AVS MABS Backup Server

Summary

This Azure Quick Hits video tutorial guides viewers through configuring Microsoft Azure Backup Server for AVS environment backup and restoration. It covers setting up short-term storage, creating a Recovery Services Vault, downloading and installing Azure Backup Server, and setting up secure connections to vCenter. The tutorial also includes installing .NET 3.5 Suite, registering the server with the Azure Backup Vault, and enabling TLS 1.2. The next video will demonstrate protecting and recovering workloads.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The video is a tutorial on configuring Microsoft Azure Backup Server for backing up and restoring workloads from AVS.
• 💻 The lab setup consists of an AVS environment with two machines, mg server one and O2, connected through ExpressRoute to a vWAN hub.
• 🔗 There are two peered V-nets, one with a domain controller and the other with the backup server, and a Recovery Services Vault for long-term storage.
• 📝 The first task is to determine the disk size needed for short-term storage, which is calculated using a linked tool in the comments.
• 🖥️ The Azure Backup Server is pre-created, and the process includes adding a disk for online storage and formatting it through the Windows interface.
• 🛡️ The Recovery Services Vault is created in the Azure portal, ensuring it's in the same region as the AVS environment for optimal performance.
• 📥 The Azure Backup Server software is downloaded from the Azure portal, and all necessary files are selected for the installation.
• 🔄 Pre-requisites for the Azure Backup Server installation include .NET 3.5 Suite, which is installed through the Server Manager.
• 🔄 PowerShell must be installed on the system, and if not present, the computer needs to be restarted to complete the installation.
• 🔑 After installation, the server must be registered with the Azure Backup Vault using downloaded vault credentials.
• 🔗 A secure connection to the vCenter server is established by importing the root CA certificates and enabling TLS 1.2 on the backup server.
• 🛠️ The final steps include adding VMware credentials and vCenter server details to the Azure Backup Server for successful connection and configuration.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video series?

The main topic of the video series is to demonstrate how to configure the Microsoft Azure Backup Server for backing up and restoring workloads from AVS (Azure VMware Solution).

What is the purpose of the AVS Azure Backup Server?

The AVS Azure Backup Server is used for short-term storage of backups, typically for 5 to 7 days of online storage, within the AVS environment.

How is the size of the disk for short-term storage determined?

The size of the disk for short-term storage is determined using a tool linked in the comments of the video, which helps calculate the required disk size based on the backup needs.

What is a Recovery Services Vault and why is it needed?

A Recovery Services Vault is a storage entity in Azure where long-term storage of backups is maintained. It is needed to store the backups from the AVS Azure Backup Server.

Why is it important to install .NET 3.5 Suite on the server?

The .NET 3.5 Suite is a prerequisite for the Microsoft Azure Backup Server installation and is required for the proper functioning of the backup server.

What is the role of PowerShell in the installation process of the Azure Backup Server?

PowerShell is a necessary component for the installation process, and the video script mentions that an error message indicates PowerShell must be installed before proceeding with the Azure Backup Server installation.

What is the significance of the root CA certificates downloaded from the vCenter server?

The root CA certificates are crucial for establishing a secure connection between the Azure Backup Server and the vCenter server, ensuring encrypted communication.

Why is TLS 1.2 enabled on the backup server?

TLS 1.2 is enabled to ensure secure communication between the Azure Backup Server and the vCenter server, as it is a secure protocol for data transmission.

What is the process of adding a vCenter server to the Azure Backup Server?

The process involves navigating to the Production Servers section, selecting Manage VMware, adding credentials, and then adding the vCenter server with its IP address and the previously created credentials.

What is the next step after configuring the Azure Backup Server as shown in the video?

