Microsoft Azure Block Storage Reviews

We are managing numerous data sources, including Excel, CSV, and ZIP files, with some of them being located on the public Internet. Our current task involves transferring this data into a data warehouse using Microsoft Azure Block Storage.

The major benefit of using Microsoft Azure Block Storage is that it supports various types of data, including structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data, without requiring different tools to read each type. This comprehensive approach simplifies the data handling process for data engineers and allows for seamless data transfer to downstream applications. In essence, this is a data paradigm shift that enables easy ingestion of diverse data types.

I encountered a challenge where certain metadata was located on a secured network that could only be accessed through a VPN. As there was no direct connector available to reach the private networks that require VPN access, we had to rely on manual effort to access the data. This could potentially be addressed as an area of improvement, especially with regard to accessibility issues where data is only accessible through a VPN connection.

It appears that the solution we are working with is already in a beta version, and we have been managing a large volume of files by pulling them in at fixed schedules to determine whether a file is new or has been modified, we need to obtain the last modified date and compare it with the previous value. However, there is a new concept of a rolling window that can automatically detect newly arrived files and push them into downstream processes. From the logs I have seen, it appears that Microsoft is actively working on simplifying the file management process and reducing the need for engineers to manually pull files using specific logic. This includes developing a feature that automatically identifies new files and distinguishes them from old ones based on their metadata. It would be helpful to have this feature implemented.

I have been using Microsoft Azure Block Storage for approximately two years.

I did not face any glitches or stability issues.

I rate the stability of Microsoft Azure Block Storage a nine out of ten.

We have more than 20 developers and 50 to 100 business users using the solution in my company. 

The scalability of Microsoft Azure Block Storage has different options.

When opting for a pay-as-you-go service, several options exist, such as enabling the Autoscale feature or fixing the scalability ratio. It is essential to keep in mind that choosing the scale-out option comes with additional costs. Therefore, it is crucial to select whether to go with auto-scaling or manual scaling carefully. The system provides the flexibility to choose either option based on specific needs and budget constraints.

I rate the scalability of Microsoft Azure Block Storage an eight out of ten.

The level of support provided by Microsoft Azure Block Storage is impressive, as they offer three different levels of assistance based on the priority level of the issue. For technical issues, they can typically provide support within one day for critical issues, two days for high-priority issues, and three or four days for normal-priority issues.

I rate the support of Microsoft Azure Block Storage a nine out of ten.

Positive

The initial setup of Microsoft Azure Block Storage does not take long to deploy. Each service can take 10 to 15 seconds to set up.

The price of Microsoft Azure Block Storage has a fair price. However, the price could be lower.

I rate the price of Microsoft Azure Block Storage a seven out of ten.

We have evaluated Amazon AWS. They provide a good service. However, Microsoft solutions have more user-friendly interfaces.

I would advise others that this is a good solution and it is reliable. I strongly recommend this solution.

I rate Microsoft Azure Block Storage a nine out of ten.

The solution is compatible with every format, and different types of data. This is useful for data engineers. This is the best solution to have because everything is in a single point.

The most valuable feature of Microsoft Azure Block Storage is the security and the management of user access from on-premise to the cloud.

Microsoft Azure Block Storage could improve by allowing the switching of the hot tier to the cold tier.

I have been using Microsoft Azure Block Storage for approximately five years.

Microsoft Azure Block Storage is stable.

The solution can expand, and it is scalable.

We have approximately 200 users using this solution. We plan to increase the usage of this solution in the future.

I did not use the support from Microsoft Azure Block Storage. However, I did use the support for other solutions. 

We deploy Microsoft Azure Block Storage with Linux SUSE or Red Hat, but Microsoft will not give us support for these solutions.

I rate the support from Microsoft a three out of five.

Neutral

The initial setup of Microsoft Azure Block Storage is simple.

The price could be more flexible, and it can be expensive.

I rate the price of Microsoft Azure Block Storage a three out of five.

I have not evaluated other solutions.

I rate Microsoft Azure Block Storage a seven out of ten.

Of all the features I have used, it works great. While some require development, you don't need to for all of them. 

There are various types of storage to choose from - blob, table, and queue.

The initial setup is simple.

It has great documentation and community support.

When I installed Azure Explorer on my system, I connected easily, and, for uploading data and uploading any value or any files from there, it was very easy. However, when it's there in Azure Blob, Azure Portal, then uploading, downloading, or viewing the file is a little bit difficult. That's the part they need to improve. Downloading and uploading could be easier.

