Microsoft Azure Block Storage Primary Use Case

Sankarguru Thirgnanasambandam - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Architect - Technology Consulting at Ernst & Young

We have a few clients that use the solution. 

The use cases have been huge. One of the applications we are developing is an internal tax system. We tend to get a lot of client files through different channels and store them in the Block Storage. It's standing on a huge system. It's a multi-cluster, multi-AG kind of informer.

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Chandra Mani - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical architect at Tech Mahindra

I have used Azure Block for two or three projects. It's used to store images or videos for multi-tenant applications or a particular tenant. We recently did one project for multi-tenant products. 

Any customer registered to the website can sell their product on a small scale without a website or server. It was like a platform as a service multi-tenant product. With the site ready, they can post any images or videos to Azure Storage Block. They're creating a subscription site for each unit.

For example, if you register on that website, you can allocate the memory size based on license cost: premium, gold, etc. We allocated some memory, and you can navigate to the site whenever you're ready. We provide a unique ID and an encryption key. 

You can create several users for your subscription. For example, if you're an owner of this subscription, you can assign users a status as contributors, readers, or administrators. You can add images or videos through a Block via an administrative portal with a mobile or Angular application. That image is rendered to your website or any products they need. We can use that signature access key for authentication. We enable our product based on the site subscription ID.

There are different tiers, and you can create a container to solve this. First, we create a block and containers, then allocate images to that container. Once we make the container blocks, we get a primary and secondary access key. After you get the details, you can do the same for Azure. If you want to use your middleware, you need to add a library, so you can contribute a URL shared access key. You need to access it via UCA. You can upload via UCA binary format data or a content file. That is where we can upload any data with Block Storage.

When you access a unit to pass that Block ID, you can download it using ByteArray. You can send that ByteArray streaming data to your Angular application on mobile. They can convert any videos, images, or documents to display them on your mobile application. However, a security breach could allow a hacker to download anything for a particular user, so we recommended middleware for interacting with Azure Block Storage. 

There are different approaches. We can use it for proper container image names or containerization with a shared activity URL. We need to consider the client's mission. If a client uses Azure Key Vault, any authorized person with the shared key can access confidential data on a centralized system. Our service can access that key to connect users to Azure Block, whether on your application, Angular, or any other web application. It will not provide users credentials or a URL directly. 

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SahilSharma1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Product Manager at PayU Payments Private Limited

Most of the time, we store logs in the Block Storage. Mostly we use it to store the plant logs. 

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Microsoft Azure Block Storage
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Stewart Bell - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Business Partner at Sigma Healthcare Ltd

Azure Block Storage is for integrating and storing logs and things like that. It's for short and medium-term intermediate storage. Around 3,000 people are using the solution indirectly. 

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Vishnu Vardhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Consultant at Velocis Systems Private Limited

We use the solution for application hosting only - in terms of giving an application which is serving to some customers, for a particular location service. 

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GARY QUINLAN - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise Architectural Design and Quality Assurance at a consultancy with 1-10 employees

We are using Microsoft Azure Block Storage primarily for transferring data through the FTP. The system stores data that is sent to it and we create information reports going out. Additionally, we store data from logic applications and message logs in a storage channel.

We have different deployments of the solution, such as hybrid, cloud, and on-premise.

One of our clients is utilizing an on-premise warehouse management system with two interconnected data centers for data transfer, ensuring disaster recovery. Their system utilizes JDA web query due to its seamless integration with their warehouse machines. To enhance their operations, they have hired Azure-implemented API-driven solutions using logic apps and other tools. 

We are using Power BI and data gateway to extract data from Oracle tables and databases. While we try to utilize logistic data to answer queries, we have a series of APIs available, which they often call upon using established logic apps.

The solution can be used for many purposes it is flexible.

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Sharjeel Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Security Operations at Edotco Group

I initially set up Block Storage for archival log purposes and used Azure Data Explorer to push logs to it. This was more cost-effective for me since I needed to do threat hunting for logs that were older than a year. We then moved our production server backup and recovery to Block Storage due to the security it offers. The solution is very easy to configure security on Block Storage, whether through access keys, TLS versions, or REST API security.

We're not opting for the public cloud due to the majority of our data being PNC. However, if we need to make any of our data publicly available, we use AFS as well as Azure File Sharing. AFS is fully encrypted and structured with methods for Block Storage, such as POST and DELETE portals. Usually, we use authentication measures on private parts that require anything to be made public. To ensure secure access, we first authenticate the authorized person and then grant them access to the depositories from outside the network.

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AS
manufacturer at Diageo

We have embarked on the journey of the global data list. All the data from the SAP systems, all the data from external vendors, and all the data from our enterprise data warehouse are staged onto the Azure Block Storage. It forms the basis of the Lakehouse architecture. That's the staging layer for us.

