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Overview

Learn how to recover files with Microsoft Azure Recovery Services (MARS) Agent.

Restore Files with MARS

You can restore files using Azure Backup console. To do this, you will need two key pieces of information: recovery services vault credentials, and the passphrase that was used to set up initial backup.

Retrieve Recovery Services Vault Credentials

As of the time of this writing, it takes a few steps to download vault credentials, despite what Azure Backup screens seem to say.

  1. Go to https://portal.azure.com
  2. Locate the recovery services vault used for backup operations (e.g., "servervault")
  3. Find Backup in the Getting Started section
  4. Choose On-Premises from the drop-down
  5. Pick Files and Drives from the list of further options
  6. Click on the button to Prepare infrastructure
  7. Check the "Already downloaded or using..." checkbox
  8. Click on Download to get the vault credentials file
Retrieve Server Passphrase
  1. Go to https://portal.azure.com
  2. Locate the key vault that was used to save server credentials generated during initial backup configuration ("infrastructurekeyvault", for example)
  3. Navigate to Secrets under Objects group
  4. Locate the server you're restoring (AzBackup-[servername]-servervault)
  5. Open entry under CURRENT VERSION
  6. Click the Show Secret Value button
  7. Copy the value

Run MARS Agent

The agent console can be run on any server by starting the Azure Backup app.

  1. Once running, pick "Recover Data" on the right-hand side Actions pane or under Action menu.
  2. Pick whether you're recovering data from current server or another server. For another server, select the vault credentials file you downloaded earlier.
  3. Choose the server you want to restore. 
  4. Paste the Passphrase you copied in the earlier step
  5. Select "Individual files and folders" and click Next
  6. Select the volume to restore - Azure Backup will retrieve available recovery points
  7. Choose your recovery point, and click on the Mount button
  8. Recover Data Wizard will take a few minutes to mount the restore point as a drive on your local server.
  9. Once it completes, click Browse. You will be notified about Robocopy that can help speed up recovery copy operations.
  10. You can now recover files to any location of your choice.
  11. When finished, click Unmount to remove the mounted drive.

Reference

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Keywords: MARS, Azure Backup, Recovery, Restore