KodeKloud Notes

Azure Files is a fully managed, cloud-native file-share service within an Azure Storage account. It offers SMB- and NFS-based shares that behave like a local file system, making it perfect for “lift-and-shift” migrations of legacy applications and for containerized workloads requiring persistent, network-mounted storage.

The image explains the compatibility of Azure Storage Accounts with legacy applications for "lift and shift" migrations, featuring icons of a computer and cloud.

For containerized scenarios—such as Docker containers running in Azure—Azure Files can mount an SMB share into any container, giving applications a familiar file-system path for configuration, logs, or shared data.

The image illustrates the compatibility of Azure Storage Accounts with legacy applications and file systems, and includes icons for Docker and containers.

Protocol Support

Azure Files provides two primary network file protocols:

SMB (Server Message Block)
Fully compatible with Windows clients and supports Windows ACLs just as on-premises.
NFS (Network File System 4.1)
Ideal for Linux and macOS workloads. Available only in Premium storage accounts within a virtual network.

Note

NFS support requires a Premium storage account and VNet deployment.
SMB is available in both Standard and Premium tiers.

The image is a diagram explaining the compatibility of Azure Storage Accounts with file shares, highlighting support for SMB and NFS protocols, and noting that NFS requires a premium account.

Capacity, Scale, and Quotas

Feature	Limit
Maximum share size	100 TiB
Maximum individual file size	1 TiB
Maximum concurrent connections	2,000/share

To avoid unexpected costs and uncontrolled growth, configure share quotas to cap the total data stored.

Uploading and Managing Files

You can add, retrieve, and organize files in an Azure Files share using:

Method	Use Case	Sample Command / Action
Azure Portal	Quick GUI-based creation and upload	Click Upload within the Azure Storage UI
PowerShell	Script and automation	`New-AzStorageShare`; `Get-AzStorageFileContent`
AzCopy	High-performance, large-scale moves	`azcopy copy ... --recursive`

The image is a guide on uploading files to Azure Files using three methods: Azure Portal, PowerShell, and AzCopy, each with brief descriptions of their features.

Example: Upload with AzCopy

azcopy copy "/local/path/*" \
  "https://<storage-account>.file.core.windows.net/<share-name>?<SAS-token>" \
  --recursive

Azure File Sync

Azure File Sync extends your on-premises Windows file servers into Azure Files. Deploy the Azure File Sync agent, register your server with a Storage Sync Service, and create a sync group to connect local folders to an Azure file share. File changes replicate bidirectionally:

On-prem → Azure: New or modified files upload automatically.
Azure → On-prem: Updates propagate to all registered servers.

The image illustrates Azure File Sync, showing a cloud labeled "Azure File Share" connected to a server and a user with a laptop, indicating file synchronization with data centers.

Warning

Large-scale synchronization can incur data transfer charges and may impact network performance. Plan your cache settings and sync schedules to optimize costs and user experience.

Links and References

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