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Joseph Akayesi - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Engineer at Dnar

I use Microsoft Azure Block Storage, Microsoft Azure Cloud, and Microsoft Azure Communication Services in my company to send emails. My company uses Azure Database for PostgreSQL. I use the three main cloud products in my company right now.

Microsoft Azure Block Storage is useful for storing files. If your company has an application that requires you to store files, then Microsoft Azure Block Storage is a very easy tool that allows users to store and handle files while allowing for file versioning.

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AK
Software Developer II at CSG

We use the tool to connect with Power BI to make visualizations. We also use it to store data.

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SB
Technical Operations Manager at Mphasis

We use the hybrid version of Microsoft Azure Block Storage. We have a client based in the UK who utilizes the hybrid cloud. We also have a couple of archiving solutions there, as well as NetApp on TapCloud. 

The NFS solution goes into that, deployment is purely on the Azure cloud. The production areas and archiving solutions are mostly done on-premises, while testing and application development in some areas is purely cloud-based.

Block storage is used for the data that is configured for our servers. We have it for auditing purposes and as a compliance method.

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AS
manufacturer at Diageo

We use it as a storage backend for our analytical use cases and we do modeling in the Azure Databricks environment. We store huge chunks of data in terms of terabytes. We use this data to gain insights into our modeling platform. We find it cheaper than storing it on-premise. And it does not require infrastructure maintenance.

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RS
Cloud architecture

We use the tool for static website hosting and log storage. My company also uses it to store static information, and as a backup solution to store files.

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PB
IT consultant at Secoptrial

The use case for Microsoft Azure Block Storage depends on the project and the users. Still, I use it for storing and extracting data, such as images, videos, and documents.

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BK
IT specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

We use Azure Block Storage in two different use cases. In one case, we use it as a staging layer where the files are dumped. Then, within the release, we create and curate layers in different containers, where one container has the raw data and another standard container has the transformation-level data. The next layer is the curated layer, which we use in the views to expose the data to downstream systems like PowerBI or Tableau.

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Kartikesh Nadar - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud Solution Architect at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Block Storage can be used for storing files of varying formats. It can be used as an object storage as well, so people can dump a variety of files into it. It's called a storage account, actually. This storage account can be used to store any application-specific files and there could be different Azure services which can consume the files, like that storage account, as part of the architecture. There could be an application storing the data, and there could be some other service that picks those files up from there. This solution is part of that entire architecture. It's kind of similar to a history you have in a website. It is almost exactly the same as that.

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KG
Vice President - Data Architect at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

I think Azure has three versions. They have Block Blob Storage, then they also have the Gen1 and the Gen2 versions. Gen2 was kind of under review until just recently in 2020, but I think they have officially launched Gen2 now. Block Storage is an Azure product, but I am not sure if it has a version. I just know it as Azure Block Blob Storage.  

Our use case for Block Storage came about when we were building a database for one of our customers on public storage. The customer kept their data on-premises and on their own servers. We would get that data from them and put it into the Block Storage. So Block was being used as a file depository.  

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AlexeySaverchenko - PeerSpot reviewer
Business Intelligence Lead at IXOM

We primarily use the solution for storage. 

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Srinivas Reddy Katta - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at IdeaBytes

We are using the solution for storage purposes.

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RD
Solution Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

We use it for high-speed data and a very critical mission.

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Syed Zakaulla - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at Softway

We use Microsoft Azure Block Storage for storing files. We don't use it for anything else.

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Rishabh Pathak - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Content Manager at Intellipaat Software Solutions Private Limited

We deployed our website on Azure, and Block Storage is for storing large objects. We use Azure Block Storage for embedded videos that any person coming on the website needs to use. 

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Manish  Purohit - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Cloud Solution Architect at Green Point Technology Services (I) Pvt. Ltd

We use the solution mostly for our video files. We also use ADLS for our JSON content. Now, we are moving more to Microsoft Fabric to keep the JSON content. We have also used ADLS as a network file system for our VMs. It was good.

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MakrandTare - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise architect at Tech Mahindra Limited

We use Microsoft Azure Block Storage to store, upload and download data. We can also use it as a backup. 

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HA
Solution Architect at Ten-X

We are managing numerous data sources, including Excel, CSV, and ZIP files, with some of them being located on the public Internet. Our current task involves transferring this data into a data warehouse using Microsoft Azure Block Storage.

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VN
Solution architect

We integrated Commvault as the customer's backup solution, allowing us to copy the backups to their Azure infrastructure via Block Storage. In Commvault, we configured Block Storage as the destination to write the data for the backup.

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VM
Senior Software Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

We use Microsoft Azure Block Storage for storing data.

