Azure updates
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RSS feedApril 2022
General availability: Azure Backup now supports vault-archive tier for Azure VMs
Azure Backup now provides the capability to move long term retention (LTR) recovery points to low-cost archive tier for Azure Virtual Machines.
January 2021
Backup for Azure Managed Disk is in limited preview
Target availability: Q1 2021
Azure Backup offers snapshot lifecycle management to Azure Managed Disk by automating periodic creation of snapshot and retain it for configured duration using Backup policy.
February 2020
Backup Explorer is now in preview
Target availability: Q1 2020
Azure Backup now offers a new solution called Backup Explorer (in preview). Backup Explorer is a built-in Azure Monitor Workbook enabling you to have a single pane of glass to perform real-time monitoring across your entire backup estate on Azure.
December 2019
Azure Backup resource group for virtual machines
Azure Backup policy for virtual machines (VMs) now lets you customise the resource group name created by Backup so you can update it as your company requires.
May 2019
Network Security Group service tag for Azure Backup is now available
NSG service tag for Azure Backup aims to ease the process of running backups in an environment locked down using NSGs. With this, you now have the option to simply use the ‘AzureBackup’ tag to allow outbound access to Azure Backup for your workload (SQL server) agent running inside the VM, instead of managing whitelisting of required IPs.
November 2018
Azure Stack support for Azure Backup
Azure Stack operators can now backup and recover guest OS, data disks and volumes using Azure Backup.
October 2018
Azure Backup now supports Standard SSD Managed Disks
Target availability: Q4 2018
Azure Backup supports Standard SSD Managed Disks, a new type of durable storage for Azure virtual machines.
April 2018
Azure Backup now supports network-restricted storage accounts
Azure Backup now supports storage accounts which are secured with Azure Storage firewalls and virtual networks.
Recovery Services vault limit increased to 500 vaults per subscription per region
Recovery Services vault limit increased to 500 vaults per subscription per region.
Integration of Azure Backup into VM create experience
You can now enable backup of virtual machines while creating them from the Azure portal.
Azure Backup now supports BEK encrypted Azure virtual machines
Azure Backup now supports backup and restore of Azure virtual machines encrypted using Bitlocker Encryption Key(BEK) for managed or unmanaged disks.
OMS Monitoring solution for Azure Backup using Azure Log Analytics
Now you can use your Operations Management Suite (OMS) workspace and Azure Log Analytics to monitor backups across Recovery Services Vaults and Subscriptions.
March 2018
General availability: Support for large disk backup and improvements for backup/restore
Azure Backup now supports backup of large disks and a set of backup and restore improvements based on a new VM backup stack.
February 2018
Integration of Azure Backup into the VM creation experience
Azure Backup provides the capability to back up a virtual machine while you're creating the VM in the Azure portal.
January 2018
Azure Backup now supports BEK encrypted Azure virtual machines
Azure Backup now supports backup and restore of Azure virtual machines encrypted using Bitlocker Encryption Key(BEK) for managed or unmanaged disks.
October 2017
Instant recovery of files from Azure Linux Virtual Machine backups
Instantly restore files from Azure Linux Virtual Machine backups with no additional cost or new infrastructure by using Azure Backup. You'll be able to quickly mount an iSCSI-based recovery volume, then browse and copy the files to the destination of your choice.
August 2017
Azure Backup available in US DoD and new Azure Government regions
Azure Backup has expanded its service to cover all Azure Government regions.
July 2017
Azure Backup available in Korea
Azure Backup is now available in Korea. It's a service that you can use to back up (or protect) and restore your data in the Microsoft Cloud.
June 2017
Azure Backup for Windows Server system state
Customers will now be able to perform comprehensive, secure and reliable Windows Server recoveries. We Will be extending the data backup capabilities of the Azure Backup agent so that it will now integrate with the Windows Server Backup feature, available natively on every Windows Server.
Azure Backup—Enhanced Security
Azure Backup has built-in protection against ransomware. Through enhanced security, notifications and recoverability, Backup will provide strong mechanisms to guard against any attack on-premises or in Azure.
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