Azure Storage

The Azure Storage connector integrates Netmera with Microsoft Azure's Blob Storage service. It is categorized as a Cloud Storage Service, providing highly scalable and reliable storage for media and file assets, primarily serving as a high-priority fallback option to Amazon S3.

Overview

Attribute	Details
Connector Name	Azure Storage
Category	Cloud Storage Network (CDN) / Depolama Connector'ları
Provider	Microsoft Azure
Primary Function	File storage and retrieval (media, attachments, widgets).
Netmera Component	CloudStorageAzure.java class
Data Flow	Outbound (Netmera > Azure Blob Storage)
Precedence	Secondary Storage (Used only if Amazon S3 is not configured).

The CloudStorageServiceImpl manages file routing, giving explicit priority to Amazon S3. Azure Storage is integrated as a necessary alternative to ensure cloud storage capabilities are maintained if the primary AWS solution is unavailable.

Use Cases and Benefits

Azure Storage fulfills the same core functions as the Amazon S3 connector, ensuring system capability regardless of the primary cloud vendor choice.

1. Messaging Assets and Thumbnails: Stores images and generated thumbnail versions uploaded for Push Notifications, Email, and SMS messages, provided Amazon S3 is not active.

2. Widget Media: Saves images utilized in Netmera’s "Widgets" and handles the automatic conversion of embedded Base64 images in HTML widgets into publicly accessible Azure Blob URLs (if S3 is inactive).

3. Email Attachments: Supports the storage of file attachments included in outbound email messages (e.g., invoices, reports), allowing email providers like Amazon SES to reference these files during delivery.

4. CDN Functionality: Files uploaded to Azure Storage are served via CDN URLs generated by Netmera's CdnService.getCdnUrl() method, ensuring optimized global distribution of media assets.

5. Fallback Reliability: Its primary benefit is providing failover storage; if the Amazon Storage connector is deactivated or unconfigured, Azure Storage ensures that content creation processes relying on cloud file hosting can continue without interruption.

Data Flow

The data flow is Outbound for file uploads and Bidirectional regarding public media consumption (devices retrieving content from the CDN URL).

1. Upload Trigger: A media upload request is initiated by an admin user (e.g., uploading a message image).

2. Priority Check: The CloudStorageServiceImpl checks for an active Amazon S3 configuration.

3. Routing: If the Amazon S3 configuration is absent or inactive, the service routes the file payload to the CloudStorageAzure class.

4. API Submission: Netmera authenticates using the configured accountName and accountKey and uploads the file content to the specified containerName.

5. URL Generation: Netmera creates the public CDN URL pointing to the newly uploaded blob within Azure Storage, and this URL is embedded in the message or widget content.

Configuration Reference

The Azure Storage connector requires specific account and container details from the Microsoft Azure portal.

Parameter	Type	Description	Azure Context
accountName	String	The name of your Azure storage account.	Identifies the storage resource.
accountKey	String	The primary or secondary access key for your Azure storage account.	Used for API authentication and write access.
defaultEndpointsProtocol	String	The endpoint protocol (e.g., "https" or "http").	HTTPS is recommended for security.
endpointSuffix	String	The DNS suffix for the storage endpoint (e.g., "core.windows.net").	Defines the Azure cloud environment.
containerName	String	The name of the Blob container where files will be stored.	The specific location within the storage account.

Setup Instructions

Setting up Azure Storage requires provisioning resources in the Azure Portal and configuring Netmera accordingly.

1. Prerequisites (Azure Portal): Create an Azure account and then provision a Storage Account and a Blob container within the Azure Portal.

2. Obtain Credentials: Retrieve the Storage Account Name and one of the Access Keys (Key1 or Key2) from the "Access keys" section of your storage account settings. Note the desired Container Name.

3. Configure in Netmera: Access the Netmera Control Panel's Connectors section and select Azure Storage.

4. Input Data: Input the obtained accountName, accountKey, containerName, and specify the defaultEndpointsProtocol (preferably "https") and the endpointSuffix (usually "core.windows.net").

5. Save: Click the Save Configuration button to activate the connector.

Usage Notes & Considerations

1. Secondary Priority: The most critical limitation is its secondary role. Azure Storage is only invoked if the Amazon Storage connector is not configured. If both are configured, Amazon Storage (S3) takes precedence.

   • Reference: The CloudStorageServiceImpl explicitly routes file uploads to Amazon S3 first.

2. File Management Exclusion: Like Amazon S3, the Azure Storage connector DOES NOT handle file uploads initiated via the File Management section of the Control Panel (e.g., large CSV/Excel files for bulk user uploads, blacklist/whitelist files). These specific file types are handled by separate systems, typically utilizing FTP or MinIO storage solutions.

3. Credential Management: The functionality hinges entirely on the validity of the accountKey. If the key is regenerated or revoked in the Azure Portal, file uploads will immediately fail until the corresponding configuration in Netmera is updated.