File movement and migration tools¶
Moving data into, out of, and across Azure is a common exam scenario. Know which tool fits the job rather than every command-line switch.
Tool comparison¶
| Tool | Primary purpose | Exam clue |
|---|---|---|
| AzCopy | Command-line copy of blobs and files at scale | Scriptable bulk transfer to or from Azure Storage |
| Azure Storage Explorer | GUI to browse and manage storage accounts | Interactive upload, download, and management |
| Azure File Sync | Sync on-premises Windows Server file shares with Azure Files | Hybrid file share with cloud tiering |
| Azure Migrate | Discovery, assessment, and migration planning for servers, databases, and apps | Migrate workloads to Azure with guidance |
| Azure Data Box | Physical appliance for very large offline transfers | Too much data or too slow a link for online transfer |
AzCopy¶
AzCopy is a command-line utility optimized for high-performance transfer of blob and file data.
Use AzCopy when the scenario mentions:
- automated bulk copy;
- scheduled transfers;
- moving large datasets to storage accounts or between them.
Azure Storage Explorer¶
Storage Explorer is a free GUI for working with blobs, files, queues, and tables across subscriptions.
Use Storage Explorer when the scenario mentions:
- browsing containers and shares visually;
- ad hoc upload or download;
- developers or operators who prefer a desktop tool.
Azure File Sync¶
Azure File Sync keeps a local Windows Server file share in sync with an Azure Files share. Frequently used files can remain local while less-used files tier to cloud.
Use File Sync when the scenario mentions:
- hybrid file access with low latency locally;
- cloud-backed file shares across branch offices;
- tiering infrequently used files to Azure.
Azure Migrate¶
Azure Migrate is the central hub for discovering and assessing on-premises servers, databases, and applications before moving them to Azure.
Use Azure Migrate when the scenario mentions:
- inventory and readiness assessment;
- migrating VMs, databases, or applications;
- choosing the right migration path with Azure guidance.
Azure Migrate is about workload migration, not everyday file copying.
Azure Data Box¶
Data Box devices move very large datasets through an offline physical shipment when network transfer is impractical.
Use Data Box when the scenario mentions:
- terabytes or petabytes of data;
- limited bandwidth;
- one-time or periodic bulk offline transfer.
Scenario¶
A media company must upload 200 TB of video to Blob Storage, but the datacenter uplink would take months.
Best fit: Azure Data Box.
Scenario¶
Users at a branch office need fast access to shared files, but older files should live in Azure to save local disk space.
Best fit: Azure File Sync with cloud tiering.
Exam clues¶
- Bulk scripted storage copy → AzCopy.
- GUI storage management → Storage Explorer.
- Hybrid Windows file share sync → File Sync.
- Assess and migrate servers to Azure → Azure Migrate.
- Huge offline transfer → Data Box.