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Tutorial to transfer data to Azure Files with Azure Import/Export \| Microsoft Docs	Learn how to create import jobs in the Azure portal to transfer data to Azure Files.	alkohli	storage	azure-import-export	tutorial	02/13/2023	alkohli	tutorial, devx-track-azurepowershell, devx-track-azurecli

Tutorial: Transfer data to Azure Files with Azure Import/Export

This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to use the Azure Import/Export service to securely import large amounts of data into Azure Files. To import data, the service requires you to ship supported disk drives containing your data to an Azure datacenter.

The Import/Export service supports only import of Azure Files into Azure Storage. Exporting Azure Files isn't supported.

In this tutorial, you learn how to:

[!div class="checklist"]

Prerequisites to import data to Azure Files

Step 1: Prepare the drives

Step 2: Create an import job

Step 3: Ship the drives to Azure datacenter

Step 4: Update the job with tracking information

Step 5: Verify data upload to Azure

Prerequisites

Before you create an import job to transfer data into Azure Files, carefully review and complete the following list of prerequisites. You must:

Have an active Azure subscription to use with Import/Export service.
Have at least one Azure Storage account. See the list of Supported storage accounts and storage types for Import/Export service. For information on creating a new storage account, see How to create a storage account.
Have an adequate number of disks of supported types.
Have a Windows system running a supported OS version.
Download the current release of the Azure Import/Export version 2 tool, for files, on the Windows system:
1. Download WAImportExport version 2. The current version is 2.2.0.300.
2. Unzip to the default folder WaImportExportV2. For example, C:\WaImportExportV2.
[!INCLUDE storage-import-export-shipping-prerequisites.md]

Step 1: Prepare the drives

This step generates a journal file. The journal file stores basic information such as drive serial number, encryption key, and storage account details.

Do the following steps to prepare the drives.

Connect your disk drives to the Windows system via SATA connectors.
Create a single NTFS volume on each drive. Assign a drive letter to the volume. Do not use mountpoints.
Modify the dataset.csv file in the root folder where the tool is. Depending on whether you want to import a file or folder or both, add entries in the dataset.csv file similar to the following examples.
- To import a file: In the following example, the data to copy is on the F: drive. Your file MyFile1.txt is copied to the root of the MyAzureFileshare1. If the MyAzureFileshare1 doesn't exist, it's created in the Azure Storage account. Folder structure is maintained.
```
    BasePath,DstItemPathOrPrefix,ItemType
    "F:\MyFolder1\MyFile1.txt","MyAzureFileshare1/MyFile1.txt",file
```
- To import a folder: All files and folders under MyFolder2 are recursively copied to the fileshare. Folder structure is maintained. If you import a file with the same name as an existing file in the destination folder, the imported file will overwrite that file.
```
    "F:\MyFolder2\","MyAzureFileshare1/",file
```
  [!NOTE] The /Disposition parameter, which let you choose what to do when you import a file that already exists in earlier versions of the tool, isn't supported in Azure Import/Export version 2.2.0.300. In the earlier tool versions, an imported file with the same name as an existing file was renamed by default.
  
  Multiple entries can be made in the same file corresponding to folders or files that are imported.
```
    "F:\MyFolder1\MyFile1.txt","MyAzureFileshare1/MyFile1.txt",file
    "F:\MyFolder2\","MyAzureFileshare1/",file
```
Modify the driveset.csv file in the root folder where the tool is. Add entries in the driveset.csv file similar to the following examples. The driveset file has the list of disks and corresponding drive letters so that the tool can correctly pick the list of disks to be prepared.

This example assumes that two disks are attached and basic NTFS volumes G:\ and H:\ are created. H:\is not encrypted while G: is already encrypted. The tool formats and encrypts the disk that hosts H:\ only (and not G:).
- For a disk that isn't encrypted: Specify Encrypt to enable BitLocker encryption on the disk.
```
DriveLetter,FormatOption,SilentOrPromptOnFormat,Encryption,ExistingBitLockerKey
H,Format,SilentMode,Encrypt,
```
- For a disk that is already encrypted: Specify AlreadyEncrypted and supply the BitLocker key.
```
DriveLetter,FormatOption,SilentOrPromptOnFormat,Encryption,ExistingBitLockerKey
G,AlreadyFormatted,SilentMode,AlreadyEncrypted,060456-014509-132033-080300-252615-584177-672089-411631
```
  Multiple entries can be made in the same file corresponding to multiple drives. Learn more about preparing the driveset CSV file.
Use the PrepImport option to copy and prepare data to the disk drive. For the first copy session to copy directories and/or files with a new copy session, run the following command:
```
.\WAImportExport.exe PrepImport /j:<JournalFile> /id:<SessionId> [/logdir:<LogDirectory>] [/silentmode] [/InitialDriveSet:<driveset.csv>]/DataSet:<dataset.csv>
```
An import example is shown below.
```
.\WAImportExport.exe PrepImport /j:JournalTest.jrn /id:session#1 /InitialDriveSet:driveset.csv /DataSet:dataset.csv /logdir:C:\logs
```
[!NOTE] If you don't have long paths enabled on the client, and any path and file name in your data copy exceeds 256 characters, the WAImportExport tool will report failures. To avoid this kind of failure, enable long paths on your Windows client.
A journal file with name you provided with /j: parameter, is created for every run of the command line. Each drive you prepare has a journal file that must be uploaded when you create the import job. Drives without journal files aren't processed.

