Restoring Azure File Shares from GRS CRR enabled RSV

Question

Restoring Azure File Shares from GRS CRR enabled RSV

Rob McNees 401

if my RSV vault is GRS and CRR enabled can I restore backed up Azure Files (in RSV) to the DR Region even though the Storage Account for the Azure Files is not GRS (in fact it is set to ZRS)?

IT seems it wont work. Because:

When I am in Azure RSV (GRS and CRR enabled) I go to Azure Files in "Backup Items" blade on vault. I select "Secondary Region" and see Azure Files (19) I click on "Azure Storage (File Shares), then when I select "Restore Share" from ellipses (...) I dont see any "Restore Points" available. Does that mean that the Storage Account (ZRS) itself has to be GRS? Please advise.

Suchitra Suregaunkar 9,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-02T17:17:33.4033333+00:00

Hello Rob McNees

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Q&A platform.

We are looking into your issue and will keep you posted updates.

Thanks,

Suchitra.

Answer accepted by question author

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Suchitra Suregaunkar 9,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-02T17:17:33.4033333+00:00

Hello Rob McNees

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Q&A platform.

We are looking into your issue and will keep you posted updates.

Thanks,

Suchitra.

Answer 1

Suchitra Suregaunkar 9,420 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello @Rob McNees@Rob McNees Even though your Recovery Services Vault (RSV) is GRS and Cross‑Region Restore (CRR) is enabled, Azure Files restore points will NOT appear in the Secondary region because:

Azure Files hosted on a ZRS storage account use operational (snapshot‑based) backup, and snapshot backups are NOT replicated to the secondary region.

As a result:

Backup items are visible in Secondary Region view
But no restore points exist, because no backup data was replicated to the paired region

This is exactly what the portal message indicates: “If a file share has only operational backup enabled or no backup data is replicated to the secondary region, recovery points will not be available.” and this behavior is by Design.

Azure Files has two backup models:

Operational backup (snapshots)
- Stored inside the source storage account
- Not geo‑replicated
- Cross‑region restore is NOT supported
Vaulted backup (Recovery Services vault data)
- Stored in the vault
- Replicated when vault is GRS
- Cross‑region restore is supported

Reference: https://docs.azure.cn/en-us/reliability/reliability-backup

ZRS Azure Files → operational backup only

Snapshot backups remain in the storage account, and vault redundancy does not change that behavior for operational backups.

User's image

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-create-recovery-services-vault#create-a-recovery-services-vault

Cross‑Region Restore requires replicated backup data and only works when backup data exists in the secondary region. If backup data was never replicated (snapshot‑only backups), restore points will not appear.

Does the storage account itself have to be GRS?

Yes, if you want Cross‑Region Restore for Azure Files using Azure Backup.

Azure Files on ZRS storage accounts → snapshot backup only → no CRR
Azure Files using vaulted backup on GRS/GZRS storage → CRR supported

So please have a look into below supported approach:

Option 1 (Azure Backup–supported DR)

Use Azure Files vaulted backup
File shares must be protected with vaulted backup
Backup data must replicate to secondary region
Restore points will then appear under Secondary Region.

Option 2 (If ZRS is mandatory)

Azure Backup = same‑region restore only
Use data replication, not Azure Backup CRR:
- AzCopy / AzCopy sync
- Azure File Sync
- GZRS storage instead of ZRS

Could you please let us know if the solution shared in the comment addressed your query. If you have any other questions or need further support, please feel free to contact us.

Thanks,
Suchitra.

Rob McNees 401 Reputation points

2026-03-02T22:37:18.19+00:00

I think this is a very good response, and many thanks. But just so that I'm absolute sure in my thinking, The only thing I need to do is make my Storage Account that holds the Azure File Share to be GRS (from ZRS). And at that point any new backups to the GRS, CRR-enabled RSV will provide restore points for Azure File shares to secondary region. is this correct?
Rob McNees 401 Reputation points

2026-03-02T22:37:45.4266667+00:00

Please review my comment and confirm my thinking is correct.
Suchitra Suregaunkar 9,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-03T21:09:45.0066667+00:00
Hello @Rob McNees@Rob McNees

Thanks for responding back.

Changing only the Storage Account from ZRS → GRS will not automatically give you restore points in the secondary region for Azure File Shares.

Making the Storage Account GRS by itself is not sufficient. You will get secondary‑region restore points for Azure File Shares only when the file shares are protected using vaulted backup and the Recovery Services Vault is GRS with Cross‑Region Restore enabled.

Azure Files supports two different backup models, and only one of them supports Cross‑Region Restore (CRR).

Operational backup (snapshot-based):

Backups are file share snapshots

Snapshots are stored inside the same Storage Account

Never replicated to the paired region

Used automatically for:

ZRS storage accounts

Many GRS storage accounts unless vaulted backup is explicitly enabled

Result:

No restore points in Secondary Region

Exactly the behavior shown in your screenshots

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/backup/backup-create-recovery-services-vault

Vaulted backup is required for CRR.

