This document discusses building a next generation SFTP/file transfer solution in Azure using serverless technologies. It proposes using Azure Container Instances to host an SFTP server with Azure Files for the filesystem. A Logic Apps pipeline would stage incoming files in Azure Storage Blobs, trigger virus scanning via an API, and move scanned files. The solution aims to provide a simple, secure alternative to traditional FTP for file-based integration while leveraging cloud-native technologies.

1. Cloud Native/Serverless SFTP:
Keep your File-Based Integration Simple & Secure
greg.hoelzer@microsoft.com

2. It’s 2019, why are we still using FTP/SFTP to move data?

3. Reasons FTP-Based File Transfer is still Pervasive
https://solutionsreview.com/data-integration/the-four-most-commonly-used-data-integration-delivery-types/
The File Transfer Protocol was drafted in 1971 for use with the scientific and research network, ARPANET
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTPS

4. Challenges managing FTP/File Transfer Infrastructure

5. FTP/File Transfer Administration Headaches
Anonymous Authentication, Directory Traversal Attack and Dridex-based Malware Attacks are some of the most
common security risks for FTP-Based Data Transfer
- https://www.globalscape.com/blog/top-4-ftp-exploits-used-hackers

6. Setting the Stage : Why Cloud-Native can be Better

7. CaaS
Container Platform
PaaS
Application Platform
FaaS
Serverless Platform
IaaS
Infrastructure Platform
Cloud application hosting continuum
More Control of execution environment
Less Agile development & deployment
Less Control of execution environment
More Agile development & deployment
Patching, Management, Deployment Management (Container & Pod) Limitations of Execution environment Cold start, long running process
Curated VM Hosting Curated Orchestration Curated Execution Environment Scale to ‘zero’
IT/Infra focused Value Prop Dev/App Admin focused Value Prop
Challenges
What you get
Technology decisions

8. Next Gen SFTP/File Transfer Solution Ideation

9. Build an SFTP/File Transfer MVP in Azure

10. SFTP Server
Azure Container Instance
SFTP Filesystem
Deployed per User/System Entity
Azure Files

11. Azure Container Instances (ACI)
Easily run containers on Azure with a single command
Cloud-scale
container capacity
Hyper-visor
isolation
Start using
containers right away
Azure Container
Instances (ACI)
Azure Container
Registry
Open Service
Broker API (OSBA)
Release
Automation Tools
Azure Kubernetes
Service (AKS)

12. Data Pipeline – Logic Apps + Azure Storage Blob + Queue
Storage blob Storage queue
SFTP Filesystem
Azure Files
Logic App
Staged Files File Claim Check
File Transfer Data Staging Pipeline
Timer-based Trigger

13. Azure Logic Apps - Incredible Platform Versatility
Messaging
Data
Wrangling
B2B & EDI (hybrid) EAI Smart SaaS
Event-driven
scale
Abstraction of
servers
Micro-billing
Serverless

14. Example Use Case – Scan inbound Files for Virus/Malware
Logic App
Storage queue Trigger
Storage blob
Staged Files
Storage queue
File Claim Check
Storage blob
Scanned Files
Cloud Virus
Scanning API

15. Demo and Technical Implementation Overview

16. Resources:
https://github.com/azure-appdev-tsp-ncr/sazs-sftp
https://hub.docker.com/r/atmoz/sftp

17. Inbound SFTP + PDF Document Virus Scan Logic Apps