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Choosing the Right Microsoft Azure Solution for Files

Definitive Buyer’s Guide to Storing Files in Azure

When it comes to selecting a solution for storing, protecting, and accessing files, Microsoft Azure is a great choice!

But most IT leaders are often confused sorting through the various similar-sounding options. If you want to migrate from on-premises NAS, Windows file servers, StorSimple, or any other file storage infrastructure, this guide is for you! We want to help you make an informed decision on which Azure storage solution is best for your organization.

Understand Your Storage Options!

Three file storage options are designed for different business scenarios. All three solutions are available in the Azure Customer Portal and count toward your Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitments (MACC). While they sound similar, the details are essential to consider.

Azure Files

A fully-managed, highly-available Azure cloud service optimized for SMB or NFS file workloads that traditionally run on Windows file servers.

Azure NetApp Files

A fully-managed, highly-available Azure service that can handle the most demanding, high-performance, low-latency NAS workloads such as SAP and Oracle applications.

Nasuni for Azure Blob

A customer-managed, highly-available enterprise-class cloud service backed by scalable, low-cost Azure Blob object storage optimized for SMB and NFS workloads that traditionally run on Windows file servers and NAS hardware.

TL;DR Top Level Considerations

 Azure FilesAzure NetApp FilesNasuni for Azure Blob
Best Use CaseBest for organizations wanting a simple, secure, and serverless enterprise-grade cloud file shares.Best for enterprise line-of-business (LOB) and storage professionals to migrate and run complex, file-based applications with no code change. Azure NetApp Files is used as the underlying shared file-storage service in various scenarios. These include migration (lift and shift) of POSIX-compliant Linux and Windows applications, SAP HANA, databases, high-performance compute (HPC) infrastructure and apps, and enterprise web applications.Best for organizations that require enterprise-grade file data services for cloud file shares with advanced capabilities such as unlimited recovery points; ransomware inline detection and mitigation policies; VPN-less file share access; Microsoft Teams and Office 365 integrations; unlimited file, directory, and volume sizes; multi-site file sync; global file lock; fast data propagation; desktop sync for offline access; extended macOS SMB support; external file/folder sharing, and more.
Relative Pricing
$$

Will vary based on performance, durability, region, capacity, and optional features.
$$$

Will vary based on performance, region, capacity, and cross-region replication.
$

Will vary based on durability, capacity, and optional features.
MSRP Example Pricing for:

  • 150 TB
  • 5 offices,
  • Backup
  • DR
  • On-prem cache
  • Azure US East 2
$132,770 per year
($885/TB/year)

Includes:
  • Azure Files Transaction Optimized LRS – 150 TB. 2 accounts for DR. (also supports LRS Cool)
  • Azure Files Transaction Optimized Snapshots – 30 TB (20% overhead)
  • Azure Backup
  • Azure File Sync – Sync Server
  • Azure File Sync – 5 Windows File Server VMs (virtual infrastructure costs and Windows Client Access Licenses not included)
$543,600 per year
($3,624/TB/year)

Includes:
  • Azure NetApp Files Standard – 150 TB (Primary)
  • Azure NetApp Files Standard – 150 TB (DR)
  • Cross-Region Replication fees not included
$116,250 per year
($775/TB/year)

Includes:
  • Nasuni File Data Platform* – 150 TB
  • Azure Blob LRS Cool – 108 TB (40% storage efficiency, 20% snapshot overhead)
  • Nasuni Edge Caches – 5 VMs (virtual infrastructure costs not included: Windows Client Access Licenses not required)
* Backup built-in with unlimited immutable snapshots in Azure Blob object storage; DR built-in with Azure Blob object storage durability

Design Considerations

File Sharing and Access

 Azure FilesAzure NetApp FilesNasuni for Azure Blob
Full DescriptionAzure Files is a fully-managed, highly-available, enterprise-grade service that is optimized for random access workloads with in-place data updates.Azure NetApp Files is a fully-managed, highly-available, enterprise-grade NAS service that can handle the most demanding, high-performance, low-latency workloads requiring advanced data management capabilities. It enables the migration of workloads, which are deemed "un-migratable" without.

ANF is built on NetApp's bare metal with ONTAP storage OS running inside the Azure datacenter for a consistent Azure experience and an on-premises like performance.
The Nasuni File Data Platform, backed by low-cost Azure Blob object storage, is a customer-managed, highly available, enterprise-grade file service optimized for SMB and NFS workloads that traditionally ran on Windows file servers and NAS.

