Files.com provides integration with Azure Files, allowing you to make your Azure file shares available to your users as Files.com folders. Azure Files is a fully managed, serverless file shares capability from Microsoft. It allows the use of industry-standard SMB and NFS protocols in addition to Azure Files REST APIs as a way to access files. Azure Files are typically used as a way to modernize storage and move your traditional on-premise storage into the cloud, while maintaining compatibility with existing applications and users who may want to continue to use SMB and NFS as a way to access files.

Azure Files integration at Files.com

With Files.com, an Azure file share can be connected as a Remote Server Mount, making the Azure file share content available in real time, or connected as a Remote Server Sync, allowing you to push, pull, or synchronize files between the Azure file share and other Files.com storage locations.

Integrating Files.com with Azure Files allows your users to access Azure file shares directly, using the SMB and NFS protocols to connect to Azure file shares as Network Drives or Network Shared Folders, as well as allowing your users to access the exact same Azure file share through Files.com, using a web browser, SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, the Files.com Desktop App, or the Files.com Command Line (CLI) App.

Files.com integrates with Azure Files using the Microsoft Azure Files APIs via HTTPS, providing secure encrypted data transmission between the two platforms.

Connecting to Azure Files

To connect to Azure Files, add your Azure Files as a Remote Server in Files.com.

You must 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.

The Authentication Information is required because it contains the credentials Files.com will use for connecting to Azure.

Once your Azure Files has been added as a Remote Server, you can integrate it with Files.com as either a Remote Server Mount or Remote Server Sync.

Authentication Information

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

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

Share Name - The name of your Azure file share, as shown in your Microsoft Azure web portal > Home > Storage Accounts > selected storage account > File shares page.

Access Key or Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token - The Access Key, or SAS Token, for the selected Azure Files 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 provide for pass-through authentication to Azure Files via Azure AD if you are also using Azure AD with Files.com. Actions performed on Azure Files from Files.com use the privileges of the above authentication information.

Access Key versus Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token

Both the Access Key and the Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token provide secure authentication and authorization to Azure. Whichever method you choose ultimately depends on whichever best fits your requirements. Please consult with your security team to determine which method will best fit your needs.

The Access Key provides a global, root-like, permission to your Azure Blob. It should be the preferred method when your Blob will only be used by Files.com and doesn't have to share access permissions with other users or solutions.

The Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token provides a restricted, user-like, permission to your Azure Blob. It should be the preferred method when your Blob will be shared by multiple users or solutions. The Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token can more granularly limit access to specific parts of your Blob, allowing better segregation of access to data.

Whether you choose to use an Access Key or a SAS Token, it should be long lived. All connections and functionality to Azure will stop working when the Key or Token expires. If an expiration date is applied to a Key or Token then you will need to replace that Key or Token each time it expires. Do not use Keys or Tokens containing expiration dates unless you are willing to accept downtime at expiration time and you are prepared to manually replace the Key or Token each time it expires.

If in doubt, we recommend using a Shared Access Signature (SAS) Token due to its more granular security controls.

Add Remote Server Mount

Remote Server Mounts are created by mounting them onto an empty folder in Files.com. This folder should not be the Root of your site, although that is supported if you need it.

Add Remote Server Sync

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

Automations

Folders that have been configured with either Remote Server Mount, or Remote Server Sync, to Azure Files can also be used with automations, allowing you to include Azure Files file shares as source locations or destinations for your automations.

Case Sensitivity

Be aware of case sensitivity differences when copying, moving, or syncing files and folders between Azure Files and other storage locations. Azure Files is a case sensitive system whereas other systems may not be. This can cause files to be overwritten, and folders to have their contents merged, if their case insensitive names are a match.