Azure Learning

storage-account

Properties2
tagsstorage, storage-account, azure-storage, az-104
aliasesstorage account, Azure Storage, storage-account

2 min read

Storage account

What it is

A storage account is the top-level Azure resource that gives you a namespace of durable cloud storage. It exposes one or more Azure Storage data services (blobs, files, tables, queues) behind a set of shared settings: replication, performance tier, access tier, networking, and encryption.

Why it exists

Instead of managing disks or servers for data, a storage account is wholly managed: you choose a name, kind, redundancy, and these apply consistently across every data service inside it. It is the unit you deploy, secure, and pay for.

Key ideas

  • Unique name across Azure: The account name (3–24 lowercase alphanumerics) forms a global URL, <name>.blob.core.windows.net, <name>.file.core.windows.net, <name>.queue.core.windows.net, <name>.table.core.windows.net.
  • Kinds (account types) — determine which services + performance are available:
    • Standard general-purpose v2 (GPv2) — the default; all 4 services; hot/cool/cold tier (no archive at account level except blobs).
    • Premium block blobs — high IOPS block blobs, no archives.
    • Premium file shares — SMB/NFS shares on SSD (higher cost, lower latency).
    • Premium page blobs — for unmanaged VM disks / page blobs.
    • (Legacy) BlobStorage and GPv1 — historical; prefer GPv2.
  • Settings are per-account: replication, access tier(s), performance tier, network/firewall, keys.
  • Containers are inside accounts — an account holds containers (blobs), shares (files), tables, queues. You cannot change account type after creation (you can migrate data).

How it fits (diagram)

storage-account.svg

Exam notes

  • One storage account name is globally unique, DNS-based, lowercase.
  • Default redundancy is LRS; you pick on creation (can be changed later).
  • Endpoint URLs are the 4 *.core.windows.net subdomains — memorize which service maps to which.
  • Standard vs Premium is a performance decision, GPv2 vs others is a kind decision.
  • Think of an account as the container; blobs/shares/tables/queues live inside it.

redundancy-lrs-zrs-grs · access-tier · storage-performance · blob-storage · azure-files · storage-network-rule · storage-access-keys · sas-token

📘 Source: Microsoft Learn — Storage Account

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