We are using Azure File Storage for keeping day to day company data and wanted to have that data backed up to an Azure Blob Storage as a safe repository. We are currently backing up Azure File Storage Data to Azure Blob Storage Data using a 3rd Party file backup and synchronization tool, GoodSync.
While Good Sync cannot yet connect directly to Azure File Storage, it does connect quickly and securely to Azure Blob Storage. GoodSync also connects easily to mapped network drives – and Azure File Storage containers can be set up as local SMB3 file shares on a machine that can access the Azure File Storage account.
We setup an Azure W10 VM with mapped network drives to Azure File Storage links which GoodSync can connect to and then automated the one-way differential backup of the Azure File Storage to Azure Blob Storage containers daily. Note that GoodSync has many different activation schedules to run various backup or synchronization schedules – one-way daily backup works best for our needs.
We are also using GoodSync now to backup our user’s company data from their laptops up to the Azure Blob Storage. As will be discussed in a future article, we have discovered that our local ISP is blocking port 445 which is required for SMB3 transport, so we cannot access Azure File Storage to set up convenient mapped network drives locally. From within an Azure VM, this is not a problem, but not all users have access to the company Azure VMs. GoodSync is allowing us to be able to backup local users’ company data and outlook files up to our Azure Blob Storage Account.
GoodSync is also used to back up the repository Blob Storage Account from Canada Central to another Blob Storage Account in Canada East, giving us another level of backup redundancy using a different Azure Region for geolocation redundancy. If anything goes wrong with our data access in the Azure Canada Central Blob Storage Account, we can easily access the backed up data in the Canada East Blob Storage Account, losing a maximum of 24 hours of data (since the backups between geolocations are done daily)
Instructions for Connecting GoodSync to Azure Blob Storage:
NOTE: GoodSync cannot yet connect to Azure File Storage (2016.11.17)
NOTE: The Azure Storage Account, Azure Blob Storage Container and Azure File Storage Container have already been created.
NOTE: The Azure File Storage SMB 3 mapped network drive has already been established on the Azure client VM and populated with data.
Next select the Left file folder icon at the top of the R-side of the UI to begin selecting the paths of folders/files of the source (left) and destination (right) folders.
In the image below, the Left (Source) folders are a mapped network drive of an Azure File Storage Container and folders. (Azure File Storage Account name is hidden)
Set up the Right (Destination) to the Azure Blob Storage Container to send the backup copy to. Select the Windows Azure connection.
From the Azure Portal, copy and paste the Azure Storage name and an Access Key.
In GoodSync, enter the Azure Storage Account name and an Access Key > Go
GoodSync populates the address to the Blob Storage container and shows the choices of destination folders – or create a new one from within GoodSync.
Analyze – and then Sync and the backup begins. First time Sync is run, it will be a full backup and then a differential backup going forward.
Generate the rest of the rules in GoodSync for the One-Way Backup or Synchronization.
To verify that the files are in the Blob Storage, use Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer to see folders and drill down to see files (blobs).
- Once the folders from the Windows Azure account appear, select the folder to backup/sync with.
- Select “Please click here to select folder” on the Right to select the destination folder where you would like to backup/sync to and select Ok.
- Please ensure that your job type is correct. Go to Job > Options > (Job Type)
Synchronization (2-Way)
Left to Right backup (1-Way)
Right to Left backup (1-Way) - Start the sync/backup process by clicking the Analyze button.
- Examine the file copy actions that Analyze proposes and make sure they are correct.
- Click the Sync button to complete the proposed changes.