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We are migrating our PHP website to Azure Cloud Web Service (Web Role).

Currently the website saves user submitted image files to the filesystem via drive letter access. These images are then served via a url e.g. content.example.com.

What options have I got id I want persistent file storage on an Azure Cloud Web Service.

I am currently assessing BLOB Storage for this.

Thanks

jim
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2 Answers2

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Blob storage is the right answer. Although you could convert your images in base64 and save them in Azure Sql as well, it is really not recommended.

Check: Azure, best way to store and deploy static content (e.g. images/css)? or Where to store things like user pictures using Azure? Blob Storage?

Community
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valter.santos.matos
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One of the options to reduce re-writing of your application is to mount blob-storage as a network drive. Here is some information how to do it: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsazurestorage/archive/2014/05/12/introducing-microsoft-azure-file-service.aspx

Mounting of the drives can be done on Web-Role start-up task and can be scripted.

trailmax
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    The issue with Azure File Service today is that content there can't be streamed directly as there's no concept of "Public" shares/folders and Share Access Signature with File Service. So if Azure File Service is used, we would need to create a virtual directory which would map to this share and then serve the images that way. Kinda convoluted IMHO + we don't know the performance implications. Blob storage would be the way to go. – Gaurav Mantri Jul 15 '14 at 11:45
  • Direct use of Blob Storage is absolutely a way to go, no question in that. But from the question I sense that OP wants to minimise an impact on the project. And this will work as a temp solution while direct access to Blob Storage will be written. – trailmax Jul 15 '14 at 11:49