Azure Data Box Tutorial

Introduction to Azure Data Box

Azure Data Box is a physical appliance that can be used to securely transfer large amounts of data into or out of Azure. It is designed for customers who need to transfer terabytes or petabytes of data to Azure and want to avoid the slow and unreliable data transfer over the internet. Data Box comes in two different versions – Data Box and Data Box Heavy. The main difference between the two is the amount of data they can hold. Data Box can hold up to 100TB of data while Data Box Heavy can hold up to 1PB of data.

Getting Started

Before you can use Azure Data Box, you need to have an Azure subscription. If you don’t have one, you can sign up for a free trial at https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/. Once you have an Azure subscription, you can start using Azure Data Box.

Step 1: Create an Azure Storage Account

The first step in using Azure Data Box is to create an Azure storage account. To create an Azure storage account, you can use the Azure CLI by running the following command:

az storage account create --name <storage-account-name> --resource-group <resource-group-name> --location <location> --sku Standard_LRS

Here’s what each parameter means:

  • --name: The name of the storage account.
  • --resource-group: The name of the resource group where the storage account will be created.
  • --location: The location where the storage account will be created. This should be the same location where you plan to use Azure Data Box.
  • --sku: The pricing tier for the storage account. For Data Box, you should use the Standard_LRS pricing tier.

Step 2: Order a Data Box

The next step is to order a Data Box. To order a Data Box, you can use the Azure portal or the Azure CLI. In this tutorial, we’ll use the Azure CLI.

To order a Data Box, run the following command:

az databox create --resource-group <resource-group-name> --name <data-box-name> --location <location> --sku DataBox

Here’s what each parameter means:

  • --resource-group: The name of the resource group where the Data Box will be created.
  • --name: The name of the Data Box.
  • --location: The location where the Data Box will be created. This should be the same location where you plan to use Azure Data Box.
  • --sku: The version of the Data Box. For this tutorial, we’re using the DataBox version.

Step 3: Prepare Your Data

Before you can transfer your data to Azure using a Data Box, you need to prepare your data. This involves creating a dataset, copying your data to an external hard drive or server, and then copying the data to the Data Box.

To create a dataset, run the following command:

az databoxedge dataset create --device-name <data-box-name> --name <dataset-name> --resource-group <resource-group-name>

Here’s what each parameter means:

  • --device-name: The name of the Data Box.
  • --name: The name of the dataset.
  • --resource-group: The name of the resource group where the dataset will be created.

Step 4: Copy Your Data to an External Hard Drive or Server

Once you have created a dataset, you can copy your data to an external hard drive or server. Make sure that you use a compatible external hard drive that is supported by Azure Data Box.

To copy your data to an external hard

drive or server, use any tool or method that you prefer. You can use tools like Robocopy or AzCopy to copy your data. You can also use third-party software or write your own script to copy the data.

Here’s an example command using AzCopy to copy data from a local folder to the Data Box:

azcopy copy "C:\mydata" "https://<storage-account-name>.blob.core.windows.net/<container-name>/?<SAS-token>" --recursive

Here’s what each parameter means:

  • copy: The command to copy data using AzCopy.
  • "C:\mydata": The source folder where your data is located.
  • "https://<storage-account-name>.blob.core.windows.net/<container-name>/?<SAS-token>": The destination URL where you want to copy your data. Make sure to replace <storage-account-name>, <container-name>, and <SAS-token> with the appropriate values for your Azure storage account and container.
  • --recursive: The flag to copy all subfolders and files recursively.

Step 5: Copy Your Data to the Data Box

Once you have copied your data to an external hard drive or server, you can copy the data to the Data Box. To copy the data to the Data Box, use the Azure CLI by running the following command:

az databoxedge blob upload-batch --device-name <data-box-name> --dataset-name <dataset-name> --source <source-folder-path> --destination <destination-folder-path>

Here’s what each parameter means:

  • --device-name: The name of the Data Box.
  • --dataset-name: The name of the dataset where you want to copy your data.
  • --source: The path to the folder where your data is located.
  • --destination: The path to the folder where you want to copy your data on the Data Box.

Step 6: Ship the Data Box

Once you have copied your data to the Data Box, you can ship the Data Box to the Azure data center. To ship the Data Box, you need to create a shipping job using the Azure CLI. To create a shipping job, run the following command:

az databoxedge job create-shipping --device-name <data-box-name> --destination-account-details <destination-account-details> --return-shipping <return-shipping-details> --pickup-location <pickup-location-details> --delivery-type <delivery-type> --contact-details <contact-details>

Here’s what each parameter means:

  • --device-name: The name of the Data Box.
  • --destination-account-details: The details of the Azure storage account where you want to copy your data. This includes the storage account name, container name, and SAS token.
  • --return-shipping: The details of the return shipping for the Data Box. This includes the carrier name, carrier account number, and pickup date.
  • --pickup-location: The pickup location for the Data Box. This includes the name of the pickup location, address, and contact information.
  • --delivery-type: The type of delivery for the Data Box. This can be either standard or express.
  • --contact-details: The contact details for the person responsible for the Data Box. This includes the name, phone number, and email address.

Step 7: Receive and Import the Data

Once the Data Box has been shipped to the Azure data center and the data has been imported, you can receive the Data Box back and complete the job. To receive the Data Box back, use the Azure CLI by running the following command:

az databoxedge job list --filter "jobType eq 'Data

Once you have received the Data Box, you need to import the data into your Azure storage account. To import the data, use the Azure CLI by running the following command:

az databoxedge blob import-batch --device-name <data-box-name> --dataset-name <dataset-name> --source <source-folder-path> --destination <destination-folder-path>

Here’s what each parameter means:

  • --device-name: The name of the Data Box.
  • --dataset-name: The name of the dataset where you want to import your data.
  • --source: The path to the folder where your data is located on the Data Box.
  • --destination: The path to the folder where you want to import your data in your Azure storage account.

Step 8: Monitor the Data Import Job

Once you have imported the data, you can monitor the data import job using the Azure CLI by running the following command:

az databoxedge job list --filter "jobType eq 'DataBoxEdgeBlobDataTransfer' and status ne 'Succeeded'"

This command lists all the ongoing or failed jobs for Data Box data transfer.

Step 9: Clean up the Data Box

Once the data import job is complete and you have verified that your data is in your Azure storage account, you can clean up the Data Box by erasing the device. To erase the Data Box, use the Azure CLI by running the following command:

az databoxedge device erase --device-name <data-box-name>

This command erases all data and metadata from the Data Box and restores the device to its factory settings.

Conclusion

Azure Data Box is a powerful solution for transferring large amounts of data to Azure. In this tutorial, we covered how to use Azure CLI commands to create a Data Box job, copy your data to the Data Box, ship the Data Box to the Azure data center, import the data, and clean up the Data Box. With this tutorial, you should now be able to use Azure Data Box to transfer your data to Azure with ease.