The Azure Stack Hub App Service is a flexible, secure, and scalable platform for building, deploying, and running web apps, mobile back ends, and restful APIs. To prevent data loss, Microsoft recommends that the App Service resource provider be backed up, including the master key that encrypts all other encryption keys in App Service management. This can be achieved using the ‘BackupSecrets’ PowerShell cmdlet.
An example is as follows:
$cert = New-SelfSignedCertificate -Subject “CN=App Service backup cert” -KeyLength 2048 -KeyAlgorithm RSA -NotAfter (Get-Date).AddYears(2)
Export-Certificate -Cert $cert -FilePath C:\temp\appservicebackupcert.cer
Export-PfxCertificate -Cert $cert -FilePath C:\temp\appservicebackupcert.pfx -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString -String “your_password” -Force -AsPlainText)
Backup-AzAppServicePlan -ResourceGroupName “YourResourceGroup” -Name “YourAppServicePlan” -BackupDate (Get-Date) -CertPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -String “your_password” -Force -AsPlainText)
In this script:
- A self-signed certificate is created.
- The certificate is exported into .cer and .pfx files.
- The ‘Backup-AzAppServicePlan’ cmdlet is used to back up the App Service resource provider, including the master key.
Please replace the placeholders with the name of your resource group and App Service plan.
Backing Up SQL Databases
Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service that provides capabilities to store, retrieval data and run queries. It can be backed up by creating a backup-retention policy and a long-term retention policy.
$resourceGroupName = “myResourceGroup”
$serverName = “myServer”
$databaseName = “myDatabase”
# Define the retention policy
$policy = New-AzSqlDatabaseBackupLongTermRetentionPolicy -CurrentBackupStorageRedundancy “Geo” -LongTermRetentionPolicyState “Enabled” -WeeklyRetention “P1W” -MonthlyRetention “P1M” -YearlyRetention “P1Y” -WeekOfYear 4
# Apply the policy
Get-AzSqlDatabase -ResourceGroupName $resourceGroupName -ServerName $serverName -DatabaseName $databaseName | Set-AzSqlDatabaseLongTermRetentionPolicy -Policy $policy
In this code snippet:
- It first creates a new retention policy specifying several parameters: `CurrentBackupStorageRedundancy`, `LongTermRetentionPolicyState`, `WeeklyRetention`, `MonthlyRetention`, `YearlyRetention`, and `WeekOfYear`.
- Afterwards, the `Set-AzSqlDatabaseLongTermRetentionPolicy` command applies the retention policy to a specific database.
Backing up File Server Share
The process of taking backups of file shares involves creating a Recovery Services vault, creating a protected file share, and defining a backup policy.
Use the `New-AzRecoveryServicesVault` cmdlet to create a new vault:
$location = “West Europe”
$resourceGroupName = “myResourceGroup”
$vaultName = “myVault”
New-AzRecoveryServicesVault -Name $vaultName -ResourceGroupName $resourceGroupName -Location $location
Then, use the `Set-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectionPolicy` cmdlet to create and apply a backup policy.
$policy = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectionPolicy -VaultId $vaultId -Name “DefaultPolicy”
Set-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectionPolicy -VaultId $vaultId -Datasource $fileShare -Policy $policy
In the code snippet above, the DefaultPolicy is applied to the file share.
All the scripts provided in this post require Azure PowerShell module. You can download the module and learn more about each cmdlet execute from the official Microsoft documentation.
Understanding how to successfully back up App Service resource providers, SQL databases and file server shares are essential objectives for the AZ-600 exam. The samples provided here are a starting point and do not represent exhaustive configurations. As you prepare for this certification, remember to dig deep into each area and understand additional configurations and capabilities provided by Azure Stack Hub.
Practice Test
True or False: You can back up App Service resource providers, including SQL databases, file server share, and secrets on Azure Stack Hub.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure Stack Hub, which offers a suite of comprehensive backup solutions, enables you to back up App Service resource providers as well as other resources.
Which of the following is not the component of Azure App Service?
- A. Web Apps
- B. Mobile Apps
- C. API Apps
- D. AI Apps
Answer: D. AI Apps
Explanation: Azure App Service includes Web Apps, Mobile Apps, API Apps, but doesn’t include AI Apps specifically, those are managed through Azure Machine Learning Services.
True or False: Database backups in Azure automatically include a backup of associated secrets.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Secrets need to be managed and backed up separately. Azure Key Vault is a good service for managing and securing secrets.
Multiple Select: What are the possible targets for backups in Azure?
- A. SQL databases
- B. Azure file share
- C. Secrets stored in Azure Key Vault
- D. Local file system
Answer: A. SQL databases, B. Azure file share, C. Secrets stored in Azure Key Vault
Explanation: Azure supports backing up SQL databases, Azure file shares, and secrets stored in Azure Key Vault. Azure does not support the backup of the local file system.
