Configuring Windows Online Backup
Storing your backups in the cloud allows you to retrieve them from any location where you have Internet access as well as provides you with an offsite storage location to protect against disasters.
Windows Azure Online Backup is a feature available with Windows Server 2012 that allows you to back up your files and folders to the Windows Azure Online Backup service. Windows Azure is a cloud-based storage service managed by Microsoft. The backups are compressed, which means the backup is smaller and reduces bandwidth requirements. The backups are also encrypted to protect the data while it's stored. Storing your data in the cloud allows you to recover it from any location that has Internet access and provides offsite protection against disasters (for example, floods, earthquakes, fire, and theft).
A Windows Azure Backup Online Agent, installed on each server and integrated with the Windows Server Backup console, connects to the Windows Azure Online Backup service and transfers file and folder data. Prior to transferring the data, the agent compresses and encrypts it using a passphrase you create during setup. The agent, which is an add-on for Windows Server 2012, can also be integrated with System Center 2012 (SP1) DPM.
When using Windows Online Backups, you need to keep the following in mind:
- It's only used with Windows Server 2012.
- If BitLocker is enabled to protect your data files, it must be turned off for the software agent to back up your data files.
- You can back up only files and folders (data); system state and system drives are not supported.
There are eight steps to get a server up and running with Windows Online Backup.
- Install and enable the Windows Server Backup feature on each server you want to back up.
- Register and set up an account for the Windows Azure Online Backup service.
- Sign in with the account you created and download the Windows Azure Online Backup Agent.
- Install the Windows Azure Online Backup Agent and verify the installation.
- Register your server with the Windows Azure Online Backup service.
- Set up a backup schedule.
- Select the data you want to back up along with its retention period.
- Run the backup.
SET UP A WINDOWS AZURE ONLINE ACCOUNT
To set up a Windows Azure Online account, perform the following steps on Server01:
- Log onto Server01 with administrative credentials.
- Open a browser and go to the Windows Azure Set Up website to set up your account for Windows Azure Online Backups.
- Select the try it link at the bottom of the page.
- Enter the information needed to create an identity for your organization, and then click the check availability button. Once availability is confirmed, proceed to the next step.
- Enter a New User ID and password, and then click the Accept and Continue button to continue and complete the registration process.
Note: An Internet connection is required to perform this article.
Note:
The prerequisites for the agent include Windows PowerShell (installed by default with Windows Server 2012) and Microsoft Online Sign-In Assistant (installed during the setup of the agent).
DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE WINDOWS AZURE ONLINE BACKUP AGENT
To download and install the Windows Azure Online Backup Agent, perform the following steps on Server01:
- Log onto Server01 with administrative credentials.
- Open a browser and go to the Windows Azure Online Backup website (try https://portal.onlinebackup.microsoft.com).
- Enter the UserID and password you created when setting up the Windows Azure Online account and click Sign in.
- Select Setup from the menu and then click Download and Install.
- Select Run when prompted to install the OBSInstaller.exe from download.microsoft.com.
- Select I accept the terms of the Supplemental Notice and click OK.
- Review the Prerequisites Check and click Next.
- Click Next to accept the default installation folder and cache folder locations.
- Select Use Microsoft Update when I check for updates (recommended) and click Install.
- Accept the terms presented in the Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant License Agreement and click Install.
- Click Finish. The agent along with prerequisites will now be installed.
- Click Finish when the installation completes successfully. If you don't want to check for Windows Updates, uncheck the Windows Update option before proceeding. If you leave the box checked, Windows Update will check and download any applicable updates and prompt you to install them.
- Verify that the Windows Azure Online Backup Agent is installed by opening Server Manager → Tools → Windows Server Backup.
- Confirm that Online Backup appears in the left pane as a menu option.
REGISTER THE SERVER WITH THE WINDOWS AZURE ONLINE BACKUP SERVICE
To register Server01 with the Windows Azure Online Backup service, perform the following steps:
- From the Actions panel on the right, select Register Server.
- Enter the address/port and user ID/password if you connect to the Internet using a proxy server and/or click Next.
- Enter and confirm a passphrase (minimum of 16 characters) or click Generate Passphrase to use to encrypt and decrypt backups from this server.
- Select Browse and then create a folder on your desktop named Passphrase . Click Next to continue. In a production environment, you should save this passphrase to a USB drive or network share that is secure.
- Enter your user ID and password and click Register to register your server as part of the Windows Azure Online Backup subscription account. This is the user ID and password you confi gured during the registration process previously.
- Select Close after reviewing the location of your encryption passphrase.
SCHEDULE A WINDOWS AZURE ONLINE BACKUP
To back up a data folder on Server01 using the Windows Azure Online Backup service, perform the following steps:
- Open the Windows Server Backup console if it is not already open.
- Select Online Backup form the menu on the left.
- Select Schedule Backup under the Actions\Online Backup panel.
- Click Next when the wizard launches.
- On the Select Items to Backup screen, select Add Items .
- Expand the C: drive, select OnlineBackups , and then click OK.
- Click Next to continue.
- Select the current day for your backup.
- Select an available time that is closest to your current time and click Add to move it to the scheduled time for your backup. Click Next.
- Confirm the retention period is set to its default (7 days) and click Next . Windows Azure Online also supports retention periods of 15 and 30 days.
- Review your selections and then click Finish . Windows Azure Online Backup has a limit of 825 GB per volume of data that can be backed up in one backup operation.
- Select Close when notifi ed that the Online Backup was scheduled successfully.
Upon completion of the backup, you see the message, under the Jobs tab. If you don't want to wait for the scheduled backup to occur, you can right-click Online Backup from the Action pane and select Backup now from the menu that appears. The Alerts tab provides information regarding problems you need to address as well as a message when there is a new version of the Windows Azure Online Backup Agent available for download.
OPTIMIZING YOUR ONLINE BACKUPS
During the backup process, Windows uses your network along with Internet bandwidth. As with any backup, it's always a good idea to run it outside of your normal work hours but if that is not an option, you can make some adjustments to control how the Windows Azure Backup Agent uses the bandwidth during certain days and times.
To fine-tune these settings, you can access the Change Properties link under the Actions\ Online Backup panel. From there, you can click the Throttling tab to make the necessary adjustments.
You will also notice tabs for Encryption and Proxy Configurations. Use the Encryption tab to change the passphrase and where it is stored and the Proxy Configuration tab to make changes to the address/port and User ID/Password settings.
MONITORING THE HEALTH STATUS OF YOUR WINDOWS AZURE ONLINE BACKUP SERVICE
You learned the process for downloading and installing the Windows Azure Online Backup Agent. This involved logging into the Windows Azure dashboard located on the Microsoft Online Backup website and accessing the download link under the setup menu.
