Azure Backup as a Service — Managed Data Protection
Backups that are never tested are not backups — they are assumptions. 37% of organisations discover their backup strategy has failed only when they need to restore. Opsio's Azure Backup as a Service delivers automated, policy-driven, and regularly tested data protection across your Azure VMs, SQL databases, file shares, and hybrid workloads — with guaranteed recovery when it matters.
Trusted by 100+ organisations across 6 countries · 4.9/5 client rating
99.9%
Backup Success Rate
<4hr
Recovery RTO
256-bit
AES Encryption
Quarterly
DR Testing
What is Azure Backup as a Service?
Azure Backup as a Service (BaaS) is a managed data protection solution using Microsoft Azure Backup that automates backup scheduling, retention, cross-region replication, and recovery testing for cloud and hybrid workloads.
Protect Your Data With Managed Azure Backup
Data protection is deceptively simple in theory and treacherously complex in practice. Organizations configure Azure Backup policies, assume the job is done, and never verify that backups are actually completing, that retention policies meet compliance requirements, or that restoration actually works within acceptable timeframes. When ransomware hits or a critical database is corrupted, they discover that backup jobs have been silently failing for weeks, retention was insufficient to recover from a slow-burn attack, or the restore process takes 18 hours instead of the assumed 2. Opsio's Azure Backup as a Service takes complete responsibility for your data protection lifecycle. We design backup policies aligned to your RPO and RTO requirements, configure Azure Backup for VMs, Azure SQL, Azure Files, Blob storage, and on-premises workloads via MARS agent. Backup jobs are monitored 24/7 with automated alerts on failures. Most critically, we perform quarterly recovery testing — actually restoring workloads to verify that your backups are recoverable and meet your defined RTO targets.
Every backup environment is configured with cross-region replication using Azure Backup's geo-redundant storage (GRS) vaults, ensuring data survives regional outages. Retention policies are mapped to your compliance requirements — GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA, or industry-specific regulations. Encryption at rest and in transit using AES-256 and Azure Key Vault managed keys protects data throughout its lifecycle.
What We Deliver
VM & SQL Backup
Automated backup of Azure VMs, Azure SQL databases, SQL Server in VMs, and Azure Database for PostgreSQL/MySQL. Application-consistent snapshots ensure database integrity. Configurable schedules from hourly to daily with customised retention.
File & Blob Protection
Azure Files share snapshots and Azure Blob soft delete with configurable retention. MARS agent backup for on-premises file servers to Azure Backup vaults. Long-term retention in cool or archive storage tiers for cost optimisation.
Cross-Region Replication
Geo-redundant storage (GRS) vaults replicate backup data to paired Azure regions automatically. Ensures data survivability against regional outages and supports compliance requirements for geographic data redundancy.
Recovery Testing & Validation
Quarterly restore tests that verify actual recovery time, data integrity, and application functionality. Test results documented for compliance auditors. RTO validation ensures your recovery capabilities match your business continuity plan.
Monitoring & Reporting
24/7 backup job monitoring with automated alerting on failures, incomplete backups, and policy violations. Monthly backup health reports covering success rates, storage consumption, retention compliance, and cost analysis.
Ready to get started?
Get Your Free Backup AssessmentWhy Choose Opsio
Tested recovery, not just backups
Quarterly restore tests verify your backups actually work. We validate RTO and data integrity — not just backup job completion.
24/7 backup monitoring
Backup failures are detected and remediated immediately — not discovered weeks later when you need to restore.
Compliance-mapped retention
Retention policies aligned to GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and industry-specific requirements with documented compliance evidence.
Cost-optimised storage
Tiered storage policies move older backups to cool and archive tiers, reducing storage costs by 50-70% without compromising retention.
Not sure yet? Start with a pilot.
Begin with a focused 2-week assessment. See real results before committing to a full engagement. If you proceed, the pilot cost is credited toward your project.
Our Delivery Process
Backup Assessment
Audit current backup coverage, identify unprotected workloads, evaluate RPO/RTO requirements, and assess compliance needs. Deliverable: backup gap analysis. Timeline: 1 week.
Policy Design & Configuration
Design backup policies, configure Azure Backup vaults with GRS, set retention schedules, and deploy MARS agents for hybrid workloads. Timeline: 1-2 weeks.
Monitoring & Operations
Enable 24/7 backup monitoring, configure failure alerts, and begin ongoing backup management. Verify first successful backup cycles. Timeline: Ongoing from week 3.
Recovery Testing
Perform initial full recovery test to validate RTO and data integrity. Establish quarterly testing schedule. Deliverable: recovery test report. Timeline: Week 4, then quarterly.
Key Takeaways
- VM & SQL Backup
- File & Blob Protection
- Cross-Region Replication
- Recovery Testing & Validation
- Monitoring & Reporting
Azure Backup as a Service — Managed Data Protection FAQ
What can Azure Backup protect?
Azure Backup supports Azure VMs (Windows and Linux), Azure SQL databases, SQL Server running in Azure VMs, Azure Files shares, Azure Blob storage, Azure Database for PostgreSQL and MySQL, SAP HANA databases, and on-premises servers and files via the MARS agent. Opsio configures and monitors backup for all these workload types with policies tailored to each data type's RPO and retention requirements.
How often should we test backup recovery?
Opsio performs quarterly recovery tests as standard — restoring representative workloads to verify data integrity, application functionality, and actual recovery time against your RTO targets. For regulated industries or business-critical systems, we recommend monthly testing. Each test produces a documented report suitable for compliance auditors and business continuity plan validation.
What does Azure Backup as a Service cost?
Pricing depends on the number and type of protected workloads and storage consumed. Azure Backup infrastructure costs typically run $500-$3,000 per month for mid-size environments. Opsio's managed service adds $1,500-$5,000 per month for policy management, 24/7 monitoring, failure remediation, and quarterly recovery testing. The cost of unmanaged backup failure — data loss, downtime, and compliance penalties — far exceeds the managed service investment.
How does Azure Backup handle ransomware protection?
Azure Backup provides several ransomware protections: soft delete retains deleted backup data for 14 additional days, multi-user authorization requires multiple approvals for critical operations, immutable vaults prevent backup deletion or modification, and cross-region replication ensures backups survive if the primary region is compromised. Opsio configures all these protections by default and monitors for suspicious backup deletion attempts.
Still have questions? Our team is ready to help.
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Azure Backup as a Service — Managed Data Protection
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