Azure database backup to blob using Powershell - backup

Question

We need to backup the azure database and store it on blob so that it can be restored. I've seen this blog but it uses the third party cmdlets.
http://weblogs.thinktecture.com/cweyer/2011/01/automating-backup-of-a-sql-azure-database-to-azure-blob-storage-with-the-help-of-powershell-and-task-scheduler.html
Could someone please guide/help how above can be achieved using powershell.

Answer 1

Backing up to WA Blob Store is not supported from Azure DB, rather the service does automatic backups for you with PITR capability. You'll find the following documentation useful:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/hh852669.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj650016.aspx
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Here is my powershell script
https://gist.github.com/voxon2/be29a3fd6dabbb9155ca
Here is an article describing many different approaches other than powershell
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mast/archive/2013/03/04/different-ways-to-backup-your-windows-azure-sql-database.aspx

Answer 3

First get your Azure Automation Settings done (see here).
Edit the blow script and save it as .ps1 file. When you run it for
the first time, it will ask you both your azure automation account and
your database credentials. During this process, it will save your
credentials in a local file securely (see here how it is done). After this time on wards, it uses the saved credentials.
The .psl file and the encrypted credential files should be stored in one
directory
Once you are happy you can schedule it to run in task scheduler.
function Get-MyCredential
{
param(
$CredPath,
[switch]$Help
)
$HelpText = #"
Get-MyCredential
Usage:
Get-MyCredential -CredPath `$CredPath
If a credential is stored in $CredPath, it will be used.
If no credential is found, Export-Credential will start and offer to
Store a credential at the location specified.
"#
if($Help -or (!($CredPath))){write-host $Helptext; Break}
if (!(Test-Path -Path $CredPath -PathType Leaf)) {
Export-Credential (Get-Credential) $CredPath
}
$cred = Import-Clixml $CredPath
$cred.Password = $cred.Password | ConvertTo-SecureString
$Credential = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PsCredential($cred.UserName, $cred.Password)
Return $Credential
}
function Export-Credential($cred, $path) {
$cred = $cred | Select-Object *
$cred.password = $cred.Password | ConvertFrom-SecureString
$cred | Export-Clixml $path
}
#Create a directory with you azure server name to isolate configurations
$FileRootPath = "C:\PowerShellScripts\AzureServerName"
Write-Host "Getting Azure credentials"
$AzureCred = Get-MyCredential ($FileRootPath + "AzureSyncred.txt")
#Use Azure Automation Account
#(If You do not have it will not work with other accounts)
Add-AzureAccount -Credential $AzureCred
Select-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionId "myAzureSubscriptionId"
#DO NOT use tcp:myServerName.database.windows.net,1433 but only myServerName
$ServerName = "myServerName"
$Date = Get-Date -format "yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm"
$DatabaseName = "myTargetDatabaseName"
$BlobName = $Date + "-" + $DatabaseName.bacpac"
$StorageName = "myStorageAccountName"
$ContainerName = "myContainerNameToStoreBacpacFiles"
$StorageKey = "myStorageAccountKey"
Write-Host "Getting database user credential"
#DO NOT use myDatabaseUsername#myServerName but only myDatabaseUsername
$credential = Get-MyCredential ($FileRootPath + "DbSyncred.xml")
Write-Host "Connecting to Azure database"
$SqlCtx = New-AzureSqlDatabaseServerContext -ServerName $ServerName -Credential $credential
Write-Host "Connecting to Blob storage"
$StorageCtx = New-AzureStorageContext -StorageAccountName $StorageName -StorageAccountKey $StorageKey
$Container = Get-AzureStorageContainer -Name $ContainerName -Context $StorageCtx
Write-Host "Exporting data to blob"
$exportRequest = Start-AzureSqlDatabaseExport -SqlConnectionContext $SqlCtx -StorageContainer $Container -DatabaseName $DatabaseName -BlobName $BlobName
Get-AzureSqlDatabaseImportExportStatus -Request $exportRequest
# use the below script in powershell to execute the script
# powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass –File C:\PowerShellScripts\AzureServerName\mySavedScript.ps1 –noexit