# Choose restore-point consistency before capturing an Azure VM

> DSE recommends documenting the intended consistency mode before scheduling the capture.

- Canonical URL: https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260917-035-choose-restore-point-consistency-before-capturing-an-azure-vm/
- Publisher: Detection Systems & Engineering (DSE Security)
- Author: DSE Security Editorial Team
- Published: 2026-09-17T16:34:25+00:00
- Modified: 2026-09-17T16:35:03+00:00
- Last reviewed by DSE: 2026-09-17
- Resource type: Guide
- DSE priority: Information
- Topics: IT
- Reading time: 1 minutes

## What you need to know

DSE recommends documenting the intended consistency mode before scheduling the capture.

## Potentially affected

This applies when a team defines an Azure VM restore-point capture request and must agree the consistency requirement with the application owner.

## DSE recommendation

DSE recommends documenting the intended consistency mode before scheduling the capture.

## Article

## Source facts

Microsoft documents application-consistent VM restore points as the default when consistencyMode is omitted. For crash-consistent capture, the request explicitly sets consistencyMode to crashConsistent. The guide states that crash consistency is unsupported for Azure Boost and directs those workloads to application-consistent restore points. [Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/virtual-machines-create-restore-points)

## Applicability

This applies when a team defines an Azure VM restore-point capture request and must agree the consistency requirement with the application owner.

## DSE recommendation

DSE recommends documenting the intended consistency mode before scheduling the capture. Ask the application owner to identify the recovery checks that will demonstrate a usable result, and verify the documented support conditions for the VM. Review the actual request field instead of inferring the mode from a job name. Record any excluded disks and require an explicit owner decision about the resulting recovery boundary.

## Verification

Inspect the submitted request and resulting restore-point information together. Compare the selected mode with the approved application requirement, then use a controlled recovery test to evaluate the captured workload. Record capture success and recovery acceptance as separate observations, keeping an untested or failed recovery outcome visible in the backup review.

## Official references

- [Microsoft: Use virtual machine restore points – Azure Virtual Machines | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/virtual-machines-create-restore-points)

## Primary reference

- Name: Use virtual machine restore points - Azure Virtual Machines | Microsoft Learn
- Authority: Microsoft Learn
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/virtual-machines-create-restore-points
- Source publication date: Not stated by the source

## Citation and use

Preferred citation: “Choose restore-point consistency before capturing an Azure VM,” DSE Security, https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260917-035-choose-restore-point-consistency-before-capturing-an-azure-vm/
Publishing principles: https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-updates-editorial-methodology/
Usage and citation policy: https://update.dsesecurity.com/usage/
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