AZ-104 Exam EP 29: Azure Storage Accounts

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the essentials of Azure Storage Accounts, as covered in the AZ-104 Exam video series. Understanding Azure Storage is crucial for managing data in the cloud effectively. In this guide, we will break down the different types of storage services, account kinds, replication strategies, and best practices for securing your storage endpoints.

Step 1: Understand Azure Storage

• Azure Storage is a scalable cloud storage solution that provides services for data management.
• Key features include:
  • Durability
  • Availability
  • Scalability
• Different types of data can be stored, such as blobs, files, queues, tables, and disks.

Step 2: Explore Azure Storage Services

Azure provides several storage services tailored to various needs:

1. Blob Storage: For unstructured data like images and videos.
2. File Storage: Managed file shares accessible via SMB protocol.
3. Queue Storage: For message storage and retrieval between applications.
4. Table Storage: For structured NoSQL data.
5. Disk Storage: Persistent disks for Azure Virtual Machines.

Step 3: Learn About Storage Account Kinds

There are different kinds of storage accounts to choose from:

• General-purpose v2: Supports all Azure storage services with the latest features.
• Blob Storage: Specifically designed for storing blobs.
• File Storage: For file shares in the cloud.
• BlockBlob Storage: For storing large amounts of unstructured data.

Step 4: Understand Replication Strategies

Replication ensures data durability and availability. Common strategies include:

• LRS (Locally Redundant Storage): Keeps multiple copies of your data in a single region.
• GRS (Geo-Redundant Storage): Replicates data to a secondary region for disaster recovery.
• RA-GRS (Read-Access Geo-Redundant Storage): Similar to GRS but allows read access to the secondary region.
• ZRS (Zone-Redundant Storage): Spreads data across multiple availability zones within a region.

Step 5: Accessing Storage

Access to Azure Storage can be managed through:

• Azure Portal: A user-friendly web interface.
• Azure CLI: Command-line interface for scripting and automation.
• Azure PowerShell: For Windows users to manage Azure resources through scripts.
• REST API: For programmatic access to storage services.

Step 6: Securing Storage Endpoints

To secure your storage accounts:

• Use Shared Access Signatures (SAS) for limited access.
• Implement Network Security by using Virtual Network service endpoints.
• Enable Storage Firewall to restrict access by IP address.
• Use Azure Active Directory for role-based access control (RBAC).

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we covered the key components of Azure Storage Accounts, including the different types of storage services, account kinds, replication strategies, and best practices for securing your endpoints. Understanding these concepts is essential for effective data management in Azure. Consider exploring additional resources or practical exercises to reinforce your knowledge and prepare for the AZ-104 exam.