Azure Storage Providers – Blob, Disk, File And Archive

Whereas designing any software, crucial facet we think about is knowledge stream in software. How we seize, course of and retailer knowledge is the core of any software. In case of cloud software we are able to use Azure storage providers. This service can be utilized for non-cloud software as nicely. Non-cloud means even when software is hosted on non-public server we are able to use Azure Cloud Storage.

Storage could be something which we retailer utilizing software like Information, Information, Photographs, Movies, and so on. For such completely different sort of storages Azure have a devoted storage service, on this article we’re going to talk about one after the other.

There are merchandise out there for Storage corresponding to Blob Storage, File Storage, Queue Storage, Desk Storage, Disk Storage, and Storage Tiers. 

Most essential storage is knowledge storage, right here we are able to think about Desk storage is used for knowledge storage. There are three methods to retailer knowledge as beneath

1. Structured
   Information saved utilizing tables with very strict schema. Every row has outlined schema/construction. Some tables have outlined relationships between them (Major and Overseas Keys). Usually utilized in relational databases.
    
2. Semi-structured
   Information saved utilizing tables however with out strict outlined schema/stricture. Rows should solely have distinctive key identifier solely, different columns can fluctuate.
    
3. Unstructured
   On this format knowledge/information could be saved in any format. Like binary information, software information, photographs, motion pictures, and so on.

Storage Account

It is a group of providers which embody Blob Storage, File Storage, Queue Storage, Desk Storage used to retailer Information, Messages, Structured and semi-structured knowledge with benefits of Extremely scalability(as much as petabytes of information), Extremely sturdy (99.999999999%) and Least expensive per GB storage 

Blob Storage

BLOB stands for Binary giant object which is generally information, any such storage is designed to retailer giant information of any sort/form. Blob has three storage tiers

1. Sizzling – Incessantly accessed knowledge
2. Cool –  occasionally accessed knowledge (excessive sturdiness, decrease availability)
3. Archive – hardly ever accessed knowledge. To make use of Blob storage you must use beneath Namespaces 

utilizing Microsoft.WindowsAzure; // to entry CloudConfigurationManager  
utilizing Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Storage; // to entry CloudStorageAccount  
utilizing Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Storage.Blob; // to entry Blob storage varieties  
utilizing Microsoft.Azure; // to entry CloudConfigurationManager  

Whenever you wish to retailer knowledge to Blob beneath code will aid you to grasp how precise file will get saved 

public void SaveDataToBlob(PostedFile objFile) {
    HttpWebRequest requestPage = (HttpWebRequest) WebRequest.Create(objFile.filePath);
    HttpWebResponse responseRequest = (HttpWebResponse) requestPage.GetResponse();
    CloudBlockBlob objBlob = blobcontainer.GetBlockBlobReference(objFile.filename); //Create a Blob  
    //Retailer file on Azure Weblog 
    objBlob.UploadFromStream(responseRequest.GetResponseStream());
}

Queue Storage

Queue Storage is used to retailer small knowledge like messages, it’s designed for scalable asynchronous processing. Such a storage can retailer thousands and thousands of messages with most dimension of 64 KB. Higher restrict could be set by the kind of storage account. URL of the queue is like beneath 

https://<account>.queue.core.home windows.internet/<queue>

Whenever you wish to use this storage in your software you must set up and add references. beneath are the steps to make use of the Azure Queue 

PM> Set up-Package deal Azure.Storage.Queues

As soon as you put in the package deal, you must create azure queue storage shopper 

public static void QueueClient(string queuename) {
    string conStr = “Your Azure Storage Connection String”;
    QueueClient qClient = new QueueClient(conStr, queuename);
}

If you wish to ship message or retailer message utilizing azure queue storage you should use beneath code 

string message = "My First message";
qClient.CreateIfNotExists();
if (qClient.Exists()) {
    qClient.SendMessage(message);
    return true;
}

Disk Storage

That is crucial storage in cloud/Azure used for emulation within the cloud, it’s Persistent storage for Digital Machines. it has completely different sizes, varieties, efficiency tiers. It’s used to put in working system and different softwares and can be utilized as a content material server.

File Storage

Azure Information is a cloud storage service developed to share information, improvement instruments and functions. with the assistance of Azure information you’ll be able to share your information and handle them.

This storage is principally used for File Servers, Utility shares, improvement and testing, raise and shift migrations, and so on.  There are few benefits and drawbacks of utilizing Azure File storage. benefits like Shared entry, totally managed service, redundancy, simple API. few disadvantages like efficiency, safety, dimension limitations, backup, and so on.

General if we analyze the providers supplied by Azure they’re fairly promising. If we have to develop an software of any dimension (small or enterprise), Azure storage can fulfill the necessities.

__Happy Coding__