review and update backup policies

Exam Tips and Key Points

Critical Exam Knowledge:

Vault Types: Understand differences between Recovery Services and Backup vaults
Backup Policies: Know policy components and configuration options
Restore Options: Understand different restore types and scenarios
Site Recovery: Know replication types and failover procedures
Monitoring: Understand backup monitoring and alerting
Best Practices: Know backup and recovery best practices
Troubleshooting: Understand common backup issues and solutions

Common Scenarios and Solutions

Real-World Scenarios:

VM Backup: Configure daily backups with 30-day retention
File Recovery: Restore individual files from VM backup
Disaster Recovery: Set up cross-region replication with Site Recovery
Compliance: Implement long-term retention for regulatory requirements
Cost Optimization: Use appropriate storage redundancy and retention
Monitoring: Set up alerts for backup failures and storage usage

Summary

Backup and recovery are essential for data protection and business continuity. This objective covers the comprehensive backup and disaster recovery capabilities in Azure:

Recovery Services vaults and Azure Backup vaults for backup management
Backup policy creation and configuration for automated backups
Backup and restore operations for various Azure resources
Azure Site Recovery for disaster recovery and business continuity
Failover procedures for planned and unplanned scenarios
Backup monitoring, reporting, and alerting capabilities
Best practices for comprehensive backup and recovery strategy

Understanding these backup and recovery concepts is essential for Azure administrators to ensure data protection, business continuity, and compliance in Azure environments.

Next Steps: Practice setting up backup policies, performing backup and restore operations, and configuring Site Recovery in the Azure portal. Test failover procedures and set up monitoring alerts to understand the complete backup and recovery ecosystem in Azure.

Understanding Azure Backup and Recovery

Backup and Recovery Components

1. Create a Recovery Services Vault

Recovery Services Vault Features

Core Capabilities:

Creating a Recovery Services Vault

Vault Configuration Options

2. Create an Azure Backup Vault

Azure Backup Vault Features

Enhanced Capabilities:

Creating an Azure Backup Vault

3. Create and Configure a Backup Policy

Backup Policy Components

Policy Elements:

Creating Backup Policies

Backup Policy Configuration

4. Perform Backup and Restore Operations by Using Azure Backup

Enabling Backup for VMs

Backup Operations

Restore Operations

Restore Options

Restore Types:

5. Configure Azure Site Recovery for Azure Resources

Site Recovery Features

Core Capabilities:

Setting Up Site Recovery

6. Perform a Failover to a Secondary Region by Using Site Recovery

Failover Types

Failover Options:

Performing Failover Operations

Failover Best Practices

Failover Guidelines:

7. Configure and Interpret Reports and Alerts for Backups

Backup Monitoring

Monitoring Features:

Configuring Backup Alerts

Backup Reports

Common Backup Alerts

Backup and Recovery Best Practices

Implementation Guidelines:

Exam Tips and Key Points

Critical Exam Knowledge:

Common Scenarios and Solutions

Real-World Scenarios:

Summary

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