Configure backup for an App Service

Azure App Service offers a built-in backup service that allows you to create backups for your apps, which include the app configuration, file content, and, if chosen, the associated database. These backups can be used to restore your app to a previous state or to deploy the app to another region or App Service Environment.

Prerequisites

Before setting up a backup, ensure you have:

• An existing Azure App Service.
• Storage Account: Backups are stored in a Blob container in an Azure Storage account.
• (Optional) Database: Can be Azure SQL Database, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc., which you wish to include in the backup.

Configure Azure App Service Backup

1. Navigate to the App Service: Log in to your Azure Portal, find and select the App Service you want to back up.
2. Access Backup Settings: In the App Service menu, navigate to the ‘Settings’ -> ‘Backup’.
3. Enable Backups: Click on ‘Configure’ to set up a new backup configuration if none exists or select an existing one to edit.
4. Storage Account and Container: Choose or create a Storage Account and a Blob Container where the backups will be stored.
5. Schedule Backup: You can schedule automatic backups or perform a manual backup. For scheduled backups, specify the backup frequency and retention period. For example, you might schedule a backup to occur every day and retain backups for 30 days.
6. Select Content to Backup:
   • Choose to back up the App Service’s file content.
   • Optionally, select any databases connected to your App Service. If your App Service has a database, you would need to specify the database connection string and authentication type.
7. Validate Settings and Save: Verify that all settings are as desired and then save the backup configuration.

Backup Configuration Considerations

• Frequency: How often you need to back up your app service is dependent on how frequently your app’s data changes.
• Retention Period: Determine how long you need to retain each backup based on your organization’s data retention policy.
• Size Limits: There is a backup size limit depending on the App Service plan. For instance, the Free and Shared tiers have a limit of 1GB, whereas Standard and Premium tiers offer larger sizes.

Monitoring and Restoring Backups

• Monitor Backups: You can monitor the status of your backups in the Backup blade in the Azure Portal.
• Restore from Backup: To restore an App Service from a backup, access the ‘Backup’ blade, select the backup you want to restore from, and click ‘Restore’.

Conclusion

Configuring a backup for an Azure App Service is straightforward but requires careful planning to ensure that backups are performed according to your organization’s requirements. By following these steps, Azure Administrators can ensure that they protect their App Service resources effectively as part of the AZ-104 exam content and also in real-world scenarios. Remember to test your backups regularly and validate that they can be restored to achieve a complete backup and disaster recovery strategy.