Is SQL Azure database backed up across datacenters by default?

Question

I want to confirm our understanding of how our Azure SQL databases are being backed up to enable point in time restore. We have not currently configured geo-replication to have the database available in another region. We may in the future as some data analysis is done. But my understanding is that the database is still being backed up to a geo redundant location so I could do a geo-restore if there was an issue with the data center that houses my sql database. Is that correct or do I need to enable geo-replication and pay for a second database in order to have a disaster recover option if the datacenter had an issue.

To clarify further: I think this article states what I'm saying in the Geo-Restore section. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/sql-database-business-continuity/

Thanks

Answer 1

Yes, all databases have a geo-replicated copy for disaster recovery purposes. For more details, please see the following: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-sql-database-geo-restore/

Geo-restore uses the same technology as point in time restore with one important difference. It restores the database from a copy of the most recent daily backup in geo-replicated blob storage (RA-GRS). For each active database, the service maintains a backup chain that includes a weekly full backup, multiple daily differential backups, and transaction logs saved every 5 minutes. These blobs are geo-replicated this guarantees that daily backups are available even after a massive failure in the primary region.

Answer 2

Yes, Azure SQL Databases are automatically backed up to a different Azure data center using Geo-Replication. This is an automatic features of Azure SQL that is baked into the service offering.

Here's a blog post with further information about Azure SQL Data Replication: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-sql-database-standard-geo-replication/