AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure Exam

Provision and Secure Azure File Shares

When provisioning Azure File Shares, you first choose the right storage account replication and performance tiers. Options like Locally Redundant Storage (LRS) and Zone Redundant Storage (ZRS) offer different levels of durability and availability. For workloads requiring higher throughput, premium SSD tiers deliver better IOPS and lower latency. It is important to provision the storage account in the same Azure region as the clients to reduce latency and cost. Additionally, selecting the correct tier can optimize overall performance and pricing.

File shares can be created using the Azure Portal, PowerShell, or Azure CLI. In the portal, navigate to your storage account and choose File shares to set capacity and performance tiers. With PowerShell, use cmdlets like New-AzStorageShare to script provisioning as code. The Azure CLI approach uses commands such as az storage share create, which makes automation across environments simpler. This flexibility ensures consistent deployment and scaling for hybrid file services.

Securing your file shares involves implementing identity-based authentication and fine-grained permissions. You can integrate with Azure AD Domain Services or on-premises Active Directory to apply NTFS permissions at the folder and file level. To protect data, enable encryption both at rest and in transit, using features like AES-256 Kerberos Ticket Encryption. Network security controls such as firewalls and virtual network service endpoints help restrict access to specific subnets and IP ranges. By combining these measures, you ensure that only authorized users and networks can reach your file shares.

After provisioning and securing, it is crucial to monitor performance and usage metrics. Azure Monitor provides insights into latency, throughput, and availability, enabling you to detect bottlenecks. You can set up alerts for unusual activity, such as high throttling or failed transactions, to address issues before they impact end users. Log analytics and diagnostic settings gather detailed logs, which help in troubleshooting and capacity planning. Regularly reviewing these metrics ensures your file shares remain reliable and cost-effective.

To further harden your Azure File Shares, follow security best practices and policies. Use Azure Key Vault to store and rotate storage account keys instead of embedding them in scripts or applications. Enable secure transfer required to guarantee that data in motion is always encrypted. Leverage features like SMB Multichannel and large MTU to boost throughput for compatible clients. Applying Azure Policies can enforce standards across your subscriptions, ensuring consistent settings and compliance.

Conclusion

In this section, we covered how to provision and secure Azure File Shares by selecting the right storage account types, replication, and performance tiers. We also looked at methods to create file shares using the Azure Portal, PowerShell, and CLI for flexible deployment. Emphasis was placed on implementing identity-based authentication, encryption, and network security to protect data. Additionally, monitoring and log analytics help maintain performance, while best practices like key rotation and Azure Policies keep your environment compliant and efficient. These concepts form the foundation for managing hybrid file services in Azure.