Windows Azure Data Storage

Chapter 3

Blob Storage

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Learn about the different types of blobs that can be stored
• Understand how to use the storage client library to manipulate blobs
• Discover how to associate metadata with your blobs

The second of the three data storage models supported by Azure is Blob Storage. That’s Blob as in Binary Large OBjects, or what the rest of the world colloquially defines as files. Whereas Azure Table Storage, as discussed in Chapter 2, is built to store and retrieve key-value pairs, the functionality of Blob Storage is to allow for the saving and retrieval of files. It also has ancillary features including the saving of metadata about the file, a REST-based API, and administrative capabilities. To start, take a look at some of the fundamental concepts.

WHY BLOB STORAGE?

Well, we already know that Azure Storage stores things, and that they are Binary Large Objects. We also know that, more or less, they fit into the concept that most developers and users have for files. It’s not like files haven’t been around for a long time (in computer years), however, and there are plenty of ways to access files, both locally and on the Internet. Why is there a need to put a file into Blob Storage?

To answer this question, go back to one of the premises of the question. That is, the need to access files. For the most part, the files that you have on your computer are not likely to be pushed willy-nilly into Blob Storage. After all, at the moment, they are quickly and easily available ...