Azure Storage account

A top-level Azure resource that provides a namespace and configuration (region, redundancy, performance, access) for data services such as blobs, files, queues, and tables.

Azure’s object storage for unstructured data like images, videos, backups, and logs, organized as blobs inside containers within a storage account.

A service that provides fully managed file shares in the cloud, accessible over SMB (and in some cases NFS), behaving like a traditional network file share.

A simple message queue service used to decouple application components and enable asynchronous background processing.

A command-line tool for high-performance, scripted data transfers to and from Azure Blob and File storage.

A service that provides fully managed file shares in the cloud, accessible over SMB (and in some cases NFS), behaving like a traditional network file share.

What is Access tiers?

Hot, cool, and archive cost/performance levels for block blobs in Azure Blob Storage that control storage cost, access cost, and retrieval latency.

Azure Storage Services: Types, Redundancy, and Access Options — Mastering Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900): Complete Exam-Ready Course

Q: A company wants to migrate an on-premises file server used by multiple Windows VMs. The apps expect a traditional network share (\\server\\share). Which Azure service is the best fit?

Azure Files using SMB shares. Azure Files is designed to provide fully managed SMB file shares in the cloud. It behaves like a traditional network share and can be mounted by multiple VMs. Blob Storage is object storage, managed disks are block storage for a single VM, and Queue Storage is for messages, not files.

Q: You must store regulatory documents for 7 years at the lowest possible cost. The documents are rarely accessed but must survive a regional disaster. Which combination is most appropriate?

Azure Blob Storage, archive tier, GRS. Archive tier minimizes long-term storage cost for rarely accessed data, and GRS adds cross-region replication for disaster recovery. Hot+LRS is more expensive and only local; Azure Files does not use blob access tiers; Table Storage does not use hot/cool/archive tiers.

The Big Picture: Azure Storage in the AZ-900 World

Azure Storage in Context

Azure storage is as fundamental as compute and networking. For AZ-900, you must recognize the main storage options and how redundancy and tiers affect durability, performance, and cost.

The Storage Toolbox

Think of Azure Storage as a toolbox: some tools are for unstructured data, some for file shares, some for VM disks, and others for messaging or simple NoSQL data.

What You Will Learn

We will compare core services (blobs, files, queues, tables, managed disks), storage account types, redundancy (LRS, ZRS, GRS), access tiers (hot, cool, archive), and tools like AzCopy and Storage Explorer.

Exam Mindset

AZ-900 questions are often scenario-based: given a business need, which storage service, redundancy option, or access tier is the best fit?

Storage Accounts 101: The Container for Data Services

What Is a Storage Account?

A storage account is a top-level Azure resource that provides a namespace and configuration for services like blobs, files, queues, and tables.

Shared Settings

All services in a storage account share settings such as region, redundancy (LRS/ZRS/GRS), performance tier, and access configuration.

General-Purpose v2

General-purpose v2 accounts are the current default and support blobs (with tiers), Azure Files, queues, and tables in one place.

Managed Disks Exception

Managed disks are separate Azure resources. They use Azure Storage internally but do not live inside your own storage account.

Blobs: Unstructured Object Storage and Access Tiers

What Is Blob Storage?

Azure Blob Storage stores unstructured data such as images, videos, backups, and logs as objects called blobs inside containers.

Blob Types

Block blobs store files and support tiers, append blobs are for log-style appends, and page blobs are optimized for random I/O and back managed disks.

Access Tiers Overview

Hot tier costs more to store but is cheap and fast to access; cool is cheaper to store but more expensive to read; archive is cheapest to store but slow and costly to retrieve.

Common Exam Scenario

If a company must keep data for years but rarely reads it, Azure Blob Storage using the archive tier is usually the most cost-effective answer.

Files, Queues, and Tables: Different Shapes of Data

Azure Files

Azure Files provides fully managed SMB/NFS file shares in the cloud, accessible like a network drive, ideal for lift-and-shift scenarios.

Azure Queue Storage

Queue Storage offers simple message queues for decoupling components and handling asynchronous background work.

Azure Table Storage Basics

Azure Table Storage is a NoSQL key/attribute store for semi-structured data, storing entities in tables with flexible columns.

Exam Distinction

Table Storage is low-cost and part of a storage account, while Cosmos DB for Table adds global distribution and richer features.

Managed Disks: Storage for Virtual Machines

What Are Managed Disks?

Managed disks are Azure-managed virtual hard disks for VMs. They are stored as page blobs, but Azure handles the storage accounts and redundancy.

