Today, posted on July 19, 2018 on the Azure Web site, Tad Brockway, General Manager, Azure Storage & Azure Stack, announced that Azure File Sync is now GA – generally available. 

Centralize File Services in Azure through Sync and Local Server Caching.

Azure File Sync and Azure Backup

Because Azure File Sync running On-Premises is directly connected to File Shares available in Azure via Azure Files, of course you can use Azure Backup to backup all your synchronized data directly in Azure! No need to back up your data on premises! All your data are protected and highly available on Azure and you can restore any file metadata immediately and recall data as needed.

The Big Picture with multiple Azure regions…

So, in Summary…

With Azure File Sync, you can extend your on-premises file services into Azure and, by this, use all the performance and security services available in Azure. In Azure Cloud, all new services and on your On-Premises environment Azure File Sync (AFS) running on your Windows Server file servers.

It is really a new approach for Storage strategy because you can optimize costs with “mixed storage” in a Hybrid Cloud with:

• Multi-site access: to provide write access to the same data across Windows servers and Azure Files
• Cloud tiering: to store only recently accessed data on local servers
• Integrates with Azure Backup Service: no need to back up your data on premises! All your data are protected and highly available on Azure and you can use
• Fast disaster recovery: restore file metadata immediately and recall data as needed.

To learn more on Microsoft Azure File Sync, follow these links:

• Azure File Sync, Backup and Hybrid Cloud
•  Read this great “Steb by Step on AFS” on my friend Charbel Nemnom blog here! 

Thanks for reading and enjoy Azure File Sync!