[!IMPORTANT] Do not modify the journal files or the data on the disk drives, and don't reformat any disks, after completing disk preparation.

For additional samples, go to Samples for journal files.

Step 2: Create an import job

Portal

[!INCLUDE storage-import-export-preview-import-steps.md]

Azure CLI

Use the following steps to create an import job in the Azure CLI.

[!INCLUDE azure-cli-prepare-your-environment-h3.md]

Create a job

Use the az extension add command to add the az import-export extension:
```
az extension add --name import-export
```
You can use an existing resource group or create one. To create a resource group, run the az group create command:
```
az group create --name myierg --location "West US"
```
You can use an existing storage account or create one. To create a storage account, run the az storage account create command:
```
az storage account create -resource-group myierg -name myssdocsstorage --https-only
```
To get a list of the locations to which you can ship disks, use the az import-export location list command:
```
az import-export location list
```
Use the az import-export location show command to get locations for your region:
```
az import-export location show --location "West US"
```

Run the following az import-export create command to create an import job:

az import-export create \
    --resource-group myierg \
    --name MyIEjob1 \
    --location "West US" \
    --backup-drive-manifest true \
    --diagnostics-path waimportexport \
    --drive-list bit-locker-key=439675-460165-128202-905124-487224-524332-851649-442187 \
        drive-header-hash= drive-id=AZ31BGB1 manifest-file=\\DriveManifest.xml \
        manifest-hash=69512026C1E8D4401816A2E5B8D7420D \
    --type Import \
    --log-level Verbose \
    --shipping-information recipient-name="Microsoft Azure Import/Export Service" \
        street-address1="3020 Coronado" city="Santa Clara" state-or-province=CA postal-code=98054 \
        country-or-region=USA phone=4083527600 \
    --return-address recipient-name="Gus Poland" street-address1="1020 Enterprise way" \
        city=Sunnyvale country-or-region=USA state-or-province=CA postal-code=94089 \
        email=gus@contoso.com phone=4085555555" \
    --return-shipping carrier-name=FedEx carrier-account-number=123456789 \
    --storage-account myssdocsstorage

[!TIP] Instead of specifying an email address for a single user, provide a group email to ensure that you receive notifications even if an admin leaves.

Use the az import-export list command to see all the jobs for the myierg resource group:
```
az import-export list --resource-group myierg
```

To update your job or cancel your job, run the az import-export update command:

az import-export update --resource-group myierg --name MyIEjob1 --cancel-requested true

Azure PowerShell

Use the following steps to create an import job in Azure PowerShell.

[!INCLUDE azure-powershell-requirements-h3.md]

Important

While the Az.ImportExport PowerShell module is in preview, you must install it separately using the Install-Module cmdlet. After this PowerShell module becomes generally available, it will be part of future Az PowerShell module releases and available by default from within Azure Cloud Shell.

Install-Module -Name Az.ImportExport

Create a job

You can use an existing resource group or create one. To create a resource group, run the New-AzResourceGroup cmdlet:
```
New-AzResourceGroup -Name myierg -Location westus
```

You can use an existing storage account or create one. To create a storage account, run the New-AzStorageAccount cmdlet:

New-AzStorageAccount -ResourceGroupName myierg -AccountName myssdocsstorage -SkuName Standard_RAGRS -Location westus -EnableHttpsTrafficOnly $true

To get a list of the locations to which you can ship disks, use the Get-AzImportExportLocation cmdlet:
```
Get-AzImportExportLocation
```
Use the Get-AzImportExportLocation cmdlet with the Name parameter to get locations for your region:
```
Get-AzImportExportLocation -Name westus
```

Run the following New-AzImportExport example to create an import job:

$driveList = @(@{
  DriveId = '9CA995BA'
  BitLockerKey = '439675-460165-128202-905124-487224-524332-851649-442187'
  ManifestFile = '\\DriveManifest.xml'
  ManifestHash = '69512026C1E8D4401816A2E5B8D7420D'
  DriveHeaderHash = 'AZ31BGB1'
})

