Storage tier optimization in Azure - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Storage tier optimization

📖 Scenario: You work for a company that stores large amounts of data in Azure Blob Storage. To save costs, you want to organize your blobs into different storage tiers based on how often they are accessed.Azure Blob Storage offers three main tiers: Hot (frequently accessed), Cool (infrequently accessed), and Archive (rarely accessed). Your task is to create a configuration that assigns blobs to the correct tier.

🎯 Goal: Create an Azure Storage account configuration that defines three containers named hot-container, cool-container, and archive-container. Then, set the access tier for each container accordingly to optimize storage costs.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create three containers named hot-container, cool-container, and archive-container

Set the access tier of hot-container to Hot

Set the access tier of cool-container to Cool

Set the access tier of archive-container to Archive

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Many companies store large amounts of data in the cloud and want to reduce costs by using storage tiers that match how often data is accessed.

💼 Career

Cloud engineers and DevOps professionals often configure storage accounts and containers with appropriate tiers to optimize costs and performance.

1

Create Azure Blob Storage containers

Create three Azure Blob Storage containers named hot-container, cool-container, and archive-container inside your storage account configuration.

Azure

# Create containers named hot-container, cool-container, and archive-container
# Your code here

Hint

Use azurerm_storage_container resource to create each container with the exact names.

2

Add storage account resource

Add an Azure Storage Account resource named example with Standard_LRS sku and StorageV2 kind. This will be the parent for your containers.

Azure

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "hot_container" {
  name                  = "hot-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "cool_container" {
  name                  = "cool-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "archive_container" {
  name                  = "archive-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
}

# Add storage account resource named example below
# Your code here

Hint

Use azurerm_storage_account resource with the exact name example and set the sku and kind as specified.

3

Set access tiers for containers

Set the access tier for hot-container to Hot, for cool-container to Cool, and for archive-container to Archive using the default_access_tier property in each container resource.

Azure

resource "azurerm_storage_account" "example" {
  name                     = "examplestorageacct"
  resource_group_name      = azurerm_resource_group.example.name
  location                 = azurerm_resource_group.example.location
  account_tier             = "Standard"
  account_replication_type = "LRS"
  account_kind             = "StorageV2"
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "hot_container" {
  name                  = "hot-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
  # Set default_access_tier to Hot
  # Your code here
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "cool_container" {
  name                  = "cool-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
  # Set default_access_tier to Cool
  # Your code here
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "archive_container" {
  name                  = "archive-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
  # Set default_access_tier to Archive
  # Your code here
}

Hint

Add the default_access_tier property with the exact tier names to each container resource.

4

Add resource group configuration

Add an Azure Resource Group resource named example with location eastus. This resource group will contain your storage account.

Azure

resource "azurerm_storage_account" "example" {
  name                     = "examplestorageacct"
  resource_group_name      = azurerm_resource_group.example.name
  location                 = azurerm_resource_group.example.location
  account_tier             = "Standard"
  account_replication_type = "LRS"
  account_kind             = "StorageV2"
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "hot_container" {
  name                  = "hot-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
  default_access_tier   = "Hot"
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "cool_container" {
  name                  = "cool-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
  default_access_tier   = "Cool"
}

resource "azurerm_storage_container" "archive_container" {
  name                  = "archive-container"
  storage_account_name  = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
  container_access_type = "private"
  default_access_tier   = "Archive"
}

# Add resource group named example with location eastus below
# Your code here

Hint

Use azurerm_resource_group resource with the exact name example and location eastus.

Practice

1. Which Azure Storage tier is best for data that you access very often?

easy

A. Archive tier

B. Cool tier

C. Hot tier

D. Premium tier

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand storage tiers purpose

   The Hot tier is designed for data accessed frequently, providing low latency and high throughput.

2. Step 2: Match access frequency to tier

   Since the question asks for very often access, Hot tier fits best compared to Cool (infrequent) or Archive (rare).

