# Creating backup copies across AWS Regions
<a name="cross-region-backup"></a>

Using AWS Backup, you can copy backups to multiple AWS Regions on demand or automatically as part of a scheduled backup plan. Cross-Region replication is particularly valuable if you have business continuity or compliance requirements to store backups a minimum distance away from your production data. For a video tutorial, see [Managing cross-Region copies of backups](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMN18Lpj3PE).

When you copy a backup to a new AWS Region for the first time, AWS Backup copies the backup in full. In general, if a service supports incremental backups, subsequent copies of that backup in the same AWS Region will be incremental. AWS Backup will re-encrypt your copy using the customer managed key of your destination vault.

An exception is Amazon EBS, where changing the encryption status of a snapshot during a copy operation [results in a full (not incremental) copy](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/ebs/latest/userguide/ebs-copy-snapshot.html#creating-encrypted-snapshots).

**Requirements**
+ Most AWS Backup-supported resources support cross-Region backup. For specifics, see [Feature availability by resource](backup-feature-availability.md#features-by-resource).
+ Most AWS Regions support cross-Region backup. For specifics, see [Feature availability by AWS Region](backup-feature-availability.md#features-by-region).
+ AWS Backup does not support cross-Region copies for storage in cold tiers.

## Cross-Region copy encryption
<a name="cross-region-copy-encryption"></a>

See [Encryption for a backup copy to a different account or AWS Region](encryption.md#copy-encryption) for details on how encryption works for copy jobs.

## Cross-Region copy considerations with specific resources
<a name="cross-region-considerations"></a>

**Amazon RDS**  
AWS Backup does not pass the option group when performing a cross-Region copy. Instead, AWS Backup copies the default option group, even if you have configured a custom option group.

If your custom option group uses persistent options, the cross-Region copy job fails unless the destination Region has the same option group as the source Region. In this case, AWS Backup still copies the default option group.

If you attempt a cross-Region copy without a matching option group in the target Region, the copy job fails with an error message such as "The snapshot requires a target option group with the following options: ...."

## Performing on-demand cross-Region backup
<a name="on-demand-crb"></a>

**To copy an existing backup on-demand**

1. Open the AWS Backup console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/backup](https://console.aws.amazon.com/backup).

1. Choose **Backup vaults**.

1. Choose the vault that contains the recovery point you want to copy.

1. In the **Backups** section, select a recovery point to copy.

1. Using the **Actions** dropdown button, choose **Copy**.

1. Enter the following values:  
**Copy to destination**  
Choose the destination AWS Region for the copy. You can add a new copy rule per copy to a new destination.  
**Destination Backup vault **  
Choose the destination backup vault for the copy.  
**Transition to cold storage**  
Choose when to transition the backup copy to cold storage. Backups transitioned to cold storage must be stored there for a minimum of 90 days. This value cannot be changed after a copy has transitioned to cold storage.   
To see the list of resources that you can transition to cold storage, see the "Lifecycle to cold storage" section of the [Feature availability by resource](backup-feature-availability.md#features-by-resource) table. The cold storage expression is ignored for other resources.  
**Retention period**  
Choose specifies the number of days after creation that the copy is deleted. This value must be greater than 90 days beyond the **Transition to cold storage** value.  
**IAM role**  
Choose the IAM role that AWS Backup will use when creating the copy. The role must also have AWS Backup listed as a trusted entity, which enables AWS Backup to assume the role. If you choose **Default** and the AWS Backup default role is not present in your account, one will be created for you with the correct permissions.

1. Choose **Copy**.

## Scheduling cross-Region backup
<a name="scheduled-crb"></a>

You can use a scheduled backup plan to copy backups across AWS Regions.<a name="copy-with-backup-plan"></a>

**To copy a backup using a scheduled backup plan**

1. Open the AWS Backup console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/backup](https://console.aws.amazon.com/backup).

1. In **My account**, choose **Backup plans**, and then choose **Create Backup plan**.

1. On the **Create Backup plan** page, choose **Build a new plan**.

1. For **Backup plan name**, enter a name for your backup plan.

1. In the **Backup rule configuration** section, add a backup rule that defines a backup schedule, backup window, and lifecycle rules. You can add more backup rules later.

   1. For **Backup rule name**, enter a name for your rule.

   1. For **Backup vault**, choose a vault from the list. Recovery points for this backup will be saved in this vault. You can create a new backup vault.

   1. For **Backup frequency**, choose how often you want to take backups.

   1. For services that support PITR, if you want this feature, choose **Enable continuous backups for point-in-time recovery (PITR)**. For a list a services that support PITR, see that section of the [Feature availability by resource](backup-feature-availability.md#features-by-resource) table.

   1. For **Backup window**, choose **Use backup window defaults - *recommended***. You can customize the backup window.

   1. For **Copy to destination**, Choose the destination AWS Region for your backup copy. Your backup will be copied to this Region. You can add a new copy rule per copy to a new destination. Then enter the following values:  
**Copy to another account's vault**  
Do not toggle this option. To learn more about cross-account copy, see [Creating backup copies across AWS accounts](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/aws-backup/latest/devguide/create-cross-account-backup.html)  
**Destination Backup vault**  
Choose the backup vault in the destination Region where AWS Backup will copy your backup.  
If you would like to create a new backup vault for cross-Region copy, choose **Create new Backup vault**. Enter the information in the wizard. Then choose **Create Backup vault**.

1. Choose **Create plan**.