In this Microsoft Ignite session, speakers Rochak Mittal and Rohan Sahini provide a comprehensive overview of Azure Backup and Site Recovery, focusing on data resiliency, cyber recovery, and secure workload protection.

Resiliency and Recovery with Azure Backup and Site Recovery

Overview

This advanced Microsoft Ignite session explores how to modernize data resilience and cyber recovery using Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery, integrated with Microsoft Defender.

Key Topics:

  • Protecting Azure VMs, databases, file shares, and cloud-native workloads (e.g., AKS)
  • Secure-by-default backup architecture and immutable storage
  • Intelligent threat detection and response
  • Orchestrating at-scale, clean restores for disaster recovery
  • Meeting compliance objectives (RPO/RTO)

Chapters & Highlights

0:00 – Focus on Data Resiliency and Defender Integration

Azure Backup is integrated with Defender to enhance security and threat response for all protected workloads.

7:00 – Deep Dive: Data Resiliency & Recovery Scenarios

Detailed strategies for handling data backup and recovery across diverse Azure environments.

7:57 – Introduction: Infrastructure Service Workload Scenario

Examining backup and recovery for typical application architectures.

8:10 – Two-Tier Application Architecture

How to design and secure backup strategies for systems with frontend VMs and backend databases.

10:52 – Demo: Two-Tier Backup Process

Live demonstration of setting up and managing application backups in Azure.

16:51 – Backing Up Containers and Stateless Resources

Approaches for container-aware protection, especially for AKS clusters and microservices environments.

19:16 – Demo: Kubernetes Cluster Backup

Practical guide to backup AKS clusters leveraging Azure resiliency features.

22:44 – Cyber Recovery for Unstructured Data

Covering unified data protection for all resource types, including file shares and non-relational storage.

28:42 – Replication, RPO, SLA Improvements

Latest enhancements to Azure Backup and Site Recovery with improved replication, stricter SLAs, and higher performance throughput.

Modern Backup and Recovery Features

  • Immutable Storage: Ensures backups cannot be tampered with or deleted maliciously.
  • Threat-Aware Protection: Uses intelligent telemetry signals for backup status and anomaly detection.
  • One-Click Disaster Recovery (DR): Simplifies restore operations so organizations can rapidly recover from disruptions.
  • Compliance-Focused Design: Helps enterprises meet stringent RPO/RTO and regulatory requirements.
  • Integration with Defender: Extends threat detection, response, and unified security posture for all backup workloads.

Practical Takeaways

  • Orchestrate large-scale, clean restores confidently for VMs, containers, and databases.
  • Meet business continuity needs with secure, modern backup strategies and seamless disaster recovery solutions.
  • Protect advanced workloads such as Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and unstructured data sources.

Additional Resources

Speaker Information

  • Rochak Mittal
  • Rohan Sahini

This session offers actionable knowledge for professionals seeking robust, secure, and compliant cloud data protection, with practical demos and strategies for real-world Azure environments.