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How to Configure Azure Blob Storage

Approximate time to complete: 3 minutes, excluding prerequisites

This how to article provides step-by-step instructions for configuring Azure Blob Storage for use with a RAG pipeline.

Before you begin​

Before starting, ensure you have access to the credentials, connection parameters, and API keys as appropriate for the following:

Step 1: Create an Azure Storage Account​

  1. Go to the Azure Portal.

  2. Click Storage accounts, then click + Create.

    Create Storage Account

  3. Select the subscription to use, then click Create new to create a resource group.

    Create Resource Group

  4. Name the resource group, then click OK.

    Name Resource Group

  5. Name the storage account, adjust your region if needed, and then click Review + create.

    The storage account name must be unique across Azure.

    Name Storage Account

  6. Verify that everything looks correct, then click Create.

    Create Storage Account

  7. Your storage account will be created and deployed. Click Go to resource.

    Go To Resource

Step 2: Create a Container​

  1. In the left-hand menu, select Data Storage, then Containers.

    Go to Containers

  2. Click + Container.

    Add New Container

  3. Name the container, then click Create.

    Create New Container

Step 3: Securely Save Storage Account Credentials​

  1. In the left-hand menu, select Security + Networking, then click Access keys.

    Copy and securely save one of the access keys.

    Save Access Key

Step 4: Upload Data to the Blob Container​

  1. Go to your container in the storage account, then click Upload.

    Upload Data

  2. Select the files or folders you wish to upload, then click Upload.

    Upload Data

How to create a folder in an Azure Blob Storage container​

Azure Blob Storage is flat, meaning it doesn't technically support hierarchical folders like a file system, but you can simulate a folder structure by including the folder path in the blob name.

  1. Install the Azure CLI

    Install the Azure CLI by following the instructions here.

  2. Log In to Azure

    Open your terminal and log in to your Azure account. This will open a web browser for you to sign in. Once signed in, the CLI will be authenticated.

    az login

  3. Create a Folder in the Blob Container

    Create a "folder" by uploading an empty blob or a file with a "folder-like" path.

    az storage blob upload \
    --container-name <container-name> \
    --name <folder-name>/file.txt \
    --file /dev/null \
    --account-name <storage-account-name>

    Where:

    ParameterDescription
    container-nameName of your container.
    folder-nameName of the folder to create.
    storage-account-nameName of your storage account.

    If you provide the name of a real file, it will be uploaded to the folder. If the filename does not exit, an empty file with that name will be created.

  4. Verify the Folder

    After running the command, you can verify the folder-like structure by listing blobs in the container:

    az storage blob list \
    --container-name <container-name> \
    --account-name <storage-account-name> \
    --output table

    Example output:

    Name                                                      Blob Type    Blob Tier    Length    Content Type     Last Modified              Snapshot
    --------------------------------------------------------  -----------  -----------  --------  ---------------  -------------------------  ----------
    a-midsummer-nights-dream.pdf                 BlockBlob    Hot          572679    application/pdf  2024-10-01T00:06:01+00:00
    hamlet.pdf                                   BlockBlob    Hot          1120385   application/pdf  2024-10-01T00:06:01+00:00
    king-lear.pdf                                BlockBlob    Hot          1004332   application/pdf  2024-10-01T00:06:00+00:00
    macbeth.pdf                                  BlockBlob    Hot          629283    application/pdf  2024-10-01T00:06:00+00:00
    the-taming-of-the-shrew.pdf                  BlockBlob    Hot          698328    application/pdf  2024-10-01T00:06:00+00:00
    the-two-gentlemen-of-verona.pdf              BlockBlob    Hot          576548    application/pdf  2024-10-01T00:06:00+00:00
    startrek/Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan.pdf  BlockBlob    Hot          684071    application/pdf  2024-10-02T20:05:57+00:00

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