How to use an Azure blob as a FileFly destination

With version 3.0 of FileFly, you can now configure Azure blobs as a target destination for FileFly data. This section covers how to install the Azure plugin and configure an Azure destination.

Requirements

• A FileFly Admin server, installed and running. (See the FileFly Documentation for help with FileFly installation and migration agents.)

• An Azure account with the ability to create a blobstore, or a general purpose storage account.

• A fully configured Swarm storage cluster is not required.

Installing the utility

On the FileFly Migration agent used to connect to the blobstore, install the FileFly Azure Plugin + Configuration utility.

1. Navigate to the directory where you unpacked the FileFly software download ZIP, and locate the Azure executables:
   
   

   Open

   

2. Transfer the two Azure executables to the FileFly agent, if not done already.

   • Caringo FileFly Azure Config VERSION.exe

   • Caringo FileFly Azure Plugin VERSION.exe

3. The Azure config does not affect the running agent config. Right-click and Run as administrator.
   
   

   Open

   

   
   
   

   1. First screen:
      
      

   2. EULA:
      
      

   3. Install location:
      
      

   4. Install:
      
      

   5. Close.

4. Next, install the Azure plugin. Right-click and Run as administrator.
   
   

   1. First, you'll be warned to restart the FileFly Agent service as soon as the Azure configuration is installed and the plugin is configured:
      
      

   2. Start:
      
      

   3. EULA Agreement.

   4. Install, then click Finish:
      
      

Configuring a blob-storage account

When you first sign in to a Microsoft Azure account, the page displays:

If this is your organization's Azure subscription rather than a private one, your page view may have more or less activity here. Either way, the steps to create a blob resource should be similar.

1. Navigate to Storage accounts. In the sidebar menu, it is below Load balancers:
   
   

2. Click + Add:
   
   

3. The Create storage account screen displays:
   
   

4. Complete the Project Details:
   
   

   1. For the Subscription, enter the end billing resource that this blobstorage resource is tied to. There may be multiple appearing in the drop-down, so consult your organization.

   2. The Resource group defines the resource location and name, along with any custom tags that may relate to a project. In this case, one is created already, but create one if needed in the region that is closest to the server's geographical location.

5. Complete the Instance Details: 
   
   

   1. For Storage account name, create one that helps identify it uniquely.

   2. For Location, match the server's location for fastest access.

   3. For Account kind, both General Purpose and BlobStorage (with Hot and Cool access tiers) account types are supported

6. Scroll down and click Review + create:
   
   

   
   This creates your blobstore or general purpose file-storage.

Getting access

1. Once it is created, the new storage container displays in the resource pane. 
   
   

2. The panel has a large number of options, but focus on the Access keys:
   
   

3. When clicking on Access keys, the following displays:
   
   

4. The Storage account name and either key1 or key2 need to be copied to connect to the Azure destination.

Configuring your Azure target

1. From the Start menu, open the FileFly Azure config tool: 
   
   

2. Disable (unclick) Enable encryption.

3. Under Azure Storage Accounts, select Add...

4. Enter the Name and Access Key copied above for Add Account:
   
   

5. Select Apply once the target is defined.

6. Click on your new target and select Get URI: 
   
   

7. If you have created a container already, you can select it in the drop-down. If not, select Create new container and the config tool creates one for you:
   
   

8. When a container is selected and you select OK, the tool pastes the container's URI to your clipboard and prompts you to use it as a Destination: 
   
   

    
   In this example, YOUR_GATEWAY_HERE refers to the migration agent or FileFly Gateway's hostname used to connect to the Azure resource.
   The completed URI is azure://ffservertonyl.saleslab01.dom/filefly/blobstoretest/ if that is ffservertonyl.saleslab01.dom.

9. Select OK and navigate to the bottom of the panel and select Save.

10. On save, the tool prompts you to copy it into the FileFly Agent and restart the service: 
    
    

11. As instructed, save the file in the location for your FileFly Agent and restart the Caringo FileFly Agent service.

Finishing the Destination setup

1. Open the FileFly Admin Portal and select Destinations:
   
   

2. Select Create Destination.

3. Copy and paste the URI created:
   
   

4. Select Save, and new destination is created to move data into using migration tasks: