Azure Blob Storage

Files.com integrates with Azure Blob Storage in two ways: as a Remote Server Mount or as a Sync.

A Remote Server Mount connects a specific folder on your Files.com site to the Azure Blob container in real time. That folder becomes a window onto the files stored in Azure. Any operation you perform on or inside that folder acts directly on the remote in real time — dropping a file in, deleting a file, creating a subfolder, or any other file or folder operation your Files.com user has permission for passes through to Azure.

Mounts enable use cases like accessing files on a counterparty's cloud without provisioning individual user access, reducing storage costs by using on-premise or bulk storage, and giving applications access to third-party clouds through the Files.com API, FTP, SFTP, or Files.com Apps.

A Sync pushes or pulls files between your Files.com site and the Azure Blob container. After a sync runs, the files exist in both places. A push transfers files from Files.com to Azure. A pull transfers files from Azure to Files.com.

Add Azure Blob Storage as a Remote Server

Create a new Remote Server in your Files.com site using the Azure Blob Storage server type.

Provide an Internal name for this connection. If you're managing multiple remote servers, make the name clear enough to easily identify this particular connection.

Provide the required Authentication information.

Once Azure Blob Storage is added as a Remote Server, you can integrate it with Files.com as either a Remote Server Mount or Sync.

Authentication Information

Azure Blob container names are not globally unique, so the Account and Container name are both required to connect to your Blob storage. Files.com authenticates to Azure Blob Storage using an Access Key or a Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token.

You can enter the Access Key or SAS Token directly, or select a saved credential from the Remote Server Credential Manager.

The following items are required for connecting Files.com to Azure Blob Storage:

Account - The name of your Azure Storage Account, as shown in your Microsoft Azure web portal > Home > Storage Accounts page.

Container - The name of your Azure Container, as shown in your Microsoft Azure web portal > Home > Storage Accounts > selected storage account > Data Storage > Containers page.

Use Hierarchical Namespace (Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2) - Select this option if your Azure Container has been configured for Data Lake Storage by having its Heirarchical Namespace option enabled.

Test Path for Bucket/Container - An optional field for the full path of the container. This is useful when the provided user credentials do not have root access on the remote bucket or container.

Access Key or Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token - The Access Key, or SAS Token, for the selected Azure storage account, as shown in your Microsoft Azure web portal > Home > Storage Accounts > selected storage account > Access Keys, or Microsoft Azure web portal > Home > Storage Accounts > selected storage account > Shared Access Signature page.

Files.com does not currently support pass-through authentication to Azure Blob Storage via Azure AD when Azure AD is also used with Files.com. If this capability would be valuable to your organization, please let us know.

Once your Remote Server is added, integrate it to Files.com as either a Remote Server Mount or Sync.

Azure Cloud Selection

When connecting to Azure storage, select the Azure cloud environment where your storage account resides.

Files.com supports the following Azure cloud environments:

• Azure US (default) – The standard public Azure cloud used by most Azure customers.
• Azure US Government – A separate Azure environment designed for U.S. federal, state, and local government workloads that must meet government compliance and data residency requirements.
• Azure China – Azure services operated within mainland China.

Choose the Azure cloud that corresponds to the environment where your Azure storage account was created. Most customers use Azure US, which is selected by default.

Organizations that operate in regulated environments, including many U.S. federal agencies and contractors, often deploy resources in Azure US Government to meet compliance and data sovereignty requirements. If your Azure storage account exists in that environment, select Azure US Government when configuring the Remote Server connection.

Files.com automatically uses the appropriate Azure service endpoints for the selected cloud environment.

Azure Storage Firewall

Azure Storage firewall rules let you control network access to the public endpoint of your Azure Storage account. By default, Azure Storage accounts accept connections from any network. You can tighten security by defining network rules that specify which sources can connect.

If you use private endpoints and block public access with the Azure Storage firewall, you must still allow connections from Files.com in your firewall rules.

When your Files.com site uses a Custom Domain, add your dedicated IPs to the Azure Storage firewall rules. If you don’t use a custom domain, add the range of Files.com public IP addresses instead.

Add Remote Server Mount

Remote Server Mounts are created by mounting them onto an empty folder in Files.com. We recommend mounting onto a non-Root folder, though mounting at the Root is supported when required.

Add Sync

After creating the Remote Server, you can use it to perform Syncs between your remote server and Files.com.

Automations

Folders configured with a Remote Server Mount to Azure Blob can be used with automations as source locations or destinations.

Case Sensitivity

Be aware of case sensitivity differences when copying, moving, or syncing files and folders between Azure Blob Storage and other storage locations. Azure Blob Storage is a case-sensitive system, while other systems may not be. When names match case-insensitively, files can be overwritten and folder contents can be merged.

Folder Representation Using Slash Files

Azure Blob Storage does not natively support hierarchical folders and instead stores data in a flat namespace. Files.com represents folder structures in Azure Blob Storage using slash files, a convention that simulates directories while remaining compatible with Azure's underlying storage model.