The next step, as mentioned in the video, is to use protection recovery to protect the workloads and then demonstrate the recovery process in the subsequent video.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Configuring Azure Backup Server for AVS Workloads

The video script begins with an introduction to the Azure quick hits series, focusing on setting up the Microsoft Azure backup server for AVS environments. The lab setup consists of two machines, mg server one and O2, connected to a vWAN hub via ExpressRoute, with one hub in West US. The script details the process of adding a disk for short-term storage, calculating the required disk size using a linked tool, and creating a Recovery Services Vault in the Azure portal. It also guides through the installation of the Azure Backup Server, including downloading necessary files, installing prerequisites like .NET 3.5 Suite, and configuring the server with SQL and PowerShell.

05:03

🔐 Registering Server with Azure Backup Vault and Enabling TLS

This paragraph continues the setup process by explaining how to register the server with the Azure backup Vault. It involves downloading vault credentials from the Azure portal and installing the Azure recovery service agent on the server. The script also covers the necessity of a recovery passphrase and the importance of storing it securely. Additionally, it describes the process of enabling TLS 1.2 on the backup server by merging a registry file, which is crucial for secure communication with the vCenter server.

10:04

🔄 Establishing Secure Connection and Configuring VMware Protection

The final paragraph of the script outlines the steps to create a secure connection to the vCenter server by importing the root CA certificates and installing them on the local machine. It then proceeds to configure the VMware protection by adding credentials for the AVS backup account and connecting to the vCenter server using the server's IP address and the previously added credentials. The script concludes by demonstrating the successful connection and setup of the Azure Backup Server, with a teaser for the next video that will cover protecting and recovering workloads.

Keywords

💡Azure

Azure is a cloud computing service created by Microsoft for building, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers. In the video, Azure is the platform used to configure the backup server and Recovery Services Vault for backing up and restoring VMware workloads from AVS.

💡Backup Server

A backup server is a dedicated system used to store and manage backups of data from other servers and applications. In the context of the video, the Microsoft Azure backup server is configured to handle short-term storage for online backups of VMware workloads within an AVS environment.

💡Recovery Services Vault

The Recovery Services Vault is an Azure service that safeguards and organizes backups and restores for Azure VMs. The video describes the creation and configuration of this vault to store long-term backups from the AVS environment.

💡AVS (Azure VMware Solution)

Azure VMware Solution (AVS) is a service offered by Microsoft and VMware that enables customers to run VMware workloads in Azure. The script refers to an AVS environment with two machines that need to be backed up using the Azure backup server.

💡Express Route

Express Route is a dedicated private connection from on-premises infrastructure to Azure, ensuring reliable and fast data transfer. In the script, it is mentioned as the connection method between the AVS environment and the vWAN hub.

💡vWAN Hub

A vWAN Hub in Azure is a networking component that acts as a central point for secure, private connectivity between different virtual networks. The script describes a scenario where the AVS environment is connected to a vWAN hub via Express Route.

💡VMware Virtual Machine

A VMware virtual machine (VM) is a software emulation of a physical computer that runs an operating system and applications as if they were installed on a physical machine. The video script discusses backing up VMware VMs using the Azure backup server.

💡TLS (Transport Layer Security)

TLS is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide secure communication over a computer network. In the script, enabling TLS 1.2 on the backup server is a step to ensure a secure connection to the vCenter server.

💡vCenter Server

vCenter Server is a centralized platform for managing VMware vSphere environments. The script describes the process of creating a secure connection to the vCenter server as part of configuring the Azure backup server.

💡DPML (Data Protection Manager Language)

DPML is a term mentioned in the script, likely referring to a specific format or language used for data protection and backup management within the Microsoft Azure backup server context.

💡Protection Recovery

Protection recovery in the context of the video refers to the process of setting up and utilizing backup and restore mechanisms for VMware workloads in the AVS environment using Azure's backup services. The script mentions that the next video will demonstrate how to use these features.

Highlights

Introduction to configuring Microsoft Azure Backup Server for AVS environment backup and restore.

Lab setup overview with two machines, mg server one and O2, connected through ExpressRoute to a vWAN hub.

Explanation of the necessity for a domain controller and backup server in separate peered v-nets.

Introduction of Recovery Services Vault for long-term storage and its connection to the backup server.

