Today, we are excited to announce the public preview of backup for Azure file shares. Azure Files is a cloud-first file share solution with support for industry standard SMB protocol. Through this preview, Azure Backup enables a native backup solution for Azure file shares, a key addition to the feature arsenal to enable enterprise adoption of Azure Files. Using Azure Backup, via Recovery Services vault, to protect your file shares is a straightforward way to secure your files and be assured that you can go back in time instantly.

Key features

Discover unprotected file shares: Utilize the Recovery Services vault to discover all unprotected storage accounts and file shares within them.

Utilize the Recovery Services vault to discover all unprotected storage accounts and file shares within them. Backup multiple files at a time: You can back up at scale by selecting multiple file shares in a storage account and apply a common policy over them.

You can back up at scale by selecting multiple file shares in a storage account and apply a common policy over them. Schedule and forget: Apply a Backup policy to automatically schedule backups for your file shares. You can schedule backups at a time of your choice and specify the desired retention period. Azure Backup takes care of pruning these backups once they expire.

Apply a Backup policy to automatically schedule backups for your file shares. You can schedule backups at a time of your choice and specify the desired retention period. Azure Backup takes care of pruning these backups once they expire. Instant restore: Since Azure Backup utilizes file share snapshots, you can restore just the files you need instantly even from large file shares.

Since Azure Backup utilizes file share snapshots, you can restore just the files you need instantly even from large file shares. Browse individual files/folders: Azure Backup lets you browse the restore points of your file shares directly in the Azure portal so that you can pick and restore only the necessary files and folders.

Core benefits

Zero infrastructure solution: Azure Backup creates and manages the infrastructure required for protecting your file shares. No agents or virtual machines (VMs) need to be deployed to enable the solution.

Azure Backup creates and manages the infrastructure required for protecting your file shares. No agents or virtual machines (VMs) need to be deployed to enable the solution. Comprehensive backup solution: Azure Backup helps you manage the backup of Azure Files as well as Azure IaaS VMs, SQL Server running in IaaS VMs (preview), and on-premises servers. Backup and restore jobs across all workloads can be monitored from a single dashboard.

Azure Backup helps you manage the backup of Azure Files as well as Azure IaaS VMs, SQL Server running in IaaS VMs (preview), and on-premises servers. Backup and restore jobs across all workloads can be monitored from a single dashboard. Directly recover files from the Azure portal: Apart from providing the ability to restore entire file shares, Azure Backup also lets you browse a recovery point directly in the portal. You can browse all the files and folders in a recovery point and choose to restore necessary items.

Apart from providing the ability to restore entire file shares, Azure Backup also lets you browse a recovery point directly in the portal. You can browse all the files and folders in a recovery point and choose to restore necessary items. Cost effective: Backup for Azure Files is free* of charge during the preview and you can start enjoying all its benefits immediately.

Backup for Azure Files is free* of charge during the preview and you can start enjoying all its benefits immediately. Coming soon: Azure Backup has lined up an amazing list of features for backing Azure file shares and you can expect an update from us as early as next month. Stay tuned!

*Azure file share snapshots will be charged once the snapshot capability is generally available.

Get started

Start protecting your file shares by using the Recovery Services vaults in your region. The new backup goal options in the vault overview will let you choose Azure file shares to back up from storage accounts in your region. You can refer to our documentation for more details.

Related links and additional content