Introduction
Microsoft recently announced a significant update for Azure NetApp Files users: the ability to create volumes with the same file path (NFS), share name (SMB), or volume path (dual-protocol) across different availability zones is now generally available (GA).
Why This Matters
In today’s complex and distributed IT environments, flexibility and redundancy are crucial. With this new feature, organisations can enhance their disaster recovery and high-availability strategies by distributing volumes with identical paths across different availability zones. This capability ensures that data accessibility and resilience are maximised without the need for complex configuration changes or rearchitecting existing setups.
Key Benefits
- Enhanced Flexibility: Manage identical file paths, share names, or volume paths in different availability zones, simplifying administrative overhead and reducing the potential for misconfigurations.
- Improved Resilience: Distribute critical data across multiple availability zones to safeguard against regional outages or failures, ensuring continuous access and operational continuity.
- Streamlined Management: Maintain consistent naming conventions and directory structures across different zones, making it easier to manage and locate data.
How it works
Azure NetApp Files now allows you to create volumes with the same file path for NFS, share name for SMB, or volume path for dual-protocol configurations, provided they are in different availability zones. This means you can set up and manage multiple identical volumes across distinct zones, leveraging Azure’s robust infrastructure to enhance data availability.
Getting started with this feature
To get started with this feature, check out the documentation on the MS Learn site Manage availability zone volume placement for Azure NetApp Files
Summary
This update underscores Microsoft’s commitment to providing flexible, resilient, and easy-to-manage cloud storage solutions. By allowing volumes with the same paths in different availability zones, Azure NetApp Files empowers users with the tools needed to optimise their data strategies, enhance resilience, and simplify management across distributed environments.
For more information on the Azure NetApp Files service, check out the What’s new in Azure NetApp Files page.