Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect ExpertDesign business continuity solutionsHard
A healthcare organization is migrating its on-premises SQL Server databases to Azure. These databases contain highly sensitive patient data and require a backup solution that ensures data immutability for 7 years to meet regulatory compliance, preventing any modification or deletion of backups during this period. Which Azure service should be used?
- AAzure Site Recovery with backup integration
- BAzure Backup for SQL Server in Azure VMs with immutable vaults
- CAzure SQL Database automated backups with long-term retention
- DAzure Blob Storage with immutable policies
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Azure Backup for SQL Server in Azure VMs with immutable vaults
Azure Backup for SQL Server in Azure VMs, when combined with Recovery Services vaults configured for immutable storage, allows backups of SQL databases hosted on IaaS VMs to be stored immutably for a specified period, meeting the 7-year retention and immutability requirements for regulatory compliance.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Azure Site Recovery is for disaster recovery, not primarily for long-term immutable backups of database contents.
- C. Automated backups for Azure SQL Database (PaaS) offer long-term retention but do not guarantee immutability in the same way as a Recovery Services vault with immutability enabled.
- D. While Azure Blob Storage with immutable policies provides immutability, it's a general object storage solution, not a native SQL Server backup engine with granular recovery for IaaS SQL databases.
Immutable Backups with Azure Backup
Configuring Azure Backup (specifically Recovery Services vaults) with immutable storage ensures that once backup data is written, it cannot be modified or deleted for a specified retention period, crucial for compliance and ransomware protection.
- Applies to Recovery Services vaults
- Protects backup data from accidental or malicious deletion/modification
- Supports various backup workloads (VMs, SQL, File shares)
- Critical for regulatory compliance (e.g., healthcare, finance)
Memory trick: Immutability is like a digital time capsule for backups.