Azure Blob Storage

BDRSuite allows its users to choose their Azure Blob storage as a repository for all its backup data. Azure Blob storage, an object storage solution for the cloud from Microsoft is designed to manage huge volumes of unstructured data.

The backup data be it binary, texts, documents, videos, audios, images, etc. can be backed up and stored on the Azure Blob storage. The backup data will be stored in the form of blobs (Similar to blocks). All these blobs are organized in a container. The containers are maintained on a storage account which provides a unique namespace for all the data that is stored.

The BDRSuite backs up data in the form of chunks. These chunks will be stored on a temporary cache location which the user has to provide while configuring any object storage repository type.

Note: This cache location should be a locally available drive.

BDRSuite will recognize the repository type using the global repo ID. While the backup job is progressing all the chunks from the cache location will be uploaded to the Azure Blob storage. Once the upload to the Azure Blob storage is complete, the locally stored chunks in the cache will be removed. Ultimately having the back up data stored on the Azure Blob storage.

Note: If the primary backup job is stored in any of the object storage repositories then Offsite Copy/DR and Backup Copy for those backup jobs is not supported(Neither Block nor Object storage repository). But if the primary backup job is chosen to be stored on a block storage repository then Offsite Copy/DR and Backup Copy for those backup jobs is supported (Can be stored on either Block or Object storage repository) .

Setting up Azure Blob Storage as backup repository

Step 1: Log in to the BDRSuite Server console. Navigate to the Backup Server tab -> Object Storage and click on the ‘Create New Object Storage Repository’ button on the page that opens.

Step 2: Enter the following details;

In the Repository Name field, specify a name for the new object storage repository.
For the Repository Type, choose Azure Blob Storage.
The Service Endpoint field is auto-filled which establishes a secure connection between the Azure Blob storage account and the BDRSuite Backup Server.

Step 3: From the Credentials drop-down list, select user credentials to access your Azure Blob storage account if you have already added the Azure Blob Storage credentials. Otherwise, click Add New Credential button which opens a dialog box and enter the following details;

Specify a credential name to identify your credential record, and provide the Storage Account Name & Access Key of your Azure Blob Storage Account.
You can manage the Azure Blob Credentials from Backup Server tab -> Credential Management -> Azure Blob Storage.

Step 4: From the Container drop-down list, select a container. Make sure that the container where you want to store your backup data was created in advance.

Step 5: Choose a cache location to store backup data temporarily before uploading to Azure Blob Storage. Local drives and Network drives added to the BDRSuite Server will be shown in the dropdown list which can be selected as Cache Location.

Step 6: Once all the fields are configured, click the ‘Create’ button upon which the Azure Blob will be added as Backup Repository.

The created Azure Blob Repository can be set as default storage to store the backup data of all jobs configured in the BDRSuite Backup Server (or) you can select the repository for specific jobs during the backup job configuration.

Note: BDRSuite supports Azure Blob Storage to store primary backup data, secondary backup copies, and offsite backups as well. Backups for VMware VMs, Hyper-V VMs, Windows Servers, Linux, Endpoints (Windows & mac), Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace can be configured using BDRSuite and store their data on Azure Blob Storage.

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