$Params = @{
   ResourceGroupName = 'myierg'
   Name = 'MyIEjob1'
   Location = 'westus'
   BackupDriveManifest = $true
   DiagnosticsPath = 'waimportexport'
   DriveList = $driveList
   JobType = 'Import'
   LogLevel = 'Verbose'
   ShippingInformationRecipientName = 'Microsoft Azure Import/Export Service'
   ShippingInformationStreetAddress1 = '3020 Coronado'
   ShippingInformationCity = 'Santa Clara'
   ShippingInformationStateOrProvince = 'CA'
   ShippingInformationPostalCode = '98054'
   ShippingInformationCountryOrRegion = 'USA'
   ShippingInformationPhone = '4083527600'
   ReturnAddressRecipientName = 'Gus Poland'
   ReturnAddressStreetAddress1 = '1020 Enterprise way'
   ReturnAddressCity = 'Sunnyvale'
   ReturnAddressStateOrProvince = 'CA'
   ReturnAddressPostalCode = '94089'
   ReturnAddressCountryOrRegion = 'USA'
   ReturnAddressPhone = '4085555555'
   ReturnAddressEmail = 'gus@contoso.com'
   ReturnShippingCarrierName = 'FedEx'
   ReturnShippingCarrierAccountNumber = '123456789'
   StorageAccountId = '/subscriptions/<SubscriptionId>/resourceGroups/myierg/providers/Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/myssdocsstorage'
}
New-AzImportExport @Params

[!TIP] Instead of specifying an email address for a single user, provide a group email to ensure that you receive notifications even if an admin leaves.

Use the Get-AzImportExport cmdlet to see all the jobs for the myierg resource group:
```
Get-AzImportExport -ResourceGroupName myierg
```

To update your job or cancel your job, run the Update-AzImportExport cmdlet:

Update-AzImportExport -Name MyIEjob1 -ResourceGroupName myierg -CancelRequested

Step 3: Ship the drives to the Azure datacenter

[!INCLUDE storage-import-export-ship-drives]

Step 4: Update the job with tracking information

[!INCLUDE storage-import-export-update-job-tracking]

Step 5: Verify data upload to Azure

[!INCLUDE storage-import-export-verify-data-copy]

Note

In the latest version of the Azure Import/Export tool for files (2.2.0.300), if a file share doesn't have enough free space, the data is no longer auto split to multiple Azure file shares. Instead, the copy fails, and you'll be contacted by Support. You might need to move some data around to make space in the share.

Samples for journal files

To add more drives, create a new driveset file and run the command as below.

For subsequent copy sessions to disk drives other than those specified in the InitialDriveset .csv file, specify a new driveset .csv file and provide it as a value to the parameter AdditionalDriveSet. Use the same journal file name and provide a new session ID. The format of AdditionalDriveset CSV file is same as InitialDriveSet format.

WAImportExport.exe PrepImport /j:<JournalFile> /id:<SessionId> /AdditionalDriveSet:<driveset.csv>

An import example is shown below.

WAImportExport.exe PrepImport /j:JournalTest.jrn /id:session#3  /AdditionalDriveSet:driveset-2.csv

To add additional data to the same driveset, use the PrepImport command for subsequent copy sessions to copy additional files/directory.

For subsequent copy sessions to the same hard disk drives specified in InitialDriveset.csv file, specify the same journal file name and provide a new session ID; there is no need to provide the storage account key.

WAImportExport PrepImport /j:<JournalFile> /id:<SessionId> /j:<JournalFile> /id:<SessionId> [/logdir:<LogDirectory>] DataSet:<dataset.csv>

An import example is shown below.

WAImportExport.exe PrepImport /j:JournalTest.jrn /id:session#2  /DataSet:dataset-2.csv

Next steps

View the job and drive status
Review Import/Export copy logs

Provide feedback

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storage-import-export-data-to-files.md

storage-import-export-data-to-files.md

Tutorial: Transfer data to Azure Files with Azure Import/Export

Prerequisites

Step 1: Prepare the drives

Step 2: Create an import job

Portal

Azure CLI

Create a job

Azure PowerShell

Create a job

Step 3: Ship the drives to the Azure datacenter

Step 4: Update the job with tracking information

Step 5: Verify data upload to Azure

Samples for journal files

Next steps

Files

storage-import-export-data-to-files.md

Latest commit

History

storage-import-export-data-to-files.md

File metadata and controls

Tutorial: Transfer data to Azure Files with Azure Import/Export

Prerequisites

Step 1: Prepare the drives

Step 2: Create an import job

Portal

Azure CLI

Create a job

Azure PowerShell

Create a job

Step 3: Ship the drives to the Azure datacenter

Step 4: Update the job with tracking information

Step 5: Verify data upload to Azure

Samples for journal files

Next steps