Networking for Azure Files
This document covers the networking considerations and configurations for Azure Files, a fully managed cloud file share service. Understand how to secure your file shares and optimize access from various network environments.
Understanding Azure Files Networking
Azure Files offers several networking options to connect to your file shares, ensuring both security and performance. The primary methods include:
- Public Endpoints: Direct access over the internet using standard protocols like SMB and NFS.
- Private Endpoints: Securely accessing your file shares over a private connection from your Azure Virtual Network (VNet).
- Service Endpoints: Restricting access to your file share to only traffic originating from specific subnets within your Azure VNets.
- ExpressRoute: Connecting your on-premises networks to Azure privately.
Securing Network Access
Security is paramount when accessing cloud resources. Azure Files provides robust features to control network access:
Firewall and Virtual Network Rules
You can configure firewall rules at the storage account level to allow or deny access from specific public IP addresses or ranges. Virtual network rules allow you to grant access only from specific Azure VNets and subnets.
To configure these rules:
- Navigate to your Storage Account in the Azure portal.
- Under "Security + networking", select "Networking".
- Choose "Firewalls and virtual networks".
- Configure "Allow access from" to "Selected networks".
- Add your desired IP addresses/ranges or virtual networks/subnets.
Private Endpoints
Private Endpoints provide a dedicated IP address from your VNet for your Azure Files share. This isolates your traffic and prevents exposure to the public internet. Traffic travels end-to-end over the Microsoft backbone network.
Key benefits of Private Endpoints:
- Secure access from your VNet.
- Eliminates the need for public IPs on your file shares.
- Integrates seamlessly with Azure Private Link.
Service Endpoints
Service endpoints extend your VNet's private address space to Azure services. When enabled for Azure Files on a subnet, traffic from that subnet to the Azure Files service in that region is routed directly over the Azure backbone, bypassing the public internet.
Accessing Azure Files Over SMB
When accessing Azure Files shares via SMB, consider these networking aspects:
- Ports: SMB typically uses TCP port 445. Ensure this port is open in any on-premises firewalls or network security groups (NSGs) if accessing from an on-premises environment.
- DNS Resolution: Correct DNS resolution is crucial for mounting shares. Ensure your DNS servers can resolve the Azure Files endpoint.
- On-Premises Connectivity: For on-premises access, you'll typically use either a VPN gateway or Azure ExpressRoute.
Accessing Azure Files Over NFS
Azure Files also supports the NFSv4.1 protocol. Similar networking considerations apply:
- Ports: NFS uses a range of ports, but typically TCP/UDP port 2049. Ensure these are allowed.
- Network Connectivity: Secure access over private networks is recommended.
Optimizing Network Performance
Several factors influence the performance of your Azure Files access:
- Latency: Minimize latency by choosing a storage account region close to your compute resources. Use private endpoints or service endpoints for reduced network hops.
- Bandwidth: Ensure your network connection has sufficient bandwidth. For on-premises, consider the bandwidth of your VPN or ExpressRoute circuit.
- Client Configuration: Optimize SMB client settings, such as signing and encryption, which can impact performance.
Further Reading
For more in-depth information and advanced configurations, please refer to the official Microsoft documentation: