How to set up file server in Azure Availability Set?

Question

Hi,
We're going to set up file servers with SMB shares on VM:s in Azure.
How do we set up the file services in the VM:s so that it works in an availability set?
I've read something about using DFS. Is that the recommended "Best practice" way of doing that in Azure?
/Andreas
AN

Answer 1

Hi Andreas,
It depends on your needs. If you want to provide redundancy to your FTP services, it is recommended to group two VMs in an Availability Set to ensures that during either a planned or unplanned maintenance event, at least one VM will be
available and meet the 99.95% Azure SLA.
http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-manage-availability/#configure-each-application-tier-into-separate-availability-sets
If you want to set up two files servers in Azure VMs to an availability set, you can follow the steps below:
1. Create a virtual network:
http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/create-virtual-network/
2. Create a VM in a new cloud service and choose teh virtual network you have created:
http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-windows-tutorial/
3. After the VM is running, you can create an availability set on the VM in the Configure page of the VM in the managemeng portal.
4. Create a new VM into the same cloud service and add it to the availability set.
Best regards,
Susie
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