How to Create storage for a public website with high availability

Table of contents

Introduction to Azure storage, containers and blobs.
Step 1: Create a storage account with high availability.
Step 2: Create a blob storage container with anonymous read access
Step 3: Practice uploading files and testing access.
Step 4: Configure soft delete
Step 5: Configure blob versioning

Introduction

Azure Storage is a great option for hosting a public website. For blobs and containers, Azure Storage offers optional anonymous read access. Anonymous access to your data is never allowed by default. Authorization is required for all requests to a container and its blobs unless you specifically permit anonymous access. Clients can read data in a container without requesting authorization when the access level setting for that container is set to allow anonymous access.
NOTE: Any client can read data from a container that has been set up for anonymous access. We advise you to remove anonymous access from the storage account if it is not needed in your case because it poses a security risk.

Step guide on how to setup storage for public website:

Step 1: Create a storage account with high availability.

1. Create a storage account for the public website.

• In the portal, search for and select Storage accounts.

• Select + Create.

• For resource group select new. Give your resource group a name and Select OK.
• Set the Storage account name to publicwebsite. Make sure the storage account name is unique by adding an identifier.
• Leave the default for other settings.
• Select Review + Create.

• Wait for the storage account to deploy, and then select Go to resource.

2.The storage requires high availability if there is a regional outage. Additionally, enable read access to the secondary region.

• In the storage account, in the Data management section, select the Redundancy blade.
• Ensure Read-access Geo-redundant storage is selected.

• Review the primary and secondary location information.

3.Information on the public website should be accessible without requiring customers to login.

• In the storage account, in the Settings section, select the Configuration blade.
• Ensure the Allow blob anonymous access setting is Enabled.

• Be sure to Save your changes.

Step 2: Create a blob storage container with anonymous read access

1. The public website has various images and documents. Create a blob storage container for the content.

• In your storage account, in the Data storage section, select the Containers blade.
• Select + Container.
• Ensure the Name of the container is public.

Select Create.

2.Customers should be able to view the images without being authenticated. Configure anonymous read access for the public container blobs.

• Select your public container.
• On the Overview blade, select Change access level.
• Ensure the Public access level is Blob (anonymous read access for blobs only).

Select OK.

Step 3: Practice uploading files and testing access.

1. For testing, upload a file to the public container. The type of file doesn’t matter. A small image or text file is a good choice.

• Ensure you are viewing your container.
• Select Upload.
• Browse to files and select a file of your choice.

• Select Upload.
  

• Close the upload window, Refresh the page and ensure your file was uploaded.

2.Determine the URL for your uploaded file. Open a browser and test the URL.

• Select your uploaded file.
• On the Overview tab, copy the URL.
• Paste the URL into a new browser tab.

• The uploaded image file will display in the browser. Other file types should be downloaded.

Step 4: Configure soft delete

1. It’s important that the website documents can be restored if they’re deleted. Configure blob soft delete for 21 days.

• Go to the Overview blade of the storage account.
• On the Properties page, locate the Blob service section.

• Select the Blob soft delete setting.
• Ensure the Enable soft delete for blobs is checked.
• Change the Keep deleted blobs for (in days) setting to 21.
• Notice you can also Enable soft delete for containers.

Don’t forget to Save your changes.

2.If something gets deleted, you need to practice using soft delete to restore the files.

• Navigate to your container where you uploaded a file.
• Select the file you uploaded and then select Delete.
• Confirm to Delete the file.

• On the container Overview page, toggle the slider Show deleted blobs. This toggle is to the right of the search box.

• Select your deleted file, and use the ellipses(...) on the far right, to Undelete the file.
• Refresh the container and confirm the file has been restored.

Step 5: Configure blob versioning

1. It’s important to keep track of the different website product document versions.

• Go to the Overview blade of the storage account.
• In the Properties section, locate the Blob service section.
• Select the Versioning setting.

• Ensure the Enable versioning for blobs checkbox is checked.
• Check the option to keep all versions or delete versions after.

• Don’t forget to Save your changes.

2.As you have time experiment with restoring previous blob versions.

• Upload another version of your container file. This overwrites your existing file.

• Your previous file version is listed on Show deleted blobs page.

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