Use Azure storage as a virtual hard disk?

Category: azure backup


Kimm123 on Thu, 26 May 2016 15:24:57

Hi all.

New to Azure, and are on the trial version atm.

I can't figure out how to add a container as a virtual hard drive?
I would like this feature because I'm researching ways that include our company not to have the mess with data safety, redundancy, bitrot and so forth.
Besides, it would be a good thing to setup a FTP server for our clients, so they had acces to their data at all times.

I can find a lot of tutos on how to add a vhd to a VM, but I have no interest in that. I want it to show up in windows.

I'm on windows 10 atm, but I can't imagine it is because it's only compatible with Windows Server 2012, or have native support
Atm i have a program called Stablebit Clouddrive, but it encrypts the data in the cloud, and I would like to avoid that if possible, because that is just something that can fail as well. and if it fails, it fails HARD

With Kind regards

Kim M.

P.S Does anyone know what measures MS is taking against bitrot? The files I would like to store is files that I need to be able to acces in 15 years without any bits flip/flop. I know they store 3-6 copies of the same file, do they just compare the files against each other? How often is that done, inorder to refresh the data?


Manu Rekhar on Thu, 26 May 2016 20:02:34

Hi Kim,

Firstly, welcome to Azure.

Regarding attaching a container present in your storage account to VM, it is not possible.  In Azure, we have only options to attach the VHDs.

For data safety, you may configure the access level to containers which contains the VHDs. You may refer this article which talks same:

And as you do not want to encrypt the data in cloud, may I know purpose of using the Stablebit clouddrive. I fail you understand your purpose of using the stablebit.

Lastly, you can have data saved in azure storage for years and it wont get deleted unless you manually delete the data or close/cancel your azure subscription. And if you have enable replication of your storage data, azure will copy the data from primary source as soon as there is a modification in the data. However, you can't access the backup copies for your usage. These copies are used only during datacenter disaster scenarios. If you want to have a backup copy of your data which you can access whenever required, you may have to configure "Azure Backup" services.


Kimm123 on Fri, 27 May 2016 18:00:15

Hi Manu.

I dont think I expressed myself very clearly :)

I dont want to add a hard drive to a VM, what I want is to create a "virtuel hard drive" on my machine/server at the company.

I do believe some of the other cloud storrage providers have this option, to create a Virtuel hard drive on you'r mashine, that points to the xxx TB you have stored in the cloud.

I know there is programs out there that offer this on the Azure platform, because I allready found a working program that does this. BUT. It store the data encrypted in the cloud, and my concern is that what happens if there is no more work beeing put into this tool I found, and Azure changes the API or whatever, so the tool dosent work anymore.
Then I will just have a lot of encrypted files in the cloud, and a headache getting my data back.

I'm searching for a program that offer this, to mount the azure container/vault/whatever into something that looks like a hard drive on my mashine, so i can use a FTP or whatever to give diffrent people acces to this DATA.

Does MS have a office in Denmark-Europe, and maybe a salesperson i can talk with regarding my needs and demands on what i need.

I have installed Windows 2012, but it's a pretty steep learningcurve when never have tried the MS server before, and how to connect it to Azure.

Thanks in adv.

have a nice weekend.
Kim M.

SadiqhAhmed-MSFT on Sun, 29 May 2016 12:58:43

Hello Kim,

Greetings from Microsoft Azure!

Azure File Storage is an option that you might be looking for. See the details here -

We do have support in Denmark. Please find contact details here -

Also see this link for customer support -

Hope this helps!

Best Regards

Sadiqh Ahmed


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