Azure Blob Storage
Azure Blob Storage is Microsoft's object storage solution for the cloud. It is optimized for storing massive amounts of unstructured data.
Key Features
- Access Tiers: Hot (frequently accessed), Cool (infrequently accessed), Cold (rarely accessed), Archive (long-term retention).
- Redundancy: LRS (Locally Redundant), ZRS (Zone Redundant), GRS (Geo-Redundant).
- Security: Encryption at rest, granular access control with SAS tokens or Entra ID.
Use Cases
- Serving Images/Documents: Storing files for browser access.
- Streaming: Video and audio streaming.
- Backup and Restore: Storing backup data and disaster recovery files.
- Data Lakes: Storing data for analysis by Azure Synapse or Databricks (Data Lake Gen2).
Key Concepts
- Container: A logical grouping of blobs (like a folder).
- Blob Types: Block Blobs (text/binary), Append Blobs (logs), Page Blobs (VHDs).
- Lifecycle Management: Automated policies to move data between tiers or delete it.