Extracting the Software Package- Understanding Disaster Recovery

After all the files have been downloaded, click MicrosoftAzureBackupInstaller.exe.

This will start the Microsoft Azure Backup Setup Wizard. Continue through the wizard and click the Extract button. You need at least 4 GB of free space to extract the setup files. When done, check the box to launch the extracted setup.exe to begin installing Microsoft Azure Backup Server and click the Finish button.

Installing the Software Package

To install the software package, perform the following:

1. Select Microsoft Azure Backup to launch the setup wizard.
2. On the Welcome screen, click Next. This takes you to the Prerequisite Checks section, as shown in Figure 17.28. On this screen, click Check to determine if the hardware and software prerequisites for Azure Backup Server have been met. If all prerequisites are met successfully, you’ll see a message indicating that the machine meets the requirements. Click Next.

FIGURE 17.28 Microsoft Azure Backup Setup – Prerequisite Checks

3. The Azure Backup Server installation package comes with the SQL Server binaries. On the SQL Settings page, when starting a new Azure Backup Server installation, select the option Install New Instance Of SQL Server With This Setup and click the Check And Install button. Once the prerequisites are successfully installed, click Next.

4. On the Installation Settings page, select a location for the installation and click Next.

5. On the Security Settings page, type a password and then click Next.

6. On the Microsoft Update Opt- In page, select whether you want to use Microsoft Update to check for updates and click Next.

7. On the Summary of Settings page, review your settings and click Install.

8. The installation happens in phases. In the first phase, the MARS Agent is installed on the server. The wizard also checks for Internet connectivity. If available, you can continue with the installation. If not, you need to provide proxy details to connect to the Internet.

9. The next step is to configure the Microsoft Azure Recovery Services (MARS) Agent. We discussed how to do this earlier in this chapter. In the Register Server Wizard, supply the Vault Identification information, Encryption Settings, and Server Registration.

10. Once registration of the MABS finishes, the setup wizard will proceed with the installation and configuration of SQL Server and the Azure Backup Server components.

11. When the installation is done, a desktop icon will be created. To launch, double- click the desktop icon.

Install and Update the Data Protection Manager (DPM)

Protection Agent

MABS comes with the System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM), which is a software package that provides data protection and data recovery in Microsoft Windows environments. MABS uses the DPM protection agent. Here are the steps to install the protection agent for client computers:

1. In the Backup Server Administrator Console, select Management ➢ Agents.
2. In the display pane, select the client computers that you want to update the protection agent on.
3. To install updated protection agents on the selected computers, in the Actions pane, click Update.
4. If a client computer isn’t connected to the network, the Agent Status column will show an Update Pending status. Once connected to the network, the status will show Updating.

Restore Files to Windows Server Using the MARS Agent

You can use the Recover Data wizard in the MARS Agent to restore data. I discussed the MARS Agent earlier in this chapter. You can restore data to the same machine where the backup was taken or you can restore to a different machine.

You can use the Instant Restore feature to mount a writeable recovery point snapshot as a recovery volume. Then, you can select the files that you want to restore and copy the files to the local machine.

Use Instant Restore to Recover Data to the Same Machine

If you accidentally delete a file and you want to restore it to the same machine, perform the following steps to recover the file. This restore has to be on the same machine where the backup was taken.

1. Open the Microsoft Azure Backup snap- in. If you don’t know where the snap- in was installed, just search the computer or server for Microsoft Azure Backup.
2. Click Recover Data to start the wizard, as shown in Figure 17.29.

FIGURE 17.29 Microsoft Azure Backup Actions

3. On the Getting Started page, to restore the data to the same server or computer, select This Server ( <server name> ) and then click Next, as shown in Figure 17.30.

FIGURE 17.30 Recover Data Wizard – Getting Started

4. On the Select Recovery Mode page, choose Individual Files And Folders and then click Next, as shown in Figure 17.31.

FIGURE 17.31 Recover Data Wizard – Select Recovery Mode

5. On the Select Volume And Date page, select the volume that contains the files and folders you want to restore. On the calendar, you can select a recovery point.

6. After choosing the recovery point to restore, click Mount.

7. On the Browse And Recover Files page, click Browse to open Windows Explorer, and locate the files and folders you want to restore.

8. In Windows Explorer, copy the files and folders you want to restore, and paste them to any location local to the server or computer.

9. When you are done restoring your desired files and folders, on the Browse And Recover Files page, click Unmount. Then select Yes to confirm that you want to unmount the volume, as shown in Figure 17.32.

FIGURE 17.32 Recover Data Wizard – Browse And Recover Files