Which of the following services can be used to manage and secure secrets in Azure?
- A. Azure Logic Apps
- B. Azure Function
- C. Azure Key Vault
- D. Azure Data Factory
Answer: C. Azure Key Vault
Explanation: Azure Key Vault is a service that helps securely store and tightly control access to secrets.
True or False: You cannot back up your Azure SQL Databases directly from the Azure portal.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: You can configure, monitor, and restore Azure SQL Database backups directly from the Azure portal.
In what format are Azure SQL Database backups stored?
- A. CSV
- B. BACPAC
- C. XML
- D. XLSX
Answer: B. BACPAC
Explanation: Azure SQL Database backups are stored as BACPAC files.
Can Azure File Share snapshots be used as a backup solution?
- A. Yes
- B. No
Answer: A. Yes
Explanation: Azure File Share snapshots can be used as a form of point-in-time backup and can be automated using AzCopy, PowerShell or Azure Backup.
Is it possible to backup secrets stored in Azure Key Vault?
- A. Yes
- B. No
Answer: A. Yes
Explanation: Azure Key Vault provides the capability to backup and restore secrets for business continuity and disaster recovery.
True or False: It is recommend to rely solely on automated backups for your Azure SQL Database.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: While automated backups are a critical part of database management, it’s also important to perform manual backups as a failsafe and for point-in-time recovery.
Which Azure service can be used for the backup of Azure File Share?
- A. Azure File Sync
- B. Azure Data Lake
- C. Azure Storage
- D. Azure Backup
Answer: D. Azure Backup
Explanation: Azure Backup allows you to backup Azure File Share and restore files from there.
Interview Questions
What is the primary function of the Azure Backup Service?
The Azure Backup Service provides scalable, secure, and management-free solutions for backing up your Azure resources. It can back up SQL databases, file server shares, and secrets among other resources.
How can you back up an App Service in Azure?
You can back up an App Service by going into the Azure portal, then the App Service that you want to back up, then visit the “Backups” section. There, you can create and configure a backup plan for the App Service.
Can Azure’s Backup Service be used for SQL databases?
Yes, Azure’s Backup Service can be used to perform automated backups of SQL databases, which can then be restored to a previous state when required.
How can the Azure Backup Service be used to back up a file server share?
Azure Backup Service uses the Azure Backup agent, or Microsoft Azure Recovery Services (MARS) agent, to back up files and folders on the Azure file share. It can create recovery points of the files and folders and restore them as needed.
What is Azure Key Vault, and how does it relate to secrets backup in Azure?
Azure Key Vault is a service for securely storing and accessing secrets. Azure Backup can be used to back up these keys, secrets, and certificates stored in the Azure Key Vault.
What are the steps to configure a backup schedule in Azure Backup?
The steps include selecting the Backup policy while setting up the backup configuration. You specify the frequency of backups, the time of the backups, and how long to retain the backups in this policy.
How can you restore a SQL Database in Azure?
You can restore a SQL Database in Azure by going to the Recovery Services Vault, selecting the SQL Server that you want to restore, then choosing the backup copy that you want to restore from. This will create a new database from the backup copy.
Can Azure Backup Service be used to back up on-premises resources?
Yes, Azure Backup Service can back up on-premises resources. Azure Backup Server can protect SQL Server, SharePoint Server, Exchange, and Windows clients.
What data encryption options does Azure Backup offer for backing up data?
Azure Backup encrypts the data at rest using 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption and also supports encryption during transit using HTTPS.
How often can Azure Backup Service perform backups?
Azure Backup service can perform backups as frequently as every 15 minutes for Azure Virtual Machines and multiple times a day for other resources such as SQL databases, depending on the user’s configuration.
How long can Azure Backup retain the data?
Azure Backup can retain the backup data for up to 99 years depending on the user’s requirements and settings.
How can you monitor the jobs running in Azure Backup?
Jobs in Azure Backup can be monitored using Azure Monitor, which allows you to view the status and details of backup jobs, set up alerts and notifications, and troubleshoot issues.
What is an Azure Recovery Services Vault?
An Azure Recovery Services vault is a storage entity in Azure that houses data such as backups and backup policies. It provides a secure and scalable solution to store backups of Azure resources.
What happens if a backup operation fails in Azure Backup?
If a backup operation fails in Azure Backup, an error message is generated detailing the reason for the failure. This information can be used to troubleshoot and fix the issues causing the failure.
Can Azure Backup Service compress the data?
Yes, Azure Backup Service compresses the data which results in efficient use of storage and reduced backup time.
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