3. Final Answer:

   Hot tier -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Frequent access = Hot tier [OK]

Hint: Hot tier = frequent access, Cool = less, Archive = rare [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Cool tier as best for frequent access
• Choosing Archive tier for active data
• Thinking Premium tier is a storage tier

2. Which Azure CLI command correctly changes a blob's tier to Cool?

easy

A. az storage blob update-tier --tier Cool --container mycontainer --blob myblob --account mystorage

B. az storage blob set-tier --tier Cool --container-name mycontainer --name myblob --account-name mystorage

C. az storage blob change-tier --tier Cool --container mycontainer --name myblob --account mystorage

D. az storage blob tier-set --tier Cool --container mycontainer --name myblob --account mystorage

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall correct Azure CLI syntax

   The correct command to set a blob's tier is az storage blob set-tier with parameters for tier, container, blob name, and account.

2. Step 2: Verify az storage blob set-tier --tier Cool --container-name mycontainer --name myblob --account-name mystorage matches syntax

   az storage blob set-tier --tier Cool --container-name mycontainer --name myblob --account-name mystorage uses set-tier and correct parameter names, matching Azure CLI documentation.

3. Final Answer:

   az storage blob set-tier --tier Cool --container-name mycontainer --name myblob --account-name mystorage -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Correct CLI command = az storage blob set-tier --tier Cool --container-name mycontainer --name myblob --account-name mystorage [OK]

Hint: Use 'az storage blob set-tier' to change tier [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using incorrect command verbs like update-tier
• Wrong parameter names like --container instead of --container-name
• Mixing blob and container parameters

3. Given this Azure CLI command:
az storage blob set-tier --tier Archive --container-name logs --name log1.txt --account-name mystorage
What happens to the blob log1.txt after this command?

medium

A. Blob remains in Hot tier with no change

B. Blob is deleted permanently

C. Blob is copied to another container

D. Blob is moved to Archive tier and becomes offline until rehydrated

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Archive tier behavior

   Setting a blob to Archive tier moves it to a low-cost, offline storage. It cannot be read until rehydrated.

2. Step 2: Analyze command effect

   The command sets the tier to Archive, so the blob becomes offline and inaccessible until restored.

3. Final Answer:

   Blob is moved to Archive tier and becomes offline until rehydrated -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Archive tier = offline storage [OK]

Hint: Archive tier blobs are offline until rehydrated [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking Archive tier deletes the blob
• Assuming blob stays accessible immediately
• Confusing Archive with Hot tier

4. You run this command to change a blob's tier:
az storage blob set-tier --tier Hot --container-name data --name file1.csv --account-name mystorage
But you get an error saying the blob does not exist. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The blob name or container name is incorrect

B. The account name is invalid

C. The tier Hot is not supported

D. The Azure CLI is outdated

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand error meaning

   An error stating the blob does not exist usually means the blob or container name is wrong or the blob was deleted.

2. Step 2: Check other options

   Account name errors usually give different messages; Hot tier is valid; CLI outdated causes different errors.

3. Final Answer:

   The blob name or container name is incorrect -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Blob not found = wrong name [OK]

Hint: Check blob and container names first on 'not found' errors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming tier Hot is invalid
• Blaming CLI version without checking names
• Ignoring typo in blob or container names

5. You have a large dataset stored in Azure Blob Storage. You want to minimize costs but still access some data occasionally. Which tier strategy is best?

hard

A. Store frequently accessed data in Hot tier, infrequent in Cool, and rarely accessed in Archive

B. Store all data in Archive tier and never rehydrate

C. Store all data in Cool tier regardless of access frequency

D. Store all data in Hot tier for fastest access

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand tier cost and access trade-offs

   Hot tier is expensive but fast, Cool is cheaper for infrequent access, Archive is cheapest but offline.

2. Step 2: Apply tier optimization best practice

   Using Hot for frequent, Cool for infrequent, and Archive for rare access balances cost and performance.

3. Final Answer:

   Store frequently accessed data in Hot tier, infrequent in Cool, and rarely accessed in Archive -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Tier data by access frequency = Store frequently accessed data in Hot tier, infrequent in Cool, and rarely accessed in Archive [OK]

Hint: Match data access frequency to tier for cost savings [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Putting all data in Hot tier wastes money
• Never rehydrating Archive data makes it unusable
• Using only Cool tier ignores access patterns