Guidance on calculating disk size for short-term storage using a linked tool.

Demonstration of adding a simple disk for the AVS Azure Backup Server.

Step-by-step process to create a new volume for backup storage.

Instructions on configuring a Recovery Services Vault in the Azure portal.

Details on downloading and installing the Azure Backup Server software.

Requirement of installing .NET 3.5 Suite before setting up Azure Backup Server.

Process of registering the server with the Azure Backup Vault using vault credentials.

Importance of a recovery passphrase and its secure storage.

Demonstration of enabling TLS 1.2 on the backup server for secure communication.

How to create a secure connection to the vCenter server using root CA certificates.

Configuration of VMware credentials for managing the vCenter server.

Finalizing the connection to the vCenter server and verifying agent status.

Preview of the next video focusing on protecting and recovering workloads using Azure Backup.

Closing remarks inviting viewers to like, comment, and subscribe for more Azure quick hits.

Transcripts

hello and welcome to my Azure quick Hits

video series

today I'm going to show you how to

configure the Microsoft Azure backup

server so that it can be used to backup

and restore workloads from AVS so our

lab looks like an AVS environment with

two machines that we're going to back up

mg server one and O2 it's connected

through express route to a vwan hub

there's actually two hubs in this VM

we're only worried about the one in the

lower one here the West us

and then we have two peered v-nets one

has a domain controller in it and the

other one has the backup server and then

finally we have a Recovery Services

Vault here that's going to be a dotted

line connection to

the map server right and that's where

we're going to put our long-term storage

I have pre-created a server called the

AVS Azure backup server that we just saw

in the diagram

and one of the first tasks you need to

do is decide how much disk you need for

the short-term storage this is five to

seven days of online storage that's

going to be maintained in the AVS backup

server

so there is a tool that's linked in the

comments to calculate how big that disk

should be so for our test we're just

going to add a simple disk I'm going to

call it backup disk the guidance in the

in the documentation is to choose

standard click on Save now when I RDP

into that machine click on the start

menu click on disk

and click on create format hard disk

partitions

and if we scroll down a little bit we're

going to see that Ford byte disk and

we're going to go new simple volume

next next

finish

and we now have a new

three or four gig 3.98 gigabyte volume

available to us

so now we've got our disks available the

next thing we need to do is configure a

Recovery Services Vault so let's go back

to the portal and I've actually got mine

here but I'll show you how easy it is to

create this literally click on create

choose the resource Group you want

make sure it's in the same region as the

AVS environment you don't want to be

sending backups to the backup server

inter-regionally

and then name your vault

and then just click review and create

and that's it

so ours is called AVS Recovery Services

fault now we've created The Vault click

on it open the vault and select backup

where is your workload running we're

going to choose on-premises and we're

going to choose

VMware virtual machine

prepare infrastructure and at this point

it gives us the option to download the

Azure backup server so click on download

and then click on download again once

this web page launches

and then we're going to choose all the

files we want to download everything and

once this is complete we'll continue

so I'm going to open my downloads folder

I can close this tab now

and then from the downloads folder I'm

going to run the application the

installer

all right click next

I accept the agreement click next that

sounds good

and then extract

and once that's finished click finish

now before we do anything else we need

to go to server manager

and install the.net 3.5 Suite

open up server manager

add roles and features

next next next

there we go next

install

and then once that finishes you can

click close

doesn't require a server reboot and then

close server manager now choose your C

drive

go to system center Microsoft Azure

backup server click again

and come down until we find the setup

program

I'm going to choose Azure backup server

and wait while this extracts on the

welcome screen we'll click next

complete the check to make sure we meet

the basic requirements

install a new instance of SQL of course

you can use your own if you want do a

check and install

and we actually have an error message

saying Powershell has to be installed we

just need to restart the computer

so restart and run the application again

okay let's do that

okay we're back so I'm going to run

setup again

and I'm going to zoom through this bit

all right let's try that check and

install again

looks good

so I'm going to accept the defaults

password for the SQL

I will use Microsoft updates