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Fed Yunis Zapata - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Solutions Architect at Canvia

We use this solution for the availability and to archive data. I am using the latest version.

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HaiPham - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at sea-solutión

We use Microsoft Azure Block Storage to store files uploaded by our users.

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Camilo Velasco - PeerSpot reviewer
CTO at Sosty

Our primary use case of the solution is for objects search, objects with information, and documents file search.

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Kai Boon Giam - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at Data Connect Technologies Pte Ltd

It's mainly for financial institutions and customers. These customers are all using Cloud Native types of applications, whether it is Oracle Fusion or whether it's AWS. We are using the solution to handle the APIs.

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DR
Sr. Information Officer at Merino Industries Ltd (Merino Group)

We use the solution for data storage. 

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Kok Hoong Lam - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical BDM at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

We're mainly using this solution for cloud container data and backup data. 

It's deployed on a hybrid cloud.

There are around 500 users in my organization.

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GauravGupta3 - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder & Solution Architect at Fluidech

The solution is deployed on public cloud.

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MN
Technical Infrastructure Analyst at Socridge Bank

We recently moved to Block Storage for SQL on Azure. It enables our employees to work remotely. We are customers of Microsoft and I'm a technical infrastructure analyst.

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Pradeep Saxena - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Technical Officer at Evangelist

Use cases for Microsoft Azure Block Storage involve cloud storage for website publishing and customer data sharing. Many customers utilize it for data-sharing purposes. Customers commonly use flash storage to store and access data. Storage is integral to various Software as a Service solutions, where Block Storage is automatically provisioned for premium or standard tiers.

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Florian Leray - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Director /Product- CTO/CPO at DIAKSE

We use Block Storage for virtual stores that we build in our company. We use the blocks to connect one store to another.  The virtual shops we build on Azure have half a million users monthly. 

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MK
Head Of Information Technology at DHS

We are creating VMs for some of our development testing, and we are using Azure Block Storage in that context. We are not using anything from Azure for production systems. We are just using it for staging and development.

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Vishwas Samant - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal Enterprise Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

I develop the solution for customers, so the use case varies.

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SJ
Director - Infrastructure Solution Architect at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

We are using Microsoft Azure Block Storage to accumulate and store all unstructured data, that is, different files such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, or any other streaming or video files. Whenever there is any unstructured data, you can use the Microsoft Azure Block Storage to deal with it.

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Marc Chaillou - PeerSpot reviewer
General Manager - AsiaPac at iPortalis.

We use the solution to develop SaaS platforms on Azure. We utilize various Microsoft components like block storage and databases for this purpose.

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PH
Product Manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

Our customers basically use this program for virtual data center extension, as a hybrid extension of their local or on-prem or private data center. It offers them an automated way of running new workloads or creating new workloads with governance on it.

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NK
Senior IT Manager at Excelra

We are currently using it for POC. It is not yet live. The data storage is pulling the data.

We have the latest version of this solution.

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Deebak Kumar - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud Engineer at Quadrasystems.net

We use Microsoft Azure Block Storage to store data.

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RB
IT consultant at a sports company with 201-500 employees

Our primary use case is for long-term backup. We are customers of Microsoft.

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LA
System & Security Engineer at Connex Information Technologies

This solution is integrated to the backup console, so there's no user interaction. We're using Azure Block Storage as our second copy storage.

We're working as a distributor.

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AY
Software Engineer

We have Azure Block Storage because we heavily use image and video files in our application for our data. We are able to store and download them from our web application to view images and stream/playback videos.

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ZG
Chief System Architect at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

Microsoft Azure Block Storage is used for data storage.

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AG
Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

We primarily use the solution for migration to restore data and to help us migrate to other systems. I do occasionally also use it as a backup, but not very often. Mostly, it's used for migration and we installed Microsoft on it. We store it in the cloud and migrate everything over.

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DH
Database Administrator at a pharma/biotech company with 5,001-10,000 employees

We use Azure Block Storage as the secure backup destination for data from on-premise sources and also from cloud services. I backup files from SQL to Azure Block Storage and restore from Azure when needed.

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SF
Information Systems Manager at a non-tech company with 501-1,000 employees

We primarily use the solution for backup and replication.

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CF
Co-Founder at a tech services company with 1-10 employees

Our primary use case is for the creation of a data lake, which was looking at unstructured predominantly in big data storage, it is looking at an economical solution. This was then used in conjunction with an SAP BW solution pulling and using SAP data hub to thencreate a single ecosystem of data.

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Sultan Ahmad - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Support Manager at Mana

I use the solution in my company to store different images and videos.

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Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Azure Block Storage
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Azure Block Storage. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
767,995 professionals have used our research since 2012.