Azure Stack HCI Backup and Recovery
Azure Stack HCI is Microsoft's on-premises hyperconverged platform — Hyper-V, Storage Spaces Direct, and SDN, with Azure Arc integration. Storware protects it through a lightweight Hyper-V host agent using Resilient Change Tracking: full and incremental backups, instant restore with Live Storage Migration, and failover-cluster support.
Key Highlights
Built on Hyper-V and RCT
— Storware uses Hyper-V's native Resilient Change Tracking for fast, block-level incrementals that stay consistent as VMs live-migrate across the cluster.
One lightweight host agent
A single agent per node (silent install supported). Everything after that configures like any other platform.
Instant restore + Live Storage Migration
Boot a critical VM straight from backup storage, then relocate it to production storage in the background.
Failover-cluster ready
Protect clustered Azure Stack HCI (Storage Spaces Direct) with policy-driven backups and centralized management.
Powerful Data Protection Features for Azure Stack HCI
RCT-based full and incremental backups
Resilient Change Tracking tracks changes at the block level, using a three-tier bitmap and a Modified Region Table so change tracking survives host crashes and live migrations; RCT metadata follows the VM's VHD/VHDX files.
Application-consistent backups
Quiesced snapshots through Hyper-V Production Checkpoints capture consistent VM state without shutting down or suspending the machine.
Synthetic backups
Incrementals are synthesized into complete, independent images — no backup-chain merging at restore time.
Instant restore + Live Storage Migration
Mount a VM directly from backup storage and run it immediately; Storage Live Migration moves its data to production storage in the background, with an auto-unmount timer for cleanup.
Granular restore
Recover a full VM, individual virtual disks (fixed or dynamic provisioning, custom path), or single files — to the original location or an alternate host.
Snapshot management
Schedule and retain snapshots by policy and revert VMs from the Storware UI.
Immutable, air-gapped security
IsoLayer air-gap, immutable backup destinations, retention lock, RBAC and access management, and Keycloak MFA.
Policy-driven scheduling and DR testing
Schedule-driven backups plus Recovery Plans that validate recoverability non-disruptively, before an incident forces the issue.
Open REST API and iSCSI access
A documented REST API for integration, plus access to VM disk backups over iSCSI.
Technology partners
See Azure Stack HCI protection with Storware in action
Install the Hyper-V agent on each Azure Stack HCI node, add the cluster to Storware, and run RCT-based full and incremental backups with application-consistent Production Checkpoints — then instant-restore a VM straight from backup and live-migrate it to production.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Storware back up Azure Stack HCI?
Storware installs a lightweight Hyper-V agent on each Azure Stack HCI node and uses Hyper-V’s native Resilient Change Tracking (RCT). Because Azure Stack HCI is Hyper-V-based, this is an agent-based approach — distinct from Storware’s agentless backup of Azure public-cloud VMs.
Does Azure Stack HCI backup require an agent?
Yes. Storware installs one Hyper-V agent per node; installation is straightforward and supports a silent, scripted mode. The rest of the configuration matches other platforms.
Which versions does Storware support?
Storware protects Azure Stack HCI through its Hyper-V agent on Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025. Confirm the exact supported Azure Stack HCI versions against the current documentation at docs.storware.eu before deployment.
How does Storware perform incremental backups on Azure Stack HCI?
Through Resilient Change Tracking (RCT), which tracks changed blocks at the block level. RCT requires VM configuration version 6.2 or later and stays consistent across host crashes and live migrations.
Does Storware support application-consistent backups?
Yes. Storware uses Hyper-V Production Checkpoints to take quiesced (application-consistent) snapshots without shutting down or suspending the VM.
Does Storware offer instant recovery for Azure Stack HCI VMs?
Yes. Instant restore mounts the VM from backup storage and runs it immediately, and Live Storage Migration moves its data to production storage in the background. Instant restore requires a synthetic-type backup destination, and in Active Directory environments the Storware node must be domain-joined.
How is this different from Microsoft Azure (public cloud) backup?
Azure Stack HCI is Microsoft’s on-premises, Hyper-V-based platform, protected with a Hyper-V agent and RCT. Microsoft Azure public cloud is protected agentlessly through a Proxy VM using the Azure APIs. The two are covered on separate pages.
How does Storware protect Azure Stack HCI backups against ransomware?
Through immutable backup destinations, IsoLayer air-gap, and retention lock, which keep recovery points from being altered or deleted.