and click install

so I don't have a proxy so I'll click

next

install

all right we're complete it says Azure

recovery service agent has been

installed click next to register the

server with the Azure backup Vault so

we're going to click next all right and

when that's done we're going to be asked

for the vault credentials so to find the

Vault credentials let's go back to the

Azure portal

and we're going to look for settings and

properties

and then in the bottom of this we're

going to see backup credentials already

used in the latest service Recovery

Agent which we are because we just

downloaded this

and then click on download

and that's going to download a file into

our downloads directory

so we know it's in the downloads

directory so we'll just minimize the

portal again we'll go browse

and we're going to choose downloads

and there's our credentials

and click next

so here we need a recovery passphrase

must be at least 16 characters long

and a location to store the passphrase

so I'm going to put it on the temp

directory but it's a good idea to have

it on a different server or stored in a

key vault

so it's going to be me warning about

that that's fine

so here the server is actually

contacting the recovery services vault

all right and it looks like we've

successfully completed this note that

you must restart the computer to

complete the DPM installation all right

let's do that

so now the service rebooted we've got an

icon on the desktop for Microsoft Azure

backup server so we'll start that

and the first thing to do is to click on

management and then click on disk

storage

and then do a rescan

nothing so we'll click on ADD

and here we're going to see our 4K

volume that we created

okay we get a message about dpml format

the volume that's fine

our friendly name is going to be

backup disk

and then once that's complete we're

going to see that as an available disk

for us

so the next step is to create a secure

connection to the vcenter server so to

do that we need to get to our browser

and we're going to type in the IP

address of the vcenter server right this

is the Azure sddc so in my case that's

going to be https

10.40.140.

now don't launch the vsphere client

because what we actually want is here

the downloaded root CA certificates and

if you click on that it downloads it

into the browser so if you right click

and click save as

and then you can put in

serts

or maybe just call it abs

erts save it and once that's done we can

open the folder and we're going to see

one called AVS certs here

open that up click on certs click on

Windows that's where the two

certificates are we can now close the

browser

so go back to the AVS certs folder sorry

one further to the AVS certs here right

click and say extract all

and we're going to put them in the

temp directory again

now if we go to the C colon temps

actually it does it for you you can

click on certs click on Windows

and you're going to see this top one is

the root cert ends with a DOT zero we

need to rename that remove the dot zero

and put in a CRT

once that's done we're going to right

click install certificate

click on open

click on local machine

next

place the certificate in the following

store

and choose the trusted root certificate

authorities

click next

click finish

and we will get a message saying the

import was successful

all right now we have to enable TLS on

the backup server and so to do that

it's pretty simple go to this URL it's

going to be in the comments section at

the bottom of the video and what we want

to do is copy this

put it into a notepad

and we're going to save it as tls.reg

and change this to all files

click on Save and just note it's being

put in the documents folder here

so now if we open up

file explorer again

and we go to the documents folder

we're going to see this TLS reg and then

just double click on it

and then it's going to give you a

warning message and you say yes it'll

give you a message saying it has been

successfully merged with a registry and

that's going to enable that TLS 1.2 for

us

so now we can close this

close this and return to the Azure

backup server click on the production

servers and select manage VMware

add credentials so the credential name

is going to be

AVS backup

description the uh backup account

the username is going to be

and the password is going to be

all right click on ADD

and then close the manage credentials

next we have to actually add a vcenter

server so make sure you're on the

management blade

click on Production Service click on ADD

choose VMware servers next

choose the server name IP address so

this is going to be in my case the

10.40.144.2 this is the IP of your

vcenter from the AVS sddc as shown and

then choose the credential

click on ADD

click next click add

and click close

and you can see here that the agent

status is okay so we've connected

successfully so that's the end of the

configuration in the next video I'm

going to show you how to use protection

recovery to actually protect your

workloads and then recover them

I hope you found this video helpful

please leave likes and comments below