Use Azure to Backup and Restore Desktop Images

In Nerdio Manager, you can backup desktop images to Azure and restore a desktop image from previous versions. No third-party tools are required, because Nerdio Manager uses the native Azure backup functionality.

When you back up the image for the first time, it creates all the necessary Azure infrastructure to maintain this backup.

Note: The Nerdio Manager application must be assigned the Backup Reader role at the subscription level when you configure the backup.

  • If the user who configures the backup for the first time is an Owner on the subscription, this role is assigned automatically.

  • If the user is not an Owner, you must manually assign the Backup Reader role to the Nerdio Manager application.

Create a Desktop Image Backup Policy

Nerdio Manager allows you to create a desktop image backup policy. The policy determines the backup vault, schedule, retention, etc.

Note: A backup policy must be configured in order for manual or automatic backups to be created.

To create a desktop image backup policy:

  1. Navigate to Desktop Images.

  2. Locate the desktop image you wish to back up.

  3. From the action down menu, select Manage backup.

  4. Enter the following information:

    • Enable Backup: Toggle on this option.

    • Vault: From the drop-down list, select the backup vault.

    • Policy: From the drop-down list, select a policy or type the name of a new policy.

      Warning: If an existing policy is selected and changed, that changes the policy for all associated devices. It is strongly recommended that you create a new policy for each desktop image.

    • Policy type: From the drop-down list, select either a Standard or an Enhanced policy type.

      Note: Enhanced policies are required to backup Trusted Launch enabled desktops. See this Microsoft article for details.

    • Schedule: From the drop-down lists, create the schedule.

    • Retention: From the various options, create the retention policy.

  5. Once you have entered all the desired information, select Save.

Manually Backup a Desktop Image

Nerdio Manager allows you to manually backup a desktop image to Azure.

To manually backup a desktop image to Azure:

  1. Navigate to Desktop Images.

  2. Locate the desktop image you wish to back up.

  3. From the action down menu, select Backup.

    Note: If a backup policy was not configured for this desktop image, you are prompted to create a backup policy. See Create a Desktop Image Backup Policy for details.

  4. Retain image backup: Type the number of weeks to retain the backup image.

    Note: After the selected number of weeks, the image backup is automatically deleted. The image VM itself is unaffected when the expired backup version is deleted.

  5. Once you have entered all the desired information, select OK.

    The desktop image is backed up to Azure.

Restore a Desktop Image from Azure

Nerdio Manager allows you to restore a desktop image from Azure.

To restore a desktop image from Azure:

  1. Navigate to Desktop Images.

  2. Locate the desktop image you want to restore.

  3. From the action menu, select Restore.

  4. From the drop-down list, select the desired recovery point.

  5. Select Restore.

    The desktop image is recovered from the Azure backup vault. By default, this image is powered on.

  6. Select Power off & set as image.

    The VM is committed to the Azure image object from the restored version.