Azure storage explorer

In my last article, we discussed Azure storage types. Here, we will discuss Azure Storage Explorer. Apart from this, we will also discuss the below topics

• Benefits of Azure Storage Explorer
• How to Set up the Azure Storage Explorer?
• Azure Storage Explorer download
• How to use Azure Storage Explorer
• Azure storage explorer command line
• Azure Storage Explorer Online
• Azure Storage Web Explorer

Azure storage explorer

Azure Storage Explorer is an excellent tool from Microsoft that will definitely improve your development experience with Azure storage.

This is an application that helps you to connect your Azure storage account with any device. It supports different operating systems like Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc.

A Free tool from Microsoft to manage your Azure resources.

Benefits of Azure Storage Explorer

• Easy to use with very simple and user-friendly UI.
• You can connect easily and can access multiple storage accounts.
• We can easily deal with storage management that increases productivity.
• You can work with connecting to the cloud as well as offline.
• Multiple platform support like Windows, Linux,macOS, etc.

How to Set up the Azure Storage Explorer?

To Set up the Azure storage explorer, we need to download and install the Azure storage explorer. To do that, follow the below section. Now, let’s download Azure Storage Explorer first.

• The first thing is, that you need to get the Azure Storage Explorer download option from the Microsoft official site. (Click on the link).
• Select the operating system and then click on the Download Now button.
• You will get a StorageExplorer.exe file, run the exe.

• Click on the Finish button to complete the installation

• Now to access the Azure Storage Explorer, from the start menu, you can search for Azure Storage Explorer and then click on that to open it.

• Click on the Add an Account link.

• On the Connect to Azure Storage window, You will find multiple options like those below

1. Add a resource via Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)
2. Use a connection string
3. Use a shared access signature(SAS) URI
4. Use a storage account name and key
5. Attach to a local emulator

• You can select any of the above options to log in or else you can directly click on the Next button without selecting any of the options it will ask you to enter your Azure credentials.

• After clicking on the Next button, It will prompt you to enter your Microsoft Azure credentials. Enter your credentials to log in.

• Once you log in, Choose the subscription for which you want to work for the storage account and then click on the Apply button to save the changes.

• Now you can able to see all the storage accounts and other details under the same subscription.

Blob Container

You can do the following operations using Azure Storage Explorer

• Create Blob Container
• Configure CORS Settings
• Configure Soft Delete Policy
• Query, Import, Export, Add Edit, Delete, etc

Blob Storage

You can do the following operations using Azure Storage Explorer

• Copy Blobs and folders
• List Blob Containers
• Uploading and Downloading Blobs
• Delete Blobs

Table Storage

You can do the following operations using Azure Storage Explorer

• Create Table
• Import, Export functionality.
• Query, Add, Edit, and Delete entities.

Queue Storage

You can do the following operations using Azure Storage Explorer

• Create a queue
• View message, Add message, Dequeue message, Requeue message, Clear Queue, etc

File Storage

You can do the following operations using Azure Storage Explorer

• Create file share
• Upload, download, copy, paste, etc
• Create and Delete Directory

How to use Azure Storage Explorer

Here to understand how exactly it works, we will see how to create table storage and do all the operations using Azure Explorer.

Table storage consists of a number of entities. Entities are objects with properties. Each entity is related to the partition key, row key, and timestamp.

Partition key

The partition key is a unique identifier and is known as the first part of the primary key used for the partition in a table.

Row key

The row key is called the second part of the primary key. Every entity has one partition key and one-row key which is used to create the clustered index that helps for the first index for the storage.

Now to create a table you can follow the below steps. Select the table node and then right-click on that and click on the Create Table link else from the Actions section click on the Create Table link.

Now provide a name for the table storage

Now if you will see for the Demo1 table storage there is no data for the partition key and row key and there is no data currently.

In order to add the partition key and row key click on the Add button on the menu and provide the partition key as Employee and row key as IT.

Add a new property called Name by clicking the Add property button and provide the value as Information Technology.

Then click on the insert button.

Now you can see one record has been added to the table

Add a few more records to the table

Now you can add a filter condition to filter the record

Add a resource via Azure AD

Click on the Open Connect Dialog button from the left side

Select the option Add a resource via Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and then click on the Next button.

Select an Azure account and tenant. Account must have access to the Storage resource you want to attach to. Select Next.

Choose the resource type, provide the Container URL, and provide the Connection display name. Click on the Next button.

Now on the next step, review the Connection Summary to make sure all the information is correct. If in case any information is incorrect, you can edit it again by clicking on the back button. If all the information provided is correct then you can click on the Connect button.

Once the connection is successfully added you can see it on Local & Attached –> Storage Accounts –> (Attached Containers) –> Blob Containers.

Use a connection string

Click on the Open Connect Dialog button from the left side

Azure Storage connection strings

Select the Use a connection string option and then click on the Next button

Provide a display name for the connection and enter your connection string. Select the Next button.

