How to use Azure Backup to backup files on on-premises Linux machine

Question

Is it possible to backup individual files (i.e. database backups) from the disk of an on-premise Linux (CentOS) server to the Azure Recovery Services vault?

Do I need the Recovery Services agent and is that available for Linux?

Or is there a smarter way?

I could also make a script which would transfer my backup files to Azure blob storage. Can I then connect some Azure service to the blob storage so it would remove files according to some policy/schedule?

Solution 1

You can use free VEEAM B&R https://www.veeam.com/linux-backup-free.html to automate the backup process itself and upload your backups directly to Azure VM mounted as a backup repository or automate/script the upload with azure cli.

Solution 2

Is it possible to backup individual files (i.e. database backups) from the disk of an on-premise Linux (CentOS) server to the Azure Recovery Services vault?

No, it is not possible. Based on my knowledge, you could backup Linux VM VHD with Azure Recovery Services vault, but backup a single file is not supported. Because if you want to back up files and folders to Azure, you need install and register the Recovery Services agent. However, the agent does not support Linux VM now.

Please refer to backup file or folder and how to restore file or folder on Azure.

Do I need the Recovery Services agent and is that available for Linux?

For now, backup agent does not support Linux OS.

Or is there a smarter way?

You could use azure cli to upload Linux File to azure storage account. Please refer to this link. Azure cli is supported on a Linux VM.

Comments

[Shui shengbao]

Hi, how do you backup your Linux file to Azure storage account? I suggest you could write a script to upload to Azure storage account automatic.

[Shui shengbao]

You could refer to this feedback. You also could use the script to backup your file to Azure storage account.

[Mathias Rönnlund]

The original question was about backing up db backup files, but can I use this to backup the volumes of a running database server with MySql without interrupting operations?

[Net Runner]

Most probably you will need a full Veeam B&R version for this. Check this guide veeam.com/wp-consistent-protection-mysql-mariadb.html

[Net Runner]

If there is an option of using AWS instead of Azure you can use S3Fuse github.com/s3fs-fuse/s3fs-fuse which is backed by Amazon and allows you to mount a cloud storage bucket as a local drive on your Linux machine. Will do the job for sure.