Azure-docs: Behavior of snapshot retention on Backup disable

[dcbrown16]

When you stop protection, you have two options regarding the "normal" backups - keep (at least one) or delete all of them.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-manage-vms#stop-protecting-a-vm

What is the behavior regarding Instant Restore snapshot retention when stopping protection? My assumption is that they will be deleted according to the set retention period and you do not have an option to keep them indefinitely. Can you confirm?

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Document Details

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• ID: eeafbf18-2bee-17c8-9871-118396f904b7
• Version Independent ID: 1c591c58-062c-695f-212f-523b4221935c
• Content: Azure Instant Restore Capability
• Content Source: articles/backup/backup-instant-restore-capability.md
• Service: backup
• GitHub Login: @Sogup
• Microsoft Alias: sogup

[SadiqhAhmed-MSFT]

@dcbrown16 Thanks for the comment! We will investigate on this issue and get back to you soon.

[SadiqhAhmed-MSFT]

@dcbrown16 Stop protection comes with 2 options:
a. Retain data
b. Delete data
Either of the command applies to both the RPs in the vault and the instant recovery points.

[dcbrown16]

@SadiqhAhmed-MSFT ok, that makes sense but please confirm the behavior regarding snapshot retention if you disable protection.
As the doc says, "This default snapshot retention value is configurable to any value between 1 to 5 days." I find it hard to believe that you could persist the snapshot indefinitely by turning off the backup service - is that what you are saying happens?
i.e. here's what I expect.
Day 1: Take normal backup with 30-day retention and a snapshot with 2-day retention. Then turn off backup and retain data.
Day 2: Nothing changes.
Day 3: Normally, the snapshot would expire here. Please confirm this point.
...Day 31: Even after this point, the Day 1 normal backup doesn't expire and remains in the vault since it is the only remaining backup.

[SadiqhAhmed-MSFT]

@dcbrown16 Yes, GC stops when the user does “Stop protection with retain data”. All the RPs created remain stored forever. The retention period specified before stop protection no longer applies to the RPs. I hope it is clear now.

[dcbrown16]

@SadiqhAhmed-MSFT you are saying that all of the RPs are stored forever and that the "garbage collection" stops when you disable protection, but that directly contradicts the statement @pvrk made about this on #6264 last year. Please reconfirm.

[SadiqhAhmed-MSFT]

@dcbrown16 The answer I've posted stands correct. @pvrk answered last year in a different context.

[pvrk]

@dcbrown16 : I sincerely apologize for the confusion. I would like to clarify now once and for all on what is the resultant behavior.

• If the user chose "Stop protection with delete data" all backups residing everywhere (snapshot + vault; scheduled+adhoc) are deleted.
• If the user chose "Stop protection with retain data", all future backups stop and all existing backups are retained _forever_ (snapshot + vault; scheduled + adhoc)
• If the backed up VM is lost/deleted, then future backups will start failing and existing backups will be removed as per their retention (snapshots as per policy, scheduled backups as per policy, adhoc as per the retention time when specified)

So, @SadiqhAhmed-MSFT is right and I gave wrong information earlier (got mixed with something else). Apologies once again.

[dcbrown16]

Got it, that makes sense now. One final point of detail just to confirm - if the snapshots are retained forever, does that mean that the Instant Recovery functionality also remains available forever?

[dcbrown16]

On further review, I guess the "Instant Recovery" is not actually making the recovery faster per se, it's making it available earlier in regards to the backup start time.
Since in this scenario, we aren't taking backups any more, this function isn't particularly relevant.
I think we have all the info we need for now, thanks!