DEV Community

Cover image for Designing Secure Shared File Storage for a Geographically Dispersed Company Using Azure Files
okunola babatunde
okunola babatunde

Posted on

Designing Secure Shared File Storage for a Geographically Dispersed Company Using Azure Files

  1. Create a storage account for the finance department’s shared files. Learn more about storage accounts for Azure Files deployments.
  • In the portal, search for and select Storage accounts.
    Image In the portal, search for and select Storage accounts.

  • Select + Create.
    Image Select + Create.

  • For Resource group select Create new. Give your resource group a name and select OK to save your changes.
    Image For Resource group select Create new. Give your resource group a name and select OK to save your changes.

  • Provide a Storage account name
    Image Provide a Storage account name

  • Set the Performance to Premium.
    Image Set the Performance to Premium.

  • Set the Premium account type to File shares.
    Image Set the Premium account type to File shares.

  • Set the Redundancy to Zone-redundant storage.
    Image Set the Redundancy to Zone-redundant storage.

  • Select Review and then Create the storage account.
    Image Select Review and then Create the storage account.

  • Wait for the resource to deploy.
    Image Wait for the resource to deploy.

  • Select Go to resource.
    Image Select Go to resource.

Create and configure a file share with directory.

  1. Create a file share for the corporate office.
  • In the storage account, in the Data storage section, select the File shares blade.
    Image In the storage account, in the Data storage section, select the File shares blade.

  • Select + File share and provide a Name.
    Image Select + File share and provide a Name.

  • Review the other options, but take the defaults.
    Image Review the other options, but take the defaults.

  • Select Create
    Image Select Create

2. Add a directory to the file share for the finance department. For future testing, upload a file.

  • Select your file share and select + Add directory.
    Image Select your file share and select + Add directory.

  • Name the new directory finance.
    Image Name the new directory finance.

  • Select Browse and then select the finance directory.

  • Notice you can Add directory to further organize your file share.
    Image Notice you can Add directory to further organize your file share.

  • Upload a file of your choosing.
    Image Upload a file of your choosing.

Configure and test snapshots.

  • Select your file share.
    Image Select your file share.

  • In the Operations section, select the Snapshots blade.
    Image In the Operations section, select the Snapshots blade.

  • Select + Add snapshot. Giving a comment is optional. Select OK.
    Image Select + Add snapshot. The comment is optional. Select OK.

  • Select your snapshot and verify your file directory and uploaded file are included.
    Image Select your snapshot and verify your file directory and uploaded file are included.

Configure and test snapshots.

  1. Similar to blob storage, you need to protect against accidental deletion of files. However, in case there is accidental deletion of a file, the option to recover lost files or document is to use snapshot.
  • Select your file share
    Image Select your file share

  • In the Operations section, select the Snapshots blade.
    Image In the Operations section, select the Snapshots blade.

  • Select + Add snapshot. The comment is optional. Select OK.

  • Select + Add snapshot. The comment is optional. Select OK.
    Image Select + Add snapshot. The comment is optional. Select OK.

  • Select your snapshot and verify your file directory and uploaded file are included.

2. Practice using snapshots to restore a file.

  • Return to your file share.
    Image Locate your uploaded file and in the Properties pane select Delete. Select Yes to confirm the deletion.

  • Browse to your file directory.

  • Locate your uploaded file and in the Properties pane select Delete. Select Yes to confirm the deletion.
    Image Locate your uploaded file and in the Properties pane select Delete. Select Yes to confirm the deletion.

  • Select the Snapshots blade and then select your snapshot.
    Image Select the Snapshots blade and then select your snapshot.

  • Navigate to the file you want to restore,
    Image Navigate to the file you want to restore,

  • Select the file and the select Restore.

  • Provide a Restored file name.

  • Verify your file directory has the restored file.
    Image Verify your file directory has the restored file.

Configure restricting storage access to selected virtual

networks. When virtual network is properly configure, it could restrict a access to a provisioned resources over the internet. In a nut shell, how an access to a storage could be restricted to resources is dependent of virtual network configuration, here, i will walk you through the processes needed to achieve this.

  1. This tasks in this section require a virtual network with subnet. In a production environment these resources would already be created.
  • Search for and select Virtual networks.
    Image Search for and select Virtual networks.

  • Select Create. Select your resource group. and give the virtual network a name.
    Image Select Create. Select your resource group. and give the virtual network a name.

  • Take the defaults for other parameters, select Review + create, and then Create.

  • Wait for the resource to deploy.
    Image Wait for the resource to deploy.

  • Select Go to resource.
    Image Select Go to resource.

  • In the Settings section, select the Subnets blade.

  • Select the default subnet
    Image Select the default subnet

  • In the Service endpoints section choose Microsoft.Storage in the Services drop-down.
    Image In the Service endpoints section choose Microsoft.Storage in the Services drop-down.

  • Do not make any other changes.
    Image Do not make any other changes.

  • Be sure to Save your changes.
    Image Be sure to Save your changes.

2. The storage account should only be accessed from the virtual network you just created.

  • Return to your files storage account.
    Image Return to your files storage account.

  • In the Security + networking section, select the Networking blade.
    Image In the Security + networking section, select the Networking blade.

  • Change the Public network access to Enabled from selected virtual networks and IP addresses
    Image In the Virtual networks section, select Add existing virtual network.

-In the Virtual networks section, select Add existing virtual network.
Image In the Virtual networks section, select Add existing virtual network.

  • Select your virtual network and subnet, select Add.

  • Be sure to Save your changes.
    Image Be sure to Save your changes.

  • Select the Storage browser and navigate to your file share.

  • Verify the message not authorized to perform this operation. However, you are not meant to connect from the virtual network.
    Image Verify the message not authorized to perform this operation.  However, you are not meant to connect from the virtual network.<br>

Top comments (1)

Collapse
 
realcloudprojects profile image
SKILL.SCH

100%