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Configure MaxBack with Azure Backup

Step-by-step guide to protecting SAP MaxDB on Azure VMs

By dbosoft
March 3, 2026
10 min

This guide walks you through configuring MaxBack on an Azure VM to get application-consistent backups of SAP MaxDB with Azure Backup.

Setting Up MaxBack for Azure Backup

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Azure VM with SAP MaxDB

An Azure VM running Windows Server with SAP MaxDB installed.

Azure Backup enabled

Azure Backup enabled on the VM via a Recovery Services vault.

MaxBack license

A MaxBack activation license file from dbosoft.

Administrator access

Administrator access to the VM (RDP or Azure Bastion).

Step 1: Install MaxBack

Connect to the Azure VM and download the MaxBack setup package. Run the installer — it sets up the VSS Writer and all required runtimes automatically.

Step 2: Install the license

License installation
maxback.vssclient license install -f C:\path\to\license.lic

If the VM has internet access (default for Azure VMs), the license is activated automatically.

Step 3: Connect to the database

Open an elevated command prompt:

Database connection
maxback.vssclient db connect

The command prompts for your database name and DBA credentials.

When prompted, select the log media for log backups. On Azure, it is recommended to place log backups on a separate managed disk to control costs.

Step 4: Apply the Azure Backup configuration set

Azure Backup configuration set
maxback.vssclient options configset -s AzureBackup

This enables settings optimized for Azure Backup:

  • Log backup before snapshot — ensures transaction logs are included in the Azure VM snapshot
  • Log truncation after backup — prevents log volume growth that increases Azure disk costs
  • Autorecovery — automatically recovers the database when the VM is restored from Azure Backup

Verifying the Setup

In the Azure Portal:

  1. Navigate to your Recovery Services vault
  2. Select the VM under Backup Items
  3. Run a test backup: Backup Now
  4. After the backup completes, check the snapshot type — it should show Application Consistent

On the database host, use the MaxBack VSSWriter LogViewer (installed via Start Menu) to monitor backup progress and review the backup history. You can also check the service status from the command line:

Writer status
maxback.vssclient db info -d PRD

If the snapshot shows as "Crash Consistent", check the following:

  • The Azure VM Guest Agent is running and healthy in the Azure Portal
  • The MaxBack Windows service is running: sc query "MaxBack.VssWriter$PRD"
  • The VM has the latest Azure VM extensions
  • Review MaxBack logs at C:\ProgramData\dbosoft\MaxBack\VSSWriter\<DatabaseName>\logs\
  • See Troubleshooting for more diagnostic steps

Azure-Specific Considerations

Managed disk sizing

Log backups are written to disk before truncation. Size the log disk to hold at least one full log backup cycle. Unlike on-premises, growing an Azure managed disk is easy but shrinking is not possible.

VM restore

When restoring a VM from Azure Backup, MaxBack autorecovery detects the restore and brings the database online. No manual database recovery steps are needed.

Cross-region restore

Azure Backup supports restoring to a secondary region. MaxBack autorecovery works the same way regardless of which region the VM is restored to.

Next Steps