Nasuni can be deployed fully in Azure or as a hybrid cloud deployment with on-premises caching for high-performance file access in any location.
Cloud SupportAzureAzureMulti-cloud including Azure
Connectivity
  • Internet
  • Secure VNet access
  • VPN Gateway
  • ExpressRoute
  • Azure File Sync
  • Secure VNet access
  • VPN Gateway
  • ExpressRoute
  • Azure HPC Cache
  • Internet
  • Secure VNet access
  • VPN Gateway
  • ExpressRoute
  • Nasuni Edge Caches
  • HTTPS "VPN-less Access"
  • TLS "VPN-less Access"
ProtocolsPremium: SMB 2.1, 3.0, 3.1.1; NFS 4.1; REST
Other Tiers: SMB 2.1, 3.0, 3.1.1; REST
All tiers: SMB 2.x, 3.x; NFS 3.x, 4.x; Dual protocol access (NFSv3/SMB)SMB 2.x, 3.x; NFS 3.x, 4.x; Dual protocol access (NFSv3/SMB); REST; HTTPS; and TLS (for “VPN- less” access to file shares)
macOS supportBasicBasicAdvanced: macOS SMB extensions, tags, long file/path names, extended metadata attributes
Multi-site File SynchronizationYes, Azure File Sync caches copies of frequently accessed file data on Windows file servers (requires Windows Client Access License) and keeps them in sync. Enables the same file shares to be presented in multiple on-premises offices.Yes, with NetApp Global File Cache add onYes, Nasuni caches copies of frequently accessed file data on Nasuni Edge VMs (Linux OS, no Windows CAL required) and keeps them in sync. Enables the same file shares to be presented in multiple on-premises offices and Azure regions.
Global File LockingNoNoYes, Nasuni Global File Lock minimizes version conflict when two or more users attempt to open the same file for editing in different locations by allowing only one user at a time to make changes.
Intelligent Data PropagationNoNoYes, Nasuni Global File Acceleration applies Machine Learning to file system audit logs to prioritize which locations should receive new files first, increasing data propagation speeds up to 20X.
Microsoft Teams IntegrationNoNoYes, Nasuni Access Anywhere includes a Microsoft Teams app that enables network file shares to be accessed directly from within Teams projects. It eliminates the need to copy files between file shares and the SharePoint storage used by Teams.
VPN-less AccessYes, SMB 3.1 offers encryption but requires port 445 openNoYes, Nasuni Access Anywhere uses secure TLS protocol to provide remote users with accelerated access to file shares on any Nasuni Edge without a VPN bottleneck.
Desktop SyncNoNoYes, Nasuni Access Anywhere syncs files from a Nasuni Edge to a local desktop for offline access and syncs changes back when network connections are restored.
External File and Folder SharingNoNoYes, Nasuni Access Anywhere enables internal users to securely share files with authenticated external users using web and desktop clients.

Security

 Azure FilesAzure NetApp FilesNasuni for Azure Blob
EncryptionEncryption at rest (AES 256) with customer or Microsoft-managed keysEncryption at rest (AES 256) with Microsoft-managed keysEncryption at rest (AES 256) and in transit with customer-managed keys
AuthenticationSMB:
  • Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
  • Azure Active Directory Domain Services (Azure AD DS)
SMB:
  • Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
  • Azure Active Directory Domain Services (Azure AD DS)
NFS:
  • ADDS/LDAP integration
NFS/SMB dual protocol:
  • ADDS/LDAP integration
SMB:
  • Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
  • Azure Active Directory Domain Services (Azure AD DS)
NFS:
  • ADDS/LDAP integration
NFS/SMB dual protocol:
  • ADDS/LDAP integration

Scalability and Performance

 Azure FilesAzure NetApp FilesNasuni for Azure Blob
Maximum Account / Volume Capacity100 TB100 TBUnlimited
Maximum File Share Capacity100 TB100 TBUnlimited
Maximum File Size4 TB16 TBUnlimited
Maximum Share/Volume IOPSPremium – up to 100,000 Other Tiers – up to 20,000Ultra and Premium – up to 450,000 Standard – up to 320,000On-Prem Edge Caches – up to 450,000 using all-flash arrays

Azure Edge Caches – up to 160,000 using Azure Ultra disk
Storage EfficiencyNot AvailableNot Available40% on average
Durability / Redundancy LevelsPremium:
  • LRS
  • ZRS
Transaction Optimized, Hot, Cool
  • LRS
  • ZRS
  • GRS
  • GZRS
All tiers:
  • Built-in local HA
Cross-region replication (added charge)
Same as Azure Blob object storage:
  • LRS
  • ZRS
  • GRS
Region AvailabilityPremium: 30+ Regions Other Tiers: All regions
To learn more, see products available by region.
All tiers: 28+ Regions
To learn more, see products available by region.
All regions (same as Azure Blob object storage region availability)
Performance Tiers
  • Premium
  • Transaction Optimized
  • Hot
  • Cool
  • Ultra
  • Premium
  • Standard
Performance is determined by edge cache configuration not object storage tier.

