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Back Up and Restore Azure SQL Databases

You can use the Commvault software to back up and restore Azure SQL Server databases.

Only full backups are supported for Azure SQL instances. You can run back up and restore operations on Azure SQL instances that use Azure private links.

Important

Commvault software supports Azure for public clouds only. Sovereign clouds, such as in Germany or China, are not supported. For more information, go to Azure Regions Decision Guide on the Microsoft documentation website.

Note: When you restore an on-premises database to the Azure cloud, the restored database uses the standard tier model.

Configuration Prerequisites

The solution includes the following components:

  • An Azure SQL instance

  • The ports open to access the Azure cloud. These ports are required to perform management operations on Azure databases.

    Commvault software does not support a storage that is behind a firewall.

    Ask your network administrator to open the following ports:

    • Open TCP ports 8443 and 443 to https://management.azure.com.

    • Open TCP port 1433 to *.database.windows.net.

      Note

      Depending on your Azure environment, you may need to open additional ports. For more information, see Microsoft documentation, Granting access to Azure SQL Database and SQL Data Warehouse.

  • The password for Azure SQL Server administrator must not contain special characters, such as double quotes (") and back slash (\).

  • Verify that the client that you plan to use as the access node has a Windows operating system.

If the client accesses Azure through a proxy server, then the user that runs the Commvault services must have the proxy setting configured through Internet Explorer. If the Commvault services run under a Local System account, then perform the following steps to set the proxy settings:

  • Run the command psexec.exe -i -s -d cmd.exe to open a CMD window with the Local System account.

  • Confirm the command by running whoami.exe.

  • Run the iexplore.exe command to set the proxy server.

Note

Best Practice: Verify that the SQL server on the proxy client runs the latest SQL server release to make sure that the proxy server is in sync with the Azure instance. (Azure always has the latest SQL version.) Add the SQL server instance to the CommCell Console or the Command Center.

You do not require Microsoft SQL Server for Azure cloud backups or restores to the Azure cloud. You will require Microsoft SQL server installation on the proxy computer only when you are restoring an on-premise backup to the Azure cloud.

Allow Resources To Communicate for Backup And Restore Operations

If the staging path (DacFx) method is not used, the Azure resources, such as the SQL instance, should have the “Allow Azure services and resources to access this server” option enabled in order for these resources to be allowed to communicate for backup and restore operations. For more information about this option, go to "Import Export Service" on the Microsoft Azure website.

Supported TLS Version

The software supports database protection operations on TLS version 1.2.

Configuration

Note

If you upgraded from Service Pack 9 or Service Pack 10, then you can continue to use your existing client for backup and restore operations. You must create pseudo-clients for any additional Azure instances that you want to protect.

  1. Add a pseudo-client for the Azure account. For more information, see Creating a Pseudo-Client for an Azure Account.

    An account can contain multiple Azure SQL instances.

  2. Add a SQL server to the pseudo-client for each Azure instance that you want to protect. For more information, see Configuring an Azure SQL Instance.

Backups

Perform a backup operation. For more information, see Backing Up SQL Databases on an Azure Cloud.

Restores

Determine your restore source and destination, and then perform one of the following restore operations:

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