Now review the Connection Summary and verify if all the information provided is correct, if not you can click on the Back button and make the changes all the information is correct click on the Connect button.

Now once the connection is established successfully, you can see the resource under Local & Attached –> Storage Accounts.

Use a shared access signature (SAS) URI

Click on the Open Connect Dialog button from the left side

Select the Use a shared access signature (SAS) URI option and then click on the Next button.

Provide a display name and enter your shared access signature URI. service endpoint for the resource type should be autofill. Click on the Next button.

Now on the Connection Summary page, verify if all the information provided is correct, if not you can click on the Back button and make the changes all the information is correct click on the Connect button.

You can see the resource under Local & Attached –> Storage Accounts –> (Attached Containers) > Service node.

Use a storage account name and key

Click on the Open Connect Dialog button from the left side

Select Use a storage account name and key and then click on the Next button.

Provide the display name, Account name, Access key and choose a Storage Domain, and then click on the Next button.

Now on the Connection Summary page, verify if all the information provided is correct, if not you can click on the Back button and make the changes all the information is correct click on the Connect button.

You can see the resource under Local & Attached –> Storage Accounts.

Attach to a local emulator

Azure Storage Explorer supports two types of official Storage emulators

• Azure Storage Emulator: This is available only for the Windows operating system.
• Azurite: This is available for Windows, macOS, or Linux operating systems.

If your emulator is not running on the default port then follow the below steps

You can start your emulator. Enter the command AzureStorageEmulator.exe status.

Click on the Open Connect Dialog button from the left side

Select the Attach to a local emulator option and then click on the Next button.

Provide a display name and enter the ports your emulator is listening. Attach to a Local Emulator suggests the default port values for most emulators. you can enter the port to use. Then, select Next.

Now on the Connection Summary page, verify if all the information provided is correct, if not you can click on the Back button and make the changes all the information is correct click on the Connect button.

You can see the resource under Local & Attached –> Storage Accounts.

Connect to an Azure Cosmos DB using a connection string

We can use a connection string to connect an Azure Cosmos DB.

• Under Local & Attached, right-click Cosmos DB Accounts(Preview), and select Connect to Cosmos DB.

• One more way is under Actions, click on Connect to Cosmos DB.

• Select API, enter your Connection String data, and then select the Next button to connect to the Azure Cosmos DB.

Connect to Azure Data Lake Store by URI

• Under Local & Attached, right-click Data Lake Storage Gen1(Preview), and select Connect to Data Lake Storage Gen1.
• One more way is under Actions, click on Connect to Data Lake Storage Gen1.

• On the Connect to Data Lake Store window, provide the ADL URI, and then click on the OK button to connect to the Data Lake Storage.

Azure storage explorer command line

In this, AzCopy is the command-line utility that helps you with the in and out data transfer from the Azure storage explorer and to copy blobs or files to or from a storage account.

The performance of file/data transfer is really great here in the case of the AzCopy utility.

Azure Storage Explorer Online

If you don’t want to download and install the Azure Storage Explorer tool, then you can also use the web version of Azure Storage Explorer. You can follow the below steps to access the Azure Storage Explorer online.

Azure Storage Web Explorer

1. Navigate to Azure Storage Explorer Online.
2. Now, you need to log in with your Azure account and Azure Key or shared access signature. You can also directly log in with your specific storage account name and the access key.

Note: You can able to find your account keys in the Azure portal. Open your storage account page and select Settings > then select Access keys.

3. once, you will log in with any of the storage account names and keys, you can able to see all the options below. You can use it in the same way that I have explained above section based on your requirements.

FAQs

Is Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer free?

Yes, Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer is absolutely free to use.

How do I upgrade my Azure storage explorer?

You can easily upgrade the Azure storage explorer by navigating to the Help menu –> Check for Updates.

Do you need an Azure Storage Explorer License?

You don’t need any separate license to use Azure Storage Explorer as it is absolutely free of cost from Microsoft.

Is Azure Storage Explorer free?

Yes, it is a free tool from Microsoft that supports multiple operating systems like Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc. This is a tool that helps you to connect an Azure storage account with any device.

What are Azure storage explorer alternatives?

There are some alternative options available in the Market if you do not want to go with this.

Below is the list of alternatives

• AWS Storage Gateway
• VMware vSAN
• Datrium
• StorPool
• Zadara Storage
• NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP
• Google Hybrid Cloud
• NooBaa
• Igneous DataProtect
• Compellent

Which is the tool provided by Microsoft to access Azure storage?

Answer: Azure Storage Explorer

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we learned the following things:

• Azure storage explorer
• Benefits of Azure Storage Explorer
• How to Set up the Azure Storage Explorer?
• Azure storage explorer command line
• Azure Storage Explorer Online
• Azure Storage Web Explorer

Hope you have enjoyed this article !!!