Introduction to Azure Storage
- Scalable, durable, and highly available cloud storage solutions.
- Key services: Blob Storage, File Storage, Queue Storage, Table Storage, and Disk Storage.
- Understanding data redundancy options (LRS, GRS, RA-GRS, ZRS).
- Security considerations: access keys, Shared Access Signatures (SAS), Azure AD.
Azure Blob Storage
- Object storage for unstructured data like documents, images, videos.
- Storage tiers: Hot, Cool, Archive.
- Key features: lifecycle management, versioning, immutable storage.
- Common use cases: serving website content, data backup and disaster recovery.
- Example usage (REST API conceptual):
GET /mycontainer/myblob.txt HTTP/1.1
Host: mystorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net
x-ms-version: 2019-02-02
Authorization: SharedKey mystorageaccount:EXAMPLE_KEY
Azure Files and Azure NetApp Files
- Fully managed cloud file shares accessible via SMB and NFS.
- Share data across multiple VMs and on-premises applications.
- Azure NetApp Files for high-performance, enterprise-grade file workloads.
- Key benefits: lift-and-shift existing file servers, shared application settings.
Azure Queue Storage and Table Storage
- Queue Storage: Reliable message queuing for decoupling application components.
- Table Storage: NoSQL key-value store for schema-less data.
- Use cases: asynchronous task processing, managing user sessions, storing metadata.
- Scalability and performance characteristics.
Azure Managed Disks
- Block-level storage for Azure Virtual Machines.
- Disk types: Standard HDD, Standard SSD, Premium SSD, Ultra Disk.
- Key features: snapshots, disk encryption (SSE, CMK), disk backup.
- Optimizing VM performance with appropriate disk selection.
Data Management and Governance
- Monitoring Azure Storage with Azure Monitor and Storage Analytics.
- Implementing access control and auditing.
- Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity strategies.
- Exploring tools like Azure Data Factory and Azure Synapse Analytics for data integration.
- Learn more about Azure Storage best practices