2.6 Working with Data

Working with Data

Now that you’re connected, you’ll want to get your data in and understand the storage options available.

Storage Types

Type Description Best For
Blob Storage Object storage Large datasets, backups
File Storage Shared file systems Collaboration, shared data
VM Disk Local disk on your workstation Active working data, OS, applications
Warning

Data on your workstation’s local disk is deleted when you delete the resource. Use Blob or File storage for anything you want to keep long-term.

Accessing Storage

Method Use Case
Azure Storage Explorer Desktop application for graphical file management
AzCopy Command-line tool for bulk transfers
Mount in VM Mount storage directly in your workstation
Portal Web-based file browser in Loome/Azure

Getting Connection Details

  1. Click on your storage account in Resources
  2. Find Connection String or Access Keys
  3. Copy the connection string for use in applications
Warning

Keep connection strings secure. Do not share them or commit them to code repositories.

Moving Data with AzCopy

# Upload a file
azcopy copy 'localfile.txt' 'https://<account>.blob.core.windows.net/<container>/file.txt?<SAS>'

# Download a file
azcopy copy 'https://<account>.blob.core.windows.net/<container>/file.txt?<SAS>' './localfile.txt'

# Sync a directory
azcopy sync './local-folder' 'https://<account>.blob.core.windows.net/<container>?<SAS>'

Mounting Storage in a Workstation

If your storage is attached to your workstation or cluster, it will appear as a mounted directory. Check your resource details for the mount path.

Backup Recommendations

Data Type Backup Frequency Method
Code and scripts After each session Git repository
Results After each analysis AzCopy to Blob storage
Large datasets As needed Azure Blob or File storage

Now that your data is in place, learn how to manage your resources day-to-day: Managing Your Resources