Rapid Recovery 6.9 - Azure Setup Guide

Welcome to the Rapid Recovery Azure Setup Guide.

This document is for Microsoft Azure users who want to use Rapid Recovery in the Azure cloud. It describes how to set up a VM to run a Rapid Recovery Core in Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform.

As with previous versions, you can use this VM to replicate your on-premise backups to a source Core in the Azure cloud. Quest now also supports running Rapid Recovery Core in the Azure cloud as a primary Core. You can add other Azure VMs to protection on your Core, capturing backup snapshots as recovery points in your repository. From these recovery points, you can restore data, create or import archives, perform virtual export, and replicate to a target Core.

To reflect this additional functionality:

• Our updated VM available in the Azure Marketplace is called Rapid Recovery Core, replacing the previous VM, which was named Rapid Recovery Replication Target. The updated VM includes Rapid Recovery Core release 6.9 running on a Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Data Center OS platform.
• This document, the Rapid Recovery Azure Setup Guide, replaces the Rapid Recovery Replication Target for Microsoft Azure Setup Guide.

This setup guide assumes the following:

• You are a Rapid Recovery Core user.

  This document assumes that you use (or plan to use) a supported version of Rapid Recovery Core software to provide backup, replication and recovery solutions for your enterprise. In Release 6.9, supported versions include Rapid Recovery Core versions 6.8 and 6.9

  For more information, see our product life cycle (PLC) support policy on our support website at https://support.quest.com/rapid-recovery/. Click Product Life Cycle & Policies, and then expand Software Product Support Life Cycle Policy).

  For more information about Rapid Recovery, please visit http://quest.com/products/rapid-recovery/.

• You have a subscription to Microsoft Azure.

  This setup guide pertains to running a Core as a VM in the Azure cloud, not for running a Core on premises. For more information about the Azure cloud platform, or to sign up, see http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/.

• You know how to use Microsoft Azure.

  Microsoft includes information about using Azure in its documentation center. For more information, see the topic Microsoft Azure documentation or visit https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation.

• You plan to create a VM procured through the Marketplace as your Rapid Recovery Core.

  Use our VM template from the Azure Marketplace to set up your Rapid Recovery Core VM in just minutes. Instructions are provided in the topic Creating a Rapid Recovery Core virtual machine in Azure. You will be guided to select appropriate configuration options.

• You will procure and attach Azure storage disks to your VM for use as your repository.

  Storage space for your working data repository is not included in the Core VM. You must obtain dedicated storage in your Azure subscription, and associate it with your Core VM. For more information, see Adding storage to your Azure VM.

This setup guide includes the following sections:

• Introduction to Rapid Recovery Core VM for Microsoft Azure. This section includes conceptual information about Azure and using a Rapid Recovery Core in the Azure environment. It includes links to Azure resources and documentation.
• Considerations for upgrading your Azure VM. If you are upgrading a Rapid Recovery Core VM created with a template in the marketplace, read this section. If using a new VM, skip this section.
• Setting up your Rapid Recovery Core VM. This section describes how to create your VM from our template in the Azure marketplace. It also includes procedures for adding storage volumes, running configuration scripts to provision the storage into a working DVM repository, and disabling Compatibility View in Internet Explorer. Setup is simple and quick; all steps should take less than an hour.
• Understanding licensing. Once your Core on the Azure VM is configured, you must register a software license. This section includes information about Rapid Recovery licenses, how to activate your license, and references to relevant documentation and resources.
• Considerations for seeding data to your target Core. This section outlines the process of seeding data from your source Core to your replicated Core. It describes steps specific for your replication target on Azure, and references other relevant content about replication.