Azure File Storage Service Overview

Azure File Storage is ideal for scenarios requiring a shared drive across multiple servers or users. It allows for the creation of file shares that can be accessed from various platforms, making it suitable for cloud and hybrid environments.

Key Concepts in Azure File Storage

1. Storage Account:
   • All access to Azure File Storage is through a storage account.
   • Scalability and performance considerations are essential since different storage services (File, Blob, Table, Queue) share the same performance targets.
2. File Share:
   • A file share in Azure is an SMB file share where directories and files must be created.
   • An Azure storage account can contain an unlimited number of file shares, each capable of storing up to 5 TB of total data.
   • For larger storage needs, multiple file shares can be created.
3. Directory:
   • Optional hierarchy within a file share that helps organize files.
4. File:
   • Files stored in a file share can be up to 1 TB in size.
5. URL Format:
   • Requests to Azure file shares use a specific REST API URL format.

Data Access Methods

Azure Files provides two primary access methods for data:

1. Direct Cloud Access:
   • Supports mounting Azure file shares using the SMB protocol or the File REST API.
   • Requirements:
     • Azure VMs: SMB client must support at least SMB 2.1.
     • On-Premises Systems: Workstations must support SMB 3.0 with encryption enabled.
2. Azure File Sync:
   • Synchronizes Azure file shares with on-premises or Azure Windows Servers.
   • Frequently accessed files remain on the server, while infrequently accessed data moves to Azure, balancing performance and storage costs.

Data Transfer Methods

To transfer data into Azure File Storage, several options are available:

1. Azure File Sync:
   • During the initial sync, Azure File Sync replicates existing data from an on-premises file share to Azure Files.
2. Azure Import/Export:
   • For transferring large amounts of data (terabytes), Microsoft provides a hard disk to move data. Once filled, the disk is shipped back to Microsoft for data upload into Azure.
3. Robocopy:
   • A command-line tool included with Windows that allows for efficient file transfers when mounting the shared files locally.
4. AzCopy:
   • A command-line utility for copying data to and from Azure Files, offering excellent performance and support for both Windows and Linux.

Steps to Create and Manage Azure File Storage

Step 1: Create a Storage Account

• Navigate to Azure Storage Account in the Azure portal.

Step 2: Create a File Share

• Click on Files in the storage account menu.
• Select +File Share to create a new file share.

Step 3: Configure File Share

• Provide a name and quota for the file share.
• A notification will confirm the successful creation of the file share.

Step 4: View File Share Properties

• Access the properties of the file share to see the URL and usage details.

Step 5: Connect to File Share

• Under the Connect option, view the command line and PowerShell command to connect the file share to a Windows computer.

Step 6: Access Control

• Utilize the Access Control tab to manage permissions, including Azure Active Directory integration (currently in preview).

Step 7: Mount File Share on a VM

• Click on Connect to see the command for mounting the file share on a Windows virtual machine.

Step 8: Execute Mount Command

• Open a command line interface on the VM, paste the connect command, and execute it. If successful, the file share will be mounted and accessible.