Disks and VMs

Each VM has an OS disk and optional data disks. You choose disk types (HDD/SSD) based on performance and cost requirements.

Blob vs Managed Disk

Use Blob Storage for files like images or backups accessed via HTTP/HTTPS. Use managed disks for block storage attached to a VM.

Files vs Disks

Azure Files provides shared file storage over the network. Managed disks provide dedicated block storage to a single VM.

Redundancy Options: LRS, ZRS, and GRS

Why Redundancy Matters

Redundancy defines how many copies of your data exist and where. It affects durability, availability, and cost.

LRS

Locally Redundant Storage keeps three copies in a single datacenter. It is cheapest but only protects against local hardware failures.

ZRS

Zone-Redundant Storage replicates data across Availability Zones in one region, protecting against the loss of a single datacenter.

GRS / RA-GRS

Geo-Redundant Storage copies data to a secondary region. RA-GRS adds read access to that secondary endpoint for DR and reporting.

Putting It Together: Choosing Services, Redundancy, and Tiers

Scenario: Web App Images

Product photos read frequently worldwide: use Blob Storage with block blobs in the hot tier, often with ZRS for high availability.

Scenario: Compliance Archive

10-year retention, rare access: Blob Storage with archive tier in a GRS account for low cost plus regional disaster protection.

Scenario: File Server Lift-and-Shift

Apps expect `\\server\\share`: use Azure Files in a general-purpose v2 account, with LRS or ZRS based on availability needs.

Scenario: Background Work

Upload then process later: store files in Blob Storage and queue work items in Azure Queue Storage for asynchronous processing.

Moving Data: AzCopy, Storage Explorer, and Other Paths

AzCopy

AzCopy is a command-line tool for high-speed, scripted transfers to and from Azure Blob and File storage, ideal for bulk or automated moves.

Azure Storage Explorer

Azure Storage Explorer is a GUI application that lets you visually browse containers, upload/download blobs, and manage file shares, queues, and tables.

Other Paths

You can also upload via the Azure portal for small tasks, or use SDKs and REST APIs for programmatic access in applications.

Exam Clues

Scripted or large transfers → AzCopy. Visual management → Storage Explorer. Quick one-off upload in browser → Azure portal.

Thought Exercise: Match the Storage Tool to the Job

Work through these short thought exercises. Do not worry about being perfect; focus on your reasoning.

Situation A: You are migrating 5 TB of log files from an on-premises server to Azure Blob Storage over a weekend. You want to script the transfer and monitor progress.

Which tool is the best fit, and why?

Situation B: You are debugging a student project and want to quickly check that messages are being added to an Azure Queue in your storage account.

Which tool is the most convenient, and why?

Situation C: Your team’s legacy app stores configuration files on a network share. You lift-and-shift the app to Azure VMs and now need to provide the same kind of shared file storage.

Which Azure storage service do you choose, and what access protocol will the app use?

Situation D: A compliance officer asks you to prove that your critical backups are stored in more than one Azure region.

Which redundancy option should you mention, and how is it different from ZRS?

Pause and write down your answers in your own words. Then compare to this reasoning:

A: AzCopy, because it is optimized for scripted, high-volume transfers.
B: Azure Storage Explorer, because it provides an easy GUI to inspect queues.
C: Azure Files using SMB shares, because it behaves like a network file share.
D: GRS or RA-GRS, because they replicate to a secondary region, whereas ZRS only spreads data across zones in a single region.

Quick Check: Storage Services and Use Cases

Test your understanding of which Azure Storage service fits each scenario.

A company wants to migrate an on-premises file server used by multiple Windows VMs. The apps expect a traditional network share (\\server\\share). Which Azure service is the best fit?

Azure Blob Storage with hot access tier
Azure Files using SMB shares
Azure Managed Disks attached to each VM
Azure Queue Storage

Show Answer

Answer: B) Azure Files using SMB shares

Azure Files is designed to provide fully managed SMB file shares in the cloud. It behaves like a traditional network share and can be mounted by multiple VMs. Blob Storage is object storage, managed disks are block storage for a single VM, and Queue Storage is for messages, not files.

Quick Check: Redundancy and Tiers

Now test your understanding of redundancy and access tiers.

You must store regulatory documents for 7 years at the lowest possible cost. The documents are rarely accessed but must survive a regional disaster. Which combination is most appropriate?

Azure Blob Storage, hot tier, LRS
Azure Blob Storage, archive tier, GRS
Azure Files, cool tier, ZRS
Azure Table Storage, archive tier, LRS