Configure Azure Files (and Azure File Sync)
MS Learn module: Configure Azure Files · Learning objectives: identify storage for file shares versus blob data; configure Azure file shares and file share snapshots; identify features and use cases of Azure File Sync.
Overview (why this module matters)
Azure Files provides managed SMB/NFS file shares — the “shared network drive” story for lift-and-shift and line-of-business workloads, where a mountable filesystem beats object storage. This module covers shares, snapshots, soft delete, and the hybrid sync tool Azure File Sync.
Units / lessons covered
- Introduction
- Compare storage for file shares and blob data
- Manage Azure file shares
- Create file share snapshots
- Implement soft delete for Azure Files
- Use Azure Storage Explorer / Storage browser
- Consider Azure File Sync (setup)
- Knowledge check / Summary & resources
Concepts introduced (link each term note)
- Azure Files — SMB/NFS shares, identity auth
- Azure File Sync — sync groups, cloud tiering
- Storage Explorer / Storage browser
- Storage account (standard vs premium file shares)
- Snapshot & soft-delete for recovery (see immutability context)
- Azure Blob contrast (files vs blobs)
Key terms / commands
# create a file share
az storage share create --name <share> --account-name <sa> --account-key <key>
# create a snapshot
az storage share snapshot --name <share> --account-name <sa> --account-key <key>
# Storage Sync Service + sync group (Azure portal / Azure File Sync agent on Windows Server)
Hands-on / what to try
- Create a file share; mount it via SMB from Windows/Linux; create a snapshot and restore a file.
- Enable soft delete for file shares; delete & recover a share.
- Set up a Storage Sync Service → sync group → server endpoint on a Windows Server test box and enable cloud tiering.
Exam focus
- Azure Files = SMB/NFS file shares; Blob = object store. Choose Files when you need a mounted shared drive.
- Snapshots = point-in-time restores; soft delete recovers deleted shares.
- File Sync = on-prem Windows Server + cloud share; cloud tiering frees local disk.
- Premium file shares for SSD-backed low-latency IOPS.