Upload Objects to Azure Blob Storage
This document guides you through the process of uploading objects (blobs) to Azure Blob Storage. We'll cover common methods using SDKs and the REST API.
Prerequisites
- An Azure subscription.
- A storage account created in your Azure subscription.
- A container within your storage account.
Methods for Uploading Blobs
Azure Blob Storage offers several ways to upload data:
1. Using Azure SDKs
The Azure SDKs provide high-level abstractions for interacting with Azure services, making development easier. We'll show examples for .NET and Python.
1.1 .NET SDK Example
The Azure.Storage.Blobs package simplifies blob operations.
Step 1: Install the NuGet Package
Add the following package to your .NET project:
dotnet add package Azure.Storage.Blobs
Step 2: Upload a Blob
Use the BlobClient to upload a file:
using Azure.Storage.Blobs;
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
public class BlobUploader
{
public static async Task UploadFileAsync(string connectionString, string containerName, string blobName, string filePath)
{
// Create a BlobServiceClient object which will be used to create a container client
BlobServiceClient blobServiceClient = new BlobServiceClient(connectionString);
// Get a reference to a container client
BlobContainerClient containerClient = blobServiceClient.GetBlobContainerClient(containerName);
// Get a reference to a blob client
BlobClient blobClient = containerClient.GetBlobClient(blobName);
using (FileStream uploadFileStream = File.OpenRead(filePath))
{
await blobClient.UploadAsync(uploadFileStream, true); // true to overwrite if the blob already exists
Console.WriteLine($"Uploaded blob '{blobName}' to container '{containerName}'.");
}
}
// Example usage:
// public static async Task Main(string[] args)
// {
// string connectionString = "YOUR_AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING";
// string containerName = "mycontainer";
// string blobName = "myblob.txt";
// string filePath = "localfile.txt";
// await UploadFileAsync(connectionString, containerName, blobName, filePath);
// }
}
1.2 Python SDK Example
Use the azure-storage-blob library.
Step 1: Install the Library
Install the package using pip:
pip install azure-storage-blob
Step 2: Upload a Blob
Use the BlobClient:
from azure.storage.blob import BlobServiceClient
import os
def upload_blob(connection_string, container_name, blob_name, file_path):
# Create the BlobServiceClient object
blob_service_client = BlobServiceClient.from_connection_string(connection_string)
# Get a client to the container
container_client = blob_service_client.get_container_client(container_name)
# Upload the blob
with open(file_path, "rb") as data:
container_client.upload_blob(name=blob_name, data=data, overwrite=True)
print(f"Uploaded blob '{blob_name}' to container '{container_name}'.")
# Example usage:
# conn_str = "YOUR_AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING"
# container = "mycontainer"
# blob = "my_python_blob.txt"
# local_file = "local_file_to_upload.txt"
# upload_blob(conn_str, container, blob, local_file)
2. Using the Azure Blob Storage REST API
For more direct control or when SDKs are not available, you can use the REST API.
Upload REST API Call
You'll use a PUT request to the blob's URL. Ensure you include the appropriate authorization headers.
Request URL:
PUT https://myaccount.blob.core.windows.net/mycontainer/myblob.txt HTTP/1.1
Content-Length: [size of the file]
x-ms-blob-type: BlockBlob
Authorization: [SharedKey or other auth]
Date: [current date and time]
Request Body: The content of the file you want to upload.
For detailed information on authentication and request headers, please refer to the official Azure Blob Storage REST API documentation.
Key Considerations for Uploading
- Blob Types: Understand the difference between Block Blobs, Append Blobs, and Page Blobs, and choose the one that best suits your data. Block blobs are most common for general-purpose storage.
- Upload Methods: For large files, consider using parallel uploads or the asynchronous upload methods provided by the SDKs to improve performance.
- Error Handling: Implement robust error handling to gracefully manage network issues, storage account limits, and other potential problems.
- Security: Secure your connection strings and access keys. Consider using Azure AD authentication where possible.
Performance Tip:
For uploading large files, especially over slower networks, use the parallel upload feature. The Azure SDKs often handle this automatically or provide options to configure it.
Important Note:
Always replace placeholder values like connection strings, container names, and blob names with your actual Azure Storage credentials and desired names.
Continue exploring the Azure Blob Storage documentation to learn about other operations like downloading, deleting, and managing blobs.