Azure storage services
📘Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
Azure provides cloud storage that is secure, scalable, and highly available. Depending on the type of data you want to store and how you want to access it, Azure offers different storage services. The main options are:
- Blob Storage
- File Storage
- Queue Storage
- Table Storage
Each type has a different purpose. Understanding this is essential for the AZ-900 exam.
1. Blob Storage (Binary Large Object)
Purpose: Store unstructured data like documents, images, videos, backups, or logs.
- Unstructured data = Data that doesn’t follow a database table format. For example, a PDF, image, or log file.
- Access method: HTTP/HTTPS, REST APIs, or Azure SDKs.
- Types of blobs:
- Block blobs: Large files, split into blocks for efficient upload. Good for storing media files.
- Append blobs: Optimized for append-only operations. Ideal for logs.
- Page blobs: Used for random read/write, often for virtual hard disks (VHDs).
Key Points for Exam:
- Used for storing large files or unstructured data.
- Can integrate with Azure services like Azure CDN, Azure Data Lake, and backup solutions.
IT Example: Storing application logs for later analysis or keeping backup files of a virtual machine.
2. File Storage (Azure Files)
Purpose: Provide fully managed file shares in the cloud accessible via standard protocols.
- Supports SMB (Server Message Block) and NFS (Network File System) protocols.
- Can be mounted on Windows, Linux, and macOS just like a normal network drive.
- Good for shared storage scenarios where multiple applications or users need access to the same files.
Key Points for Exam:
- Ideal for lift-and-shift applications that require file share storage.
- Provides persistent storage accessible from anywhere in the network.
- Can be synchronized with on-premises file servers using Azure File Sync.
IT Example: Sharing configuration files across multiple servers or providing central storage for users in an organization.
3. Queue Storage
Purpose: Store messages that need to be processed asynchronously.
- Message-oriented storage. Each message can be up to 64 KB.
- Messages are stored until a consumer (an application or service) processes them.
- Ensures decoupled communication between application components.
Key Points for Exam:
- Enables asynchronous communication between applications.
- Helps scale applications by processing messages in a queue independently of the sender.
- Messages have a time-to-live, after which they expire.
IT Example: An order-processing system where each new order is placed in a queue, and worker services pick them up to process without overloading the system.
4. Table Storage
Purpose: Store structured NoSQL data (key-value pairs) in the cloud.
- Structured data = Data organized in tables with rows and columns, but without the relational constraints of SQL.
- Highly scalable, can store millions of rows.
- Accessed via REST APIs or SDKs, not via SQL queries.
Key Points for Exam:
- Great for large datasets that don’t require complex joins or relationships.
- Cheaper than relational databases for simple structured data.
- Used when you need fast lookups by key.
IT Example: Storing IoT device data like temperature readings or user activity logs for web apps.
Comparison Table for Exam
| Storage Type | Data Type | Access Method | Use Case / IT Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blob | Unstructured | HTTP/HTTPS, REST, SDK | Storing media, backups, logs |
| File | Structured file | SMB, NFS | Shared file storage for apps or users |
| Queue | Messages | REST, SDK | Async processing of orders/messages |
| Table | Structured NoSQL | REST, SDK | Storing large datasets, fast key-value access |
Exam Tips
- Remember: Blob = big files, File = shared folders, Queue = messages, Table = NoSQL structured data.
- Focus on use cases: AZ-900 exam will ask “Which storage is best for X scenario?”
- No SQL queries needed for Table Storage – it’s NoSQL.
- Blob and File storage are often confused; remember Blob = unstructured, File = structured shared files.
