Change Azure Backup Vault Redundancy

Question

We use Azure Backup and set our backup vaults to use GRS. We want to use LRS instead. It is understood that this cannot be changed once machines have been added to the vault, and we need to start from scratch. Two questions:

1. Do I need to remove the current vault first before I set up a new vault for that same server?

2. Can the current backups be transferred to the new vault?

Answer 1

Changing a Recovery Service Vault's storage replication type can be achieved via the Portal or PowerShell. Unfortunately, this option is greyed-out in the Portal, and whilst the cmdlet successfully executes, it doesn't change the underlying value: if there is one or more Protected Instances already contained in the vault.

Because of this, and because the default value is GeoRedundant, this must be set before any items have been protected.

To set the storage to Locally Redundant via the Portal:

• Create/Open the Recovery Services Vault
• Scroll-down and select Backup Infrastructure
• Select Backup Configuration
• Set Storage replication type to Locally-redundant

To achieve the same via PowerShell:

$RG = 'testResourceGroup'
$VaultName = 'testVault'
$Location = 'Central US'

$vault = Get-AzureRmRecoveryServicesVault -ResourceGroupName $RG -Name $VaultName
If (-not $vault) {
    $vault = New-AzureRmRecoveryServicesVault -ResourceGroupName $RG -Location $Location -Name $VaultName
}
Set-AzureRmRecoveryServicesBackupProperties -Vault $vault -BackupStorageRedundancy LocallyRedundant

With regards removing existing vaults and transferring existing backup points:

1. The existing vault does not need to be deleted, however any protected items will need to be removed from the vault before they can be added to a new vault. It is not sufficient to simply stop backup on the protected item - all the restore points must also be deleted before the item can be added to the new vault
2. I cannot find any documentation, facility in the Portal or PowerShell which would allow the migration of existing protected items and/or restore points

Answer 2

The only way I've been able to change from Geo-Redundant Storage (GRS) to Locally Redundant Storage (LRS) is to create a new empty vault in the old portal (https://manage.windowsazure.com).

In the old portal you can change storage type in "Configuration".

I expect you will also be able to do it with PowerShell, but haven't tried it though.

Answer 3

You can register your server with 1 vault. In order to register your server with the new vault, you need to use the new vault credentials downloaded from manage.windowsazure.com

You can have multiple vaults. If you do not use your current vault in the future, it will stay there. You have to pay for each vault. So, if you don't need it in the future, it may be better to remove it completely.

There is a comprehensive documentation here: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/services/backup/