Blob storage definition
Blob storage is a Microsoft service that's part of the Azure cloud computing platform. It's for storing large amounts of unstructured data. Anything from text files and documents to images, videos, and log files. “Blob” stands for “Binary Large Object.” It means that this storage can handle big files containing a variety of data.
Within blob storage, data is organized into “containers” (think of them as folders) and “blobs” (the individual files). Different blobs are available for different needs: block blobs, append blobs, and page blobs.
See also: cloud as a service, cloud database, storage capacity, data center storage
The main features of blob storage:
- Scalability. It can adjust to the amount of data you need to store, and you only pay for the space you use.
- Durability and availability. Blob storage stores multiple copies of files in different locations.
- Security. Blob storage includes features like encryption and controlled access. This protects your data from unauthorized access.
- Immutability. Making data read-only after it’s stored helps follow certain regulations.
- Lifecycle management. You can move data between different storage tiers based on how often you access them. This helps manage costs.
