Azure Backup instant file recovery

Backup will introduce restore-as-a-service, so you'll be able to instantly restore files and folders from cloud-based recovery points.

Instant restore will provide a writeable snapshot of a cloud-based recovery point, which could be quickly mounted as iSCSI-based recovery volumes. You'll be able to simply browse through the files using your regular file explorer and copy them to the destination of your choice. With this feature, Backup will provide:

• ·        One restore mechanism for all backup sources. Whether you'll be backing up on-premises data to the cloud by using an Azure Backup agent, or protecting virtual machines with Azure Virtual Machine backup, a consistent approach is provided for file restore.
• ·        Instant recovery of files. Whether it’s a case of accidental file deletion or simply validating the backup, instant restore will drastically reduce the time needed to recover your first file.
• ·        Ability to open and review files in the recovery volumes before restoring them. You'll be able to open application files such as SQL and Oracle directly from cloud recovery-point snapshots as if they are present locally, and attach them to live instances without having to first restore them.
• ·        Recovery of any combination of files to any target. Restoration of multiple files from multiple folders to a local server, or even to a network share of your choice, will be possible.

Backup instant recovery will be available in preview for customers of Backup agents and Virtual Machine backup (Windows Virtual Machines).

For more information, please visit the Azure blog and see documentation for file recovery from Azure Virtual Machine backup and file recovery from Azure Backup agent.