Jul 09 2020 08:55 AM
We have two Azure Windows 10 VMs setup on the same resource group and they both need access to the same small Access databases. MS Access on each VM will be used for the front end connect to these files. I setup a File Share in Blob Storage in this same RG and mapped it to a drive in each VM. While this works, it is slow. Since there are multiple databases, and they are added and edited frequently, it is not practical to put them in SQL. What is a better way to share these databases?
Jul 30 2020 05:52 AM
Hi @WalterWood44 ,
There are several options available in the Azure Marketplace for providing an File Service to VMs, two are Microsoft-provided (Azure Files and Azure NetApp Files) and the rest is from Third Parties.
Considering your scenario, Azure NetApp Files would a complete overkill for you (due to the minimum volume size and pricing).
Azure Files are still the best alternative, in my opinion. You could consider trying two options to improve performance (can be applied together as well):
- use the Premium SKU - AzureFiles storage account (backed by SSD disks)
- enable Private Endpoint from that storage account to your VNet with the VMs
Just for sake of completion, there is another possibility: Deploy a Windows VM with File Server role, connect it to the same network, and host your Access files there. You could chose Premium managed disks for the File Server. There can be several factors affecting performance:
Hope this helps.
Jul 30 2020 06:30 AM
IMO, your best shot (and the simplest option) is an SMB 3.0 file share where Azure Storage Account serves as a common denominator. More details here.