Group 10: Core Object & File Storage
Persistent general-purpose storage tiers enabling durable data retention, static content serving, analytics lake foundations, POSIX file sharing, and high-performance workloads. Key services: Blob Storage, ADLS Gen2 (common with Blob), Azure Files, Azure NetApp Files, Archive Storage, and Ultra Disk.
Separation of Concerns: Distinguish object vs file vs block/disk. Object = scale & resilience; file = lift SMB/NFS semantics; disk = low-latency attached IO.
Services & Identity
Key Differences
| Service | Primary Role | Differentiators | Choose When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blob / ADLS | Object / lake | Mass scale, tiering | Analytics lakes, static assets |
| Azure Files | SMB/NFS share | Lift & shift | File semantics needed |
| NetApp Files | Enterprise file perf | Low latency, multi-proto | High IOPS file workloads |
| Archive | Cold retention | Ultra low cost | Rare access, compliance |
| Ultra Disk | Block perf | High IOPS/low latency | Premium transactional DB |
Selection Model
Score_Blob = 0.26*C_scale + 0.18*C_lake + 0.16*C_varAccess + 0.14*C_costOpt + 0.14*C_lifecycle + 0.12*(10 - C_lowLatency)
Score_Files = 0.28*C_fileSem + 0.20*C_lift + 0.16*C_idAuth + 0.14*C_snap + 0.12*C_midLatency + 0.10*(10 - C_scale)
Score_NetApp = 0.28*C_perf + 0.20*C_enterprise + 0.16*C_fileSem + 0.14*C_multiProto + 0.12*C_snap + 0.10*(10 - C_costOpt)
Score_Archive= 0.34*C_cold + 0.22*C_costOpt + 0.16*(10 - C_accessFreq) + 0.14*C_compliance + 0.14*C_retention
Score_Ultra = 0.32*C_lowLatency + 0.22*C_iops + 0.16*C_perf + 0.14*C_trans + 0.10*(10 - C_costOpt) + 0.06*C_enterprise
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Interpretation
- Blob/ADLS: Lake + broad object scenarios.
- Azure Files: Shared SMB/NFS without refactor.
- NetApp Files: Enterprise perf & multi protocol.
- Archive: Lowest cost cold retention.
- Ultra Disk: Extreme transactional latency.
When NOT to Use
- Archive for hot workloads.
- Ultra Disk for infrequently accessed cold data.
- Azure Files where object semantics suffice.