Azure Blob Storage provides scalable, cost-efficient object storage in the cloud. Store performance-sensitive data in Premium, frequently accessed data in Hot, infrequently accessed data in Cool, and rarely accessed data in Archive.
Guidance
Use this option when you…
- Have an existing solution in Azure, or are planning to use Azure technologies primarily
- Designed a solution that uses object storage (common)
- Want Azure to keep track of how frequently you access some objects so they can be moved between hot and lower-cost cool tiers automatically (“Lifecycle Management”)
- Need long-term, unchanging archival storage with no interaction expected
Example Use Cases
- Need to serve web application assets and content
- Have a service pipeline that uses object storage
- Want to integrate SQL tools like Azure Synapse
- Create a data lake to run big data analytics using something like Azure Databricks, HDInsight or wish to visualize the data with Microsoft Power BI
- You need a hybrid storage option like Azure Files (CIFS, NFS)
- Want integration with Stanford's Azure Active Directory
Cost Considerations
- Pay for what you use with no minimums
- Cost may vary substantially month-to-month
- Know the specific cost considerations with “Lifecycle Management” to avoid costly mistakes
- Be aware of the significant cost penalties with Archive Storage (early deletion, access and restore costs, etc
- Like other vendors, education institutions like Stanford receive a waiver on practically all global data egress charges
Support
- This service is accessible as part of your Azure account
- Your Azure account will be provisioned by UIT Hosting Services
- If your service is self-managed, you will be responsible for all aspects of security compliance associated with your Azure account
- UIT professional services teams may include this service as part of fully-managed, fully-supported solution