Backup data is stored in the Recovery Services Vault

When the vault is GRS + CRR enabled, backup data is replicated to the paired region

Secondary region restore points appear

Cross‑region restore is supported

Microsoft documentation:

Azure Backup reliability & cross‑region recovery https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/reliability/reliability-backup

Cross‑Region Restore overview https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/backup/tutorial-cross-region-restore

To see Azure File Share restore points in the Secondary Region, all of the following must be true:

Recovery Services Vault

Storage redundancy: GRS

Cross‑Region Restore enabled

Enabled before protection starts

Azure File Share

Protected using vaulted backup (not snapshot/operational backup)

Backup data

At least one successful backup

Replication to secondary region completed (can take up to ~48 hours)

Only if the Azure File Shares are using vaulted backup. ➡ Changing ZRS → GRS alone does not guarantee this, because snapshot-based (operational) backups still do not replicate cross‑region.

Changing the Azure Files storage account from ZRS to GRS alone is not sufficient. Cross‑region restore for Azure File Shares is supported only when the file shares are protected using vaulted backup in a GRS Recovery Services Vault with Cross‑Region Restore enabled, snapshot‑based (operational) backups are not replicated to the secondary region and therefore show no restore points.

Thanks,

Suchitra.
Suchitra Suregaunkar 9,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-04T17:09:19.52+00:00

Hello @Rob McNees@Rob McNees
I hope the details shared above helped in addressing your concern.

If the suggested resolution resolved the issue, kindly consider marking the answer as "Accepted" and "Upvote" it. This helps other community members who may encounter a similar issue in the future.

If you’re still experiencing the problem or need further clarification, please feel free to share additional information so we can continue investigating and assist you further.

Thanks,

Suchitra.
Rob McNees 401 Reputation points

2026-03-04T19:23:57.8633333+00:00
@Suchitra Suregaunkar what I was confused about was "Operational" vs "Vaulted Backup" -which I discovered is a setting in the Backup Policy in RSV for Azure File shares. Please confirm if we move from "Snapshots" to "Vaulted Backups" for the Azure Backup Policy on the GRS CRR Enabled RSV, then we should start getting recovery points for "Secondary Region" restore. if that is correct, this will fix our problem of being able to have GRS restore on Azure files - do you agree?
Suchitra Suregaunkar 9,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-04T19:30:46.1566667+00:00
Hello @Rob McNees@Rob McNees

Yes, your understanding is correct. Azure File Shares protected using Operational (snapshot) backups do not produce restore points in the Secondary Region because snapshots are stored in the storage account and are not geo‑replicated.

When you switch the Azure File Share backup policy to Vaulted Backup on a GRS, Cross‑Region Restore–enabled Recovery Services Vault, the backup data is stored in the vault and replicated to the paired region.

After this change, new backups will generate recovery points that are available for restore from the Secondary Region, which resolves the issue of cross‑region restore for Azure Files.

Please look into below Important clarification to avoid common misunderstanding:

Changing Storage Account from ZRS → GRS alone does NOT fix this

The fix is switching the backup policy to Vaulted Backup

Storage redundancy affects storage resiliency, not backup replication

Backup model, not storage type, determines CRR availability

To avoid confusion, all of the following must be true:

Recovery Services Vault

Storage redundancy = GRS

Cross‑Region Restore = Enabled

Enabled before or during protection (not just viewing)

Azure File Share Backup Policy

Backup type = Vaulted Backup

Not “Snapshots / Operational”

Backups after the change

Only new backups (after switching to vaulted) replicate

Allow time for replication to secondary region.

Thanks,

Suchitra.
Rob McNees 401 Reputation points

2026-03-09T16:01:54.8833333+00:00
@Suchitra Suregaunkar if you can confirm, if I updated my Azure File Share Backup Policy to "Vaulted", then I believe my Azure File Share backups will store then on the GRS RSV (instead of the Storage Account) and therefore Recovery Points in Secondary Region will start to be created. - is this true? Is so, after your response I will accept answer, thank yoU!
Suchitra Suregaunkar 9,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-09T16:25:21.48+00:00
Hello @Rob McNees@Rob McNees

Yes, this understanding is correct. When the Azure File Share backup policy is changed from Operational (Snapshots) to Vaulted Backup on a GRS and Cross‑Region Restore enabled Recovery Services Vault, the backup data is stored in the vault instead of the storage account. Because the vault is geo‑redundant, the backup data is replicated to the paired secondary region. As a result, new backups will start generating recovery points that are available for restore from the Secondary Region, which resolves the issue of enabling GRS restore for Azure Files.

Please have a look into below important clarifications to prevent future confusions:

Only backups taken after switching to Vaulted Backup will appear in Secondary Region.

Existing snapshot‑based backups will never show secondary‑region restore points.

Storage account redundancy (ZRS vs GRS) is not the deciding factor.

Backup type (Vaulted vs Snapshot) is the deciding factor.

Thanks,

Suchitra.
Naveena Patlolla 8,520 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-11T06:11:11.9066667+00:00

Hi Rob McNees
If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to reply and we will be happy to help. If this resolves your query, kindly click “Accept Answer” and select “Yes.”

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Restoring Azure File Shares from GRS CRR enabled RSV

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