They could create more readability of files. We can use other solutions in desktop versions and then we can connect those Azure files. However, if anyone is working maybe in Linux or other things, then the Azure Portal is best for them. The readability is easier.

I've been working on the solution for more than 12 months.

The solution is stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

It's like creating normal Windows files. Each time you have to create a file though, you can create it using CLI. However, if it's only a storage file and you can store large amounts, large volumes, of details. Scaling is simple. I have not had any challenge regarding Blob Storage, as I do not have much data actually. I haven't used it on a large scale. That's why I don't find any scalability challenges myself, actually.

While we have Microsoft technical support, I didn't take any Microsoft technical support yet, as their documentation is enough for me. If I get into any problems, I look for solution documentation or community help. That's enough for me.

The initial setup is very simple and straightforward. It's not difficult.

I haven't compared the solution to any other solutions just yet. We only deal with Azure.

I'm an end-user. I'd recommend this solution to others. I would rate it as eight out of ten.

We use Microsoft Azure Block Storage to store data.

The solution has introduced cool-tier storage that allows us to store and save data. Since the solution has a hierarchical namespace format, getting data from my database is very fast.

We cannot properly check the daily cost in the Azure portal. I'm going to raise a ticket to the Microsoft team as it is an Azure portal problem.

I have been using Microsoft Azure Block Storage for 1.5 years.

The technical support team assigns engineers too late, and the engineers don't provide a proper solution. They transfer the case to another engineer without providing a proper summary to them. We have to explain the issue and do the basic troubleshooting once again.

Neutral

I would recommend the solution to other users. Overall, I rate the solution a 9 out of 10.

We use Microsoft Azure Block Storage for storing data.

The most valuable features of Microsoft Azure Block Storage are it stores different types of data traditional data and connectivity through FTP. Additionally, we do not need a high-speed fetching system for operations and filesharing works well for us.

I have used Amazon's solutions which are better than Microsoft's. However, since I have predominately Microsoft solutions it is a better choice for me to use another Microsoft solution.

I have been using Microsoft Azure Block Storage for approximately one and a half years.

I rate the price of Microsoft Azure Block Storage a six out of ten.

We have a large team that uses the solution.

There are times the solution can be slowed down in response time.

I rate the scalability of Microsoft Azure Block Storage an eight out of ten.

I did not use the support. However, I heard the support was good.

The initial setup of Microsoft Azure Block Storage is simple.

The price of Microsoft Azure Block Storage is expensive. They should provide a more efficient cost.

I rate the price of Microsoft Azure Block Storage a six out of ten.

I rate Microsoft Azure Block Storage nine out of ten.

We're mainly using this solution for cloud container data and backup data. 

It's deployed on a hybrid cloud.

There are around 500 users in my organization.

In terms of latency, bandwidth, and productivity, Azure Block Storage is better than other solutions.

There have been problems with integration, but it's getting better.

I have used Microsoft Azure Block Storage for more than a year.

I would rate the stability as seven out of ten. We sometimes face issues.

I would rate the scalability as six out of ten.

Setup was simple. Between 5-10 people are required for maintenance.

I would rate the pricing as five out of ten.

I compared Azure Block Storage with AWS. The cost is the main difference.

I would rate the solution as six out of ten. I would recommend it to others.

We use this solution for the availability and to archive data. I am using the latest version.

It provides secure cloud storage.

The performance could be improved, but all the services in the cloud are improved every week.

I have used Azure Block Storage for many years.

It's stable.

It's easily scalable.

Technical support is always helpful.

Setup was easy.

The cost is very low. The cost is something like $0.01 to $0.50 per gig.

It's pay per use. We have a yearly license.

I would rate this solution 10 out of 10. 

For those who want to use this solution, my advice is to know how to use the services and make a proof of concept for the requirements. If all goes well, then go to production.

We recently moved to Block Storage for SQL on Azure. It enables our employees to work remotely. We are customers of Microsoft and I'm a technical infrastructure analyst.

This is a very robust and flexible solution.

I'd like them to improve the features of data gathering - sometimes you need to get the data from the block and it's usually very expensive.

I've been using this solution for six months. 

The solution is stable. 

This solution is very scalable. 

Microsoft provides good support. They respond quickly and their technical people are very helpful. 

The initial setup is easy. 

It's important to analyze your requirements because it can sometimes be a problem in terms of price. Pay attention to locking because sometimes the amount of data on the block can lock your business.

I rate the solution 10 out of 10.