Storage commands in Azure - Commands & Configuration

Introduction

Storage commands help you save and manage files and data in the cloud. They let you create storage spaces, upload files, and check what is stored, all from your computer.

When you want to save backups of your important files safely in the cloud.

When you need to share files with your team without emailing large attachments.

When your app needs a place to store images or documents it uses.

When you want to organize data in folders and control who can see or change it.

When you want to check what files are stored or remove old files to save space.

Commands

This command creates a new storage account named mystorageaccount123 in the resource group myResourceGroup located in eastus. It sets the storage type to Standard locally-redundant storage (LRS) which keeps multiple copies in the same region for safety.

Terminal

az storage account create --name mystorageaccount123 --resource-group myResourceGroup --location eastus --sku Standard_LRS

Expected Output

{

  "id": "/subscriptions/xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx/resourceGroups/myResourceGroup/providers/Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/mystorageaccount123",

  "location": "eastus",

  "name": "mystorageaccount123",

  "resourceGroup": "myResourceGroup",

  "sku": {

    "name": "Standard_LRS"

  },

  "kind": "StorageV2",

  "statusOfPrimary": "available"

}

→

--name - Sets the unique name for the storage account

→

--resource-group - Specifies the group where the account is created

→

--sku - Defines the storage type and redundancy

This command creates a container named mycontainer inside the storage account mystorageaccount123. Containers are like folders where you store your files (blobs).

Terminal

az storage container create --account-name mystorageaccount123 --name mycontainer

Expected Output

True

→

--account-name - Specifies which storage account to use

→

--name - Names the container to create

This command uploads a local file named example.txt to the container mycontainer in the storage account mystorageaccount123. The file will be stored as a blob named example.txt.

Terminal

az storage blob upload --account-name mystorageaccount123 --container-name mycontainer --name example.txt --file ./example.txt

Expected Output

{

  "etag": "0x8D9123456789ABC",

  "lastModified": "2024-06-01T12:00:00+00:00",

  "requestId": "12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc",

  "version": "2020-10-02"

}

→

--container-name - Specifies the container to upload to

→

--name - Sets the blob name in the container

→

--file - Path to the local file to upload

This command lists all blobs (files) inside the container mycontainer in a readable table format. It helps you see what files are stored.

Terminal

az storage blob list --account-name mystorageaccount123 --container-name mycontainer --output table

Expected Output

Name         Blob Type    Length    Last Modified

------------ -----------  --------  -------------------------

example.txt  BlockBlob   1024      2024-06-01T12:00:00+00:00

→

--container-name - Specifies which container to list blobs from

→

--output - Formats the output for easy reading

Key Concept

If you remember nothing else from storage commands, remember: create a storage account, make a container, upload files, and list them to manage your cloud storage.

Common Mistakes

Using a storage account name that is already taken or invalid.

Storage account names must be unique across Azure and follow naming rules, otherwise creation fails.

Choose a unique, lowercase name between 3 and 24 characters with only letters and numbers.

Trying to upload a file without specifying the correct container name.

The upload command needs the container name to know where to put the file; missing or wrong name causes failure.

Always double-check the container name matches the one you created.

Not checking the output of commands to confirm success.

Without verifying output, you might think the file uploaded or container created when it did not.

Read the command output carefully to confirm the operation succeeded.

Summary

Create a storage account to hold your data safely in the cloud.

Make containers inside the account to organize your files.

Upload files to containers to store your data.

List blobs in containers to see what files you have stored.

Practice

1. What does the Azure CLI command az storage account create do?

easy

A. Lists all storage accounts in your subscription

B. Deletes an existing storage account

C. Creates a new storage account in Azure

D. Uploads a file to a storage container

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the command purpose

   The command az storage account create is used to create a new storage account in Azure.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Other options describe deleting, listing, or uploading, which are different commands.

3. Final Answer:

   Creates a new storage account in Azure -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Create storage account = Creates new account [OK]

Hint: Create means make new storage account [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing create with delete
• Thinking it lists accounts
• Mixing upload with account creation

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to list blobs in a container using Azure CLI?

easy

A. az storage account list --container mycontainer

B. az storage blob list --container-name mycontainer

C. az storage blob upload --container mycontainer

D. az storage container list --blob-name myblob

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the command to list blobs

   The command to list blobs is az storage blob list with the container name specified.

2. Step 2: Check option syntax correctness

   az storage blob list --container-name mycontainer uses correct command and parameter --container-name. Other options misuse commands or parameters.

3. Final Answer:

   az storage blob list --container-name mycontainer -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   List blobs = az storage blob list [OK]

Hint: List blobs uses 'az storage blob list' with container name [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using container list instead of blob list
• Mixing upload command with list
• Wrong parameter names

3. What will be the output of the following command if the container photos has three blobs named img1.jpg, img2.jpg, and img3.jpg?

az storage blob list --container-name photos --output table

medium

A. A table listing img1.jpg, img2.jpg, img3.jpg blobs

B. An error saying container not found

C. A list of storage accounts

D. An empty list with no blobs

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the command and container contents

   The command lists blobs in the container named 'photos'. The container has three blobs: img1.jpg, img2.jpg, img3.jpg.

2. Step 2: Predict the output format

   The --output table option formats the output as a table showing blob names.

3. Final Answer:

   A table listing img1.jpg, img2.jpg, img3.jpg blobs -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   List blobs with table output = table of blob names [OK]

Hint: List blobs shows all files in container as table [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting error when container exists
• Confusing blobs with storage accounts
• Assuming empty output incorrectly

4. You run the command az storage blob upload --container-name docs --file report.pdf but get an error. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The file report.pdf does not exist locally

B. The command syntax is incorrect

C. The container docs does not exist

D. Missing the storage account connection string or credentials

Solution

1. Step 1: Check command requirements

   The upload command requires authentication details like connection string or account key to access storage.

2. Step 2: Analyze common error causes

   Missing credentials is the most common cause of upload failure, even if file and container exist.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing the storage account connection string or credentials -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Upload error usually means missing credentials [OK]

Hint: Upload needs credentials; missing them causes errors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming file missing without checking
• Ignoring authentication requirements
• Thinking syntax is wrong when it is correct

5. You want to automate backing up files from your local folder backup to an Azure blob container named backup-container. Which sequence of commands correctly achieves this?

hard

A. 1) az storage container create --name backup-container
2) az storage blob upload-batch --source backup --destination backup-container

B. 1) az storage account create --name backup-container
2) az storage blob upload --file backup

C. 1) az storage blob list --container-name backup-container
2) az storage blob download --container-name backup-container

D. 1) az storage container delete --name backup-container
2) az storage blob upload-batch --source backup --destination backup-container

Solution

1. Step 1: Create the container if it does not exist

   The command az storage container create creates the container named 'backup-container'.

2. Step 2: Upload all files from local folder to container

   The command az storage blob upload-batch uploads all files from the local 'backup' folder to the container.

3. Final Answer:

   1) az storage container create --name backup-container 2) az storage blob upload-batch --source backup --destination backup-container -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Create container then batch upload = backup done [OK]

Hint: Create container first, then upload batch files [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to upload without container
• Confusing account creation with container
• Deleting container before upload