What backups are being done for my Azure database?

Owned by Beth Blok (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jul 21, 2017 by Mike Sheen
2 min read

Question

I am running my Jiwa database on the Azure platform.  What backup is being done and how safe is that process?

 

Answer

This Microsoft article explains it best. As a general rule, databases are automatically backed up every 5 to 10 minutes, and you can restore your database to any point in time within the retention period relating to the service tier the database is running at (between 7 and 35 days).  Long term backup retention of up to 10 years is an option which can be enabled, starting at $6 AUD per month for a 50GB database.

In addition to the backups, you should be aware of what having a SQL Azure database entails. Your database is actually replicated in real-time to 3 different SQL servers in the same data center (known as local redundancy). Each SQL server is in a different fault zone - meaning they each have different power feeds, routers, et cetera - they are physically separated in different rows of the data center. More details here.

If one or two of the SQL Servers hosting your database fails, then the faulty server is removed and a new SQL Server is provisioned automatically and gets a copy of your database from a remaining healthy server and begins replicating your transactions - this happens transparently to you, and in real-time.  You also have the option of georedundancy - meaning you can replicate the database to a geographically different Azure data center - but there is an additional cost for that - 75% of your primary SQL Azure database costs.

Because Azure data centers have stringent physical security controls and access protocols - and this coupled with the local redundancy makes your data safer than what any normal business could provide.