Update for Azure Backup for Microsoft Azure Recovery Services Agent

Extended retention range

Microsoft Azure Backup provides a retention range of no more than 120 recovery points. This translates to a maximum of 120 days with one recovery point per day. This update flexes this limit, and backups can now be scheduled at a weekly frequency. Even with the 120-day recovery point limit, users can keep recovery points for up to nine years if a recovery point is configured one time in four weeks.

Agent registration flow

Microsoft Azure Recovery Services Agent must be installed on the server to be protected, and the server has to be registered to a backup vault that was created on the portal. A self-signed certificate was required to register the server. This update improves this experience by letting the user download the vault credentials from the portal instead of by creating a certificate and then uploading it to the portal.

Note This enhancement is not yet supported for Data Protection Manager (DPM) server registration with Azure. DPM will continue to work with the certificates until further update.

Support for Windows Server 2012 R2 CORE SKUs

Support for Windows Server 2012 R2 CORE SKUs has been added to the agent. You can use this version of the agent together with the Microsoft Azure Site Recovery service to protect virtual machines that are running on Windows Server 2012 R2 CORE SKU and Microsoft Hyper V Server 2012 R2 into Azure.

Notes about this update

• You can use the agent to run the "Backup of files and folders only" feature on the following operating systems:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (all GUI-based editions)

  • Windows Server 2012 (all GUI-based editions)

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 (all GUI-based editions)

• You can use the agent to replicate virtual machines to Microsoft Azure only on the following operating system:

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 (all editions, both GUI and non-GUI)

Update information

This update is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center.