Automating Azure Database backups with Bash

Automating Azure Database Backups with Bash: A Comprehensive Guide

Managing database backups is a critical task for any organization that relies on data for their operations. For Azure databases, automating backups ensures consistency, reliability, and peace of mind. In this guide, we will discuss how to set up automatic backups for Azure databases using the versatility and power of Linux Bash scripting.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the scripting and automation, ensure you have: 1. Access to an Azure subscription. 2. The Azure CLI installed on your Linux machine. You can install it by following the directions here. 3. Basic knowledge of Bash scripting and command-line operations.

Step 1: Configuring Azure CLI and Login

First, ensure your Azure CLI is configured and ready. Open your terminal and enter the following command to log in:

az login

This command will open a browser window asking you to enter your Azure credentials. Once logged in, you can proceed to the next steps.

Step 2: Bash Script for Database Backup

Now that we have access to Azure through the CLI, our next task is to create a bash script that will handle the backup process. Below, I provide a sample script for backing up an Azure SQL Database. Modify the resource group, server, and database names according to your setup:

#!/bin/bash

# SET VARIABLES
resourceGroup="yourResourceGroup"
serverName="yourSqlServerName"
databaseName="yourDatabaseName"
backupStorage="yourStorageAccount"
container="yourContainer"
dateTime=$(date +%Y-%m-%d-%H%M%S)

# EXPORT DATABASE TO BACPAC FILE
exportCommand="az sql db export --resource-group $resourceGroup --server $serverName --name $databaseName --storage-uri https://$backupStorage.blob.core.windows.net/$container/$databaseName-$dateTime.bacpac --storage-key-type StorageAccessKey --storage-key YOUR_STORAGE_KEY"

echo "Starting backup for $databaseName..."
eval $exportCommand

if [ $? -eq 0 ]
then
  echo "Backup successful: $databaseName-$dateTime.bacpac"
else
  echo "Backup failed for $databaseName"
fi

Save this script as backup_azure_db.sh. Remember to:

Replace placeholder values with actual data relevant to your Azure setup.
Insert the actual storage key where YOUR_STORAGE_KEY is mentioned.

Step 3: Automating Backup with Cron

With the script ready, the next step is to schedule this task to run automatically at regular intervals using cron. On your Linux machine, open the crontab editor:

crontab -e

Add the following line to schedule the backup daily at 2:00 AM:

0 2 * * * /path/to/backup_azure_db.sh

Make sure to replace /path/to/ with the actual path where you saved your script. Save and close the editor. Cron will now manage executing this script at the set interval.

Additional Tips and Considerations

Testing: Before relying on this script for regular backups, perform manual runs to ensure everything works as expected.
Security: Ensure that your storage key and Azure credentials are securely handled. Consider using Azure Key Vault to manage secrets.
Monitoring and Logging: Implement logging in your script to capture success and failure cases. Monitoring these logs can help spot issues early.
Storage Costs: Be aware that storing multiple backups can increase costs. Implement a lifecycle policy on your blob storage to purge older backups.

Conclusion

Automating database backups is essential for data integrity and disaster recovery. By leveraging the Azure CLI and Bash scripting, you can set up a reliable and automated backup system for your Azure databases. Always remember to test thoroughly and configure according to best security practices to ensure your data remains safe and secure.

With this guide, I hope you find it easier to manage your data backups on Azure and enhance your organization’s data management strategy.