Azure disks

  Azure disks

Azure offers various types of disks that you can attach to Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) to meet different performance, durability, and cost requirements. Here are the main types of Azure disks:

1. Managed Disks:
• Standard Managed Disks: These disks provide reliable, low-latency performance and come in different sizes. They are suitable for a wide range of workloads.
• Premium Managed Disks: Designed for high-performance, I/O-intensive workloads, premium disks offer low-latency and high-throughput storage using SSDs. They come in three performance tiers: P10 (low), P20 (medium), and P30 (high).
2. Unmanaged Disks:
• These are traditional storage accounts where you manage the storage accounts and the disks separately. While managed disks are recommended for most scenarios due to their simplicity, unmanaged disks are still available for use.
3. Standard HDD Disks:
• These are standard hard disk drives (HDDs) that provide cost-effective storage with good durability. They are suitable for applications with lower I/O performance requirements.
4. Standard SSD Disks:
• Standard SSDs offer a balance between cost and performance. They are ideal for workloads with moderate I/O requirements that can benefit from SSD performance.
5. Premium SSD Disks:
• Premium SSDs deliver high-performance storage with low latency and high IOPS. They are ideal for I/O-intensive workloads like databases, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), and high-transaction applications.
6. Ultra Disk (Ultra SSD):
• Ultra Disks are designed for the most demanding I/O-intensive workloads. They offer ultra-low latency and high IOPS and throughput. These disks are often used for critical applications and databases that require extreme performance.
7. Shared Disks:
• Shared disks allow multiple VMs to concurrently attach and read/write data to the same disk. They are useful for building high-availability configurations, such as Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC).
8. Snapshot Disks:
• Snapshots are read-only copies of managed disks at a specific point in time. They are used for data backup, disaster recovery, and creating custom images. You can create snapshots from managed disks.
9. Disk Encryption:
• Azure Disk Encryption allows you to encrypt the data on your managed disks using Azure Key Vault for added security.
10. Disk Backups:
• Azure Backup can be used to backup the data on your disks, offering a simple and efficient way to protect your data.

When choosing the right type of disk for your VMs in Azure, consider factors such as workload requirements, performance needs, and budget constraints. Managed disks are generally recommended due to their simplified management and scalability. Premium SSDs are commonly used for I/O-intensive applications, while standard disks offer cost-effective storage for less demanding workloads. Ultra Disks provide top-tier performance for the most demanding applications. Additionally, snapshots and backups are important for data protection and disaster recovery strategies.