Restore expired Azure disk backup for dp-vm01 (Dec 30, 2024)

Question

Hello Azure Support Team,

We are reaching out to request assistance with recovering a backup that has expired. Details of the backup are as follows:

Virtual Machine Name: dp-vm01

Backup Date: December 30, 2024

Issue: The backup has expired, but we urgently need to recover specific files from this backup.

We understand that expired backups may not be recoverable under standard procedures. However, if any retention policies or recovery mechanisms (e.g., soft-deleted backups or snapshots) are still applicable, we kindly request your help in retrieving the necessary data.

This is a critical issue for our operations, and we would appreciate it if this could be treated as a priority.

Answer 1

Hi Juryl James Inchoco
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, Thanks for asking questions here!
To recover an expired backup for the virtual machine you can use common recovery methods.
1.Check your backup solution's retention policies to see if there are any grace periods or exceptions for recovering expired backups, as some systems may keep metadata for a short time after expiration.
2.if you are using a backup solution like Veeam, cataloging the expired tape or backup may let you access the data by scanning the media and updating the backup repository database.
3.Few backup systems have a feature called soft deletion, where backups are marked as deleted but not actually removed for a certain period. Check if your system has this feature to see if the backup is still accessible.
4.Snapshots were taken before the backup expired, you may be able to restore from them, especially if a recent snapshot has the needed files.
5.Please try with third-party data recovery tools that specialize in virtual machine recovery, as they may recover data from expired backups or deleted files.

Start by cataloging the expired media if using Veeam or a similar tool. Contact support and provide all relevant details. Check your virtualization platform for any snapshots of the VM with the necessary files. Keep a record of all actions and responses for easier communication with support.

Reference link: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/vsphere-vddk-programming-guide/GUID-9A79CDEF-D1E1-4F5B-AF48-77A1141FBACA.html

Please let me know if anything required.