The document outlines six storage workloads suitable for Microsoft Azure, emphasizing disaster recovery, backup solutions, and development/testing environments. It provides insights on migrating existing applications to Azure, leveraging SoftNAS for enhanced file services, and offers key lessons learned throughout migration stages. Additionally, it highlights SoftNAS's capabilities in overcoming Azure's storage limitations by adding comprehensive data services and integration features.

1. 6 Storage Workloads Ideal for
Microsoft Azure
March 15, 2017

2. Agenda
2
• 6 StorageWorkloads Ideal for Azure
• Demo: Deploy aVirtual NAS onAzure
• 17 Lessons Learned from Migrating
Workloads to Azure
• SoftNAS Cloud Overview
• Q&A
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3. 6 Storage Workloads Ideal for
Microsoft Azure
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

4. 6 StorageWorkloads Ideal for Microsoft Azure
Storage
Workloads
On Azure
Dev/Test
Legacy
App
Migration
Disaster
Recovery
Backup &
Archive
File
Services for
Object
Storage
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SaaS-enable
Applications

5. Cloud Backup & Archive
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• Compelling alternative to tape
– Significant cost savings
– Shorter recovery times
– 99 years of retention
• Archive to inexpensive Azure Cool storage ($0.01/GB)
• Efficient backup over the network
– Once the initial seeding is complete, only incremental changes are
sent at a defined frequency
– Built-in features: compression, encryption, longer retention,
bandwidth throttling

6. Cloud Disaster Recovery
• Automated protection and replication of virtual machines
• Remote health monitoring
• Customizable recovery plans
• No-impact recovery plan testing
• Orchestrated recovery when needed
• Replication to – and recovery in – Azure
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7. Migrate Existing Applications to Azure
End-user
desktops, devices
Applications
and servers
Volumes
AFP iSCSI
Storage pools
CIFS NFS
Site A
Site B Public
Cloud
NFS
CIFS/SMB
iSCSI
AFP
Use existing
unchanged
applications…
Connect to Azure
using standard
NAS protocols…
Through Azure VM
hosted instances…
Using Azure storage services
for flexible capacity.
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

8. Dev /Test Environments
• UseAzure Dev/Test labs to quickly provision new dev and test
environments
• Set lab policies to automatically shut down and start up virtual
machines.
• Set caps on your lab, such as number of virtual machines per user and
per lab.
• Centrally manage development environments across a whole team or
organization
• Conduct compatibility and automated testing with reusable
environment templates
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

9. SaaS-enable Applications
• For legacy applications with incompatible file protocols, offers file
services and support for NFS, CIFS/SMB, iSCSI, and AFP protocols.
• Retain existing back end file systems so you can focus on the areas
that benefit the most from your re-engineering efforts.
• Migrating your customers?
– Keep it simple by leveraging both your own and your customers’ existing
investments by keeping the data services intact.
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

10. • Object storage systems provide a lower-cost, more durable and
scalable alternative to traditional NAS and SAN storage systems.
• However, they’re optimized for performance with object I/O, but
don't perform as well with file I/O and often lack the robust
capabilities of traditional NAS filers.
• Azure enables customers to take advantage of the scalability,
durability and low cost of object storage.
– Replaces expensive on-premises SAN and NAS equipment, while still
providing file services for existing enterprise applications.
File Services for Object Storage
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

11. 17 Lessons Learned from Migrating
Workloads to Azure

12. Pre-Migration Stage
1. Outline and share a clear cloud governance model
2. Train employees early in the process
3. Outline how operations will take shape in Azure
4. Know which IT assets you currently own and which you’re
including in each migration
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

13. Migration Stage
5. Start small and simple – focus on quick wins
6. Automate, automate, automate
7. Approach the cloud as a transformational goal
8. Leverage Azure’s fully managed services
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

14. Mass Migration Stage
9. Build a migration factory made up of teams, tools, and processes
all centered around migration activities
10. Set benchmarks for migration
11. Have an onboarding process for new team members while the
project is in full swing
12. Consider many different criteria when deciding on the migration
strategy for a particular application
13. Find patterns and create blueprints for them
14. Keep testing your applications!
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15. Post-Migration Stage
15. Monitor everything
16. Use cloud-native monitoring tools:
– Use the tools that best fit the business
17. Leverage Azure’s support team and Partner community
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16. SoftNAS Cloud Overview
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17. If Azure already provides storage, why do I need
SoftNAS Cloud?
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.
Azure Storage AzureCapabilities SoftNAS Cloud on Azure
File Services
 CIFS/SMB only
protocol
 No AD integration
 5TB limit
SoftNAS Cloud overcomes capacity limits, adds all file
protocols, adds full AD/AAD/LDAP user access controls,
consumption efficiency and full featured data services.
Page Blob
Premium &
Standard Storage
 SSD or Hard disk
based storage
 Block only
 2 – 40TB capacity
Leverages the block storage to present NAS file
protocols.
Accelerates performance and improves data efficiency.
Cool & Hot Block
Blob Storage
 Object storage only
 Up to 500TB per
storage account
Leverages the object storage to present NAS file
protocols and expands theAzure capacity to petabytes
by aggregating multiple storage accounts.
17

18. Flexible, AdaptableArchitecture
LinuxVirtual
Appliance
ARCHITECTURE INTEGRATION DATA SERVICES
• API and CLI
• Cross data center
• Easy administration
• File gateway
• HTML5Admin UI
• Software filer
• ZFS on Linux
• AWS
• Azure
• CenturyLink Cloud
• CIFS w/ Active directory
• iSCSI LUN
• iSCSI SAN
• NFS
• S3 Objects
• SSD
• VMware vSphere
• Block replication
• Cloud disks
• Compression
• Inline deduplication
• Instant snapshots
• Multi-level caching
• Storage pools
• Thin provisioning
• Writable SnapClones™
• Encryption
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

19. SoftNAS Cloud + Microsoft AzureArchitecture
End-user
desktops, devices
Applications
and servers
Volumes
AFP iSCSI
Storage pools
Cloud
CIFS NFS Site A
Site B Public
Cloud
© 2017 SoftNAS, Inc.

20. Technology Partners
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21. BrandsYou KnowTrust SoftNAS

22. Try it!
Learn More
softnas.com/azure
FreeTest Drive
bit.ly/softnas-azure-test-drive
FreeTrial (30 Days)
softnas.com/tryazure
Contact Us
softnas.com/contact
Support
softnas.com/helpdesk
softnas.com/tryazure
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