Azure files snapshots vs backups for restoring folders

Hi Luke Rosser,

Greetings & Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum! Thanks for posting your query!

I suggest you have a few options for backing up and restoring Azure Files, each with its own advantages and limitations:

Manual Snapshots:

• Pros: No retention period, allowing you to keep snapshots as long as needed.
• Cons: You can only restore individual files, not entire folders.
  For more information:
  https://zcusa.951200.xyz/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-files-faq

Manual Backups:

• Pros: Allows for full share recovery and item-level recovery (individual files or folders).
• Cons: Requires specifying an expiry date, and you cannot delete the backup before that expiry date.
  For more information:
  https://zcusa.951200.xyz/en-us/azure/backup/restore-afs?tabs=full-share-recovery

Azure Backup Service:

• Pros: Provides both snapshot backup and vaulted backup (currently in preview). You can restore entire file shares or specific files and folders. It also offers a reliable and secure solution for protecting your data.
  For more information:
  https://zcusa.951200.xyz/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-files?tabs=recovery-services-vault
• Cons: Vaulted backups have retention policies, and you may need to manage these policies to fit your requirements.

For Partial Restores: Use Azure Backup Service, which supports item-level recovery, allowing you to restore specific files and folders.

For Flexible Deletion: Manual snapshots are your best bet since they don't have a retention period, but you'll be limited to restoring individual files.

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