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Exercise: Using File Storage with Windows VM

Overview

Using File Storage with Windows VM step-by-step.

First Step: Create a Storage Account

  1. We have already set up storage accounts in a previous tutorial. Refer back to the tutorial (Creating Azure Cloud Storage Accounts) if you still need to create one, however the one you have currently should work for this tutorial.

Second Step: Create an Azure File Share

  1. Go to your Storage Account

    • On the homepage, there should be a list of "Resources" in the middle of the page. Click the one with Type listed as Storage Account

  2. Select File Shares

    • On the left side of the screen there is a menu. Under the "Data Storage" section is the File Shares button

  3. Add a File Share

    • Towards the top of the screen click the + File Share button

  4. File Share Properties

    • Basics
      1. Name the File Share qsfileshare
      2. Keep Tier as Transaction Optimized
    • Click Review + Create

  5. Create a new txt file titled qsTestFile on your local machine

    • Go to your file folder, and in any directory of your choice - Right Click and select a new .txt file

  6. With your file share open in Azure, click Upload (on the top middle section of the screen)

  7. Upload your created txt file

    • Select Browse your Files and navigate to the directory you chose earlier, then attach your txt file

Third Step: Deploying a VM

We've created the storage account and the file share with a file in it. We now need to deploy a VM.

  1. Create the Resource

    • Expand the left side menu and click Create a Resource
    • Under "Popular Azure services" select Virtual machine

  2. Setting the VM Properties

    • Basics
      1. Resource Group: Select the Cloud Computing Fellowship Resource group
      2. Virtual machine name: qsVM
      3. Security Type: Standard
      4. Image: Windows Server 2019 Datacenter - x64 Gen2
      5. Set your Username and Password to something you will remember for logging in to the VM
      6. Select Inbound Ports: HTTP and RDP (3389)
    • Select Review and Create
    • Select Create
    • When deployment is done, select Go to Resource

Fourth Step: Connect to Your VM

  1. Select Connect on the VM properties page

  2. Click Select on the Native RDP File

  3. Download the RDP File

    • On the right side menu select the Download RDP File under section 3

  4. Open the VM on your local machine

    • Open the downloaded RDP file
    • Select Connect on the pop-up
    • Put the username and password that you created in the VM setup (if you are on a windows machine you may need to click "More Choices" before logging in)
    • You may get a certificate warning, you can ignore that

Fifth Step: Map the Azure File Share to a Windows Drive

  1. In the Azure portal, navigate to your qsfileshare and select Connect
  2. Click Show Script in the right-hand menu pop-up
  3. This will display a script in the same menu. Copy and paste this script into your notepad.
  4. Go back to your VM
    • Open Windows Powershell
    • Paste in the contents of your notepad
    • Press Enter
    • You will see "Credential added successfully" when it works

Sixth Step: Working with Snapshots

  1. Create a Share Snapshot

    • Adding a snapshot in the Azure Portal
      1. In the Azure Portal, navigate to the file share
      2. Select Snapshots (located in the left hand side menu)
      3. Select + Add a Snapshot and click Ok
    • In your VM, open the qstestfile.txt and type "This file has been modified".
    • Save and close the file.
    • Create another snapshot (repeat steps a-c)

  2. Browse a Share Snapshot

    • On your file share, select Snapshots
    • Select the first Snapshot in the list
    • Select qsTestFile.txt

  3. Restore from a Snapshot

    • Ensure you're in the file share Snapshot tab
    • Right click the qsTestFile
    • Select Restore
    • Select Overwrite Original File and click Ok
    • Open the file in the VM. It should be restored and have no text in it.

  4. Delete a Share Snapshot

    • On your file share Snapshot list, select the last snapshot in the list
    • Select Delete

  5. Use a Share Snapshot in Windows

    • You can view snapshots from your mounted Azure file share by using the Previous Versions tab
      1. In your VM File Explorer, locate the mounted share. It should be titled qsfileshare and have a boxy symbol
      2. Select qstestfile.txt and Right Click
      3. Select Properties from menu
      4. Select Previous Versions - this shows you a list of previous snapshots
      5. Select Open

  6. Restore from a Previous Version

    • In the same screen we were just in, rather than selecting "Open", select "Restore"

Seventh Step: Delete the Resources

  1. Click on your Resource Group
  2. Select everything except the storage account you created in Session 1
  3. Select Delete NOT "Delete Resource Group" to delete the resources
  4. Go to your storage account and delete the fileshare as well