For on-premises caching, any storage behind VMware ESX, Hyper-V, and Nutanix AHV are supported.

For Azure Cloud region caching, all Azure disk storage types are supported (e.g., Azure Ultra Disks, Azure Premium SSD, Azure Standard SSD)

Learn more about Azure disk storage types.

Data Protection

 Azure FilesAzure NetApp FilesNasuni for Azure Blob
Maximum Snapshots (Recovery Points)200255Unlimited
Snapshot ImmutabilityYesNoYes
File/directory User Self-restoreYesYesYes
Share-level Soft DeleteYesYesYes
Restore to the Same or New LocationYesYesYes
Cross-region ReplicationYes, with ZRS and GRS durability tiersYes, with a second Azure NetApp Files account and cross-region replication with additional chargesYes, with object storage ZRS and GRS durability tiers (no cross-region replication charges or extra accounts required)
Ransomware ProtectionYes
  • Immutable snapshots
NoYes
  • Immutable snapshots
  • Inline edge detection using ransomware signature database
  • Alerts and notifications with root cause analysis
  • Mitigation policies
  • Incident reports for compliance

Purchase and Deployment

 Azure FilesAzure NetApp FilesNasuni for Azure Blob
Licensing
  • Per GB/per month subscription
  • Reserve capacity with 1 and 3- year commitments to lower costs (10 and 100 TB increments)
  • Per GB/per month subscription
Nasuni
  • Per TB/per year subscription
  • Capacity tiers to lower costs (price per TB decreases as more capacity is purchased)
Azure Blob
  • Per GB/per month subscription
  • Reserve capacity with 1 and 3- year commitments to lower costs (100 TB and 1 PB increments)
Cost Factors
  • Azure Files subscription
  • Performance tier
  • Durability level
  • Azure Region
  • Azure Files Snapshots
  • Azure Backup
  • Azure File Sync
  • Azure File Sync Service
  • Windows file servers – Infrastructure and Windows Client License costs of on-premises caching targets
  • Egress fees to cache data from Azure Files to Windows file server
  • Azure NetApp Files subscription
  • Performance tier
  • Azure Region
  • Azure NetApp Files second account for Disaster Recovery
  • Azure NetApp Files Cross-Region Replication
  • Nasuni subscription
  • Capacity Tier
  • Nasuni Edge VMs are free; the only expenses are for the infrastructure of on-premises or Azure-based caching targets
  • Azure Blob Storage subscription
  • Durability level
  • Nasuni storage efficiency
  • Nasuni snapshot overhead
  • Egress fees to cache data from Azure Blob to Nasuni Edge VMs
Available Through Microsoft Azure Customer PortalYesYesYes
Available Through Microsoft Reseller PartnersYesYesYes
Count Against Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC)YesYesYes
  • Both the Nasuni subscription costs and Azure Blob storage costs consumed by Nasuni can be used to draw down MACC
Migration Tools
  • Azure Data Box
  • Azure File Sync
  • Storage Migration Service
  • AzCopy
  • Robocopy
  • Azure File Migration Program
  • Storage Migration Service
  • AzCopy
  • Robocopy
  • Azure Data Box
  • Nasuni Edge VM
  • Storage Migration Service
  • AzCopy
  • Robocopy
  • Nasuni Migration Services

A Word About Azure File Storage Types

There are three first-party file storage types available in Azure: Azure Files, Azure NetApp Files, and Azure Blob. Azure Files is a Microsoft-developed, Azure-native SMB and NFS file sharing service built on Windows file server and Windows NTFS technology. Azure NetApp Files is NetApp’s Fabric Attached Storage (FAS) and All-Flash FAS (AFF) hardware hosted in Azure data centers and offered as a subscription service. Azure Blob is Microsoft-developed object storage optimized for storing massive amounts of unstructured data. Object storage is known for offering unlimited scale and capacity, the highest levels of durability, and the lowest cost. Azure Blob delivers on all three and is the type of storage that the Nasuni File Data Platform uses. Due to Nasuni's unique edge caching architecture, the lowest cost Azure Blob tier (Azure Blob Cool) provides top performance for a wide range of file server use cases at a considerably lower cost than the other file storage options.

Pro Tip for Doing a Proof of Concept (POC)

Don't rush into a POC until you're SURE the solution on paper can scale and fulfill both your short- and long-term business requirements! For example, a POC probably won't show that the 100 TB account limit in Azure Files may require you to create and manage 4 separate accounts and deploy 15 extra Windows file servers if you have 310 TB of file shares that need to be sync’ed to 5 office locations. Or that Nasuni offers a Microsoft Teams app that enables Teams users to open, edit, and save files directly on network file shares from inside Teams projects. Too often, IT leaders move into a POC and spend a lot of time and energy, only to find that the solution wasn't a great fit a few months later.

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