Blob
This page was created by Stephanie on 2024-05-15. Last edited by Edgar on 2025-01-20.
In the context of Azure Blob Storage, a âblobâ (short for Binary Large Object) is a mass of data stored in binary form. Here are the key points about blobs:
- Definition:
- A blob is a chunk of binary data that doesnât necessarily conform to any specific file format.
- It can represent various types of unstructured data, such as images, videos, audio files, documents, or any other binary content.
- Purpose of Blob Storage:
- Azure Blob Storage is Microsoftâs object storage solution for the cloud.
- It is optimized for storing massive amounts of unstructured data.
- Use cases include serving files directly to browsers, streaming media, writing log files, backup and restore, disaster recovery, and archiving.
- Access and Usage:
- Users or client applications can access objects in Blob Storage via HTTP/HTTPS from anywhere in the world.
- Objects are accessible through the Azure Storage REST API, Azure PowerShell, Azure CLI, or Azure Storage client libraries.
- Secure connections can be established using SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) or by mounting Blob Storage containers using the Network File System (NFS) 3.0 protocol.
- Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2:
- Blob Storage supports Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, which combines the advantages of Blob Storage with a hierarchical file system.
- Features include low-cost tiered storage, high availability, strong consistency, and disaster recovery capabilities.
In summary, Azure Blob Storage provides a scalable and flexible way to store unstructured data, making it suitable for a wide range of applications and scenarios.
Read more: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blobs-introduction