Are you struggling to manage your storage accounts and wondering how to get metadata (File Shares List) of your storage account? Do you want to copy data efficiently between storage accounts in Azure Data Factory (ADF)? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of retrieving metadata and configuring copy data activity in ADF. Buckle up and let’s dive in!
What is Metadata and Why is it Important?
Metadata is “data that provides information about other data”. In the context of Azure Storage, metadata refers to the information about your files and folders, such as file names, sizes, and modification dates. Having access to this metadata is crucial for efficient data management, data governance, and data analysis.
Benefits of Retrieving Metadata
- Data Discovery: Metadata helps you discover and understand the structure and content of your storage accounts.
- Data Governance: Metadata enables you to manage access control, data retention, and data deletion policies.
- Data Analysis: Metadata provides valuable insights into data usage, file formats, and data quality.
How to Get Metadata (File Shares List) of the Storage Account
To retrieve metadata, you’ll need to use the Azure Storage REST API or the Azure Storage Client Library. We’ll focus on using the Azure Storage Client Library in this example.
Prerequisites
- Azure Storage Account
- Azure Data Factory (ADF) Account
- Azure Storage Client Library ( NuGet Package)
- Visual Studio or Your Preferred IDE
Step 1: Install the Azure Storage Client Library
Open your Visual Studio project and navigate to the Tools menu. Select NuGet Package Manager and then click on Package Manager Console.
Install-Package Azure.Storage.Files.DataLake
Step 2: Import the Required Namespaces
using Azure;
using Azure.Storage.Files.DataLake;
using Azure.Storage.Files.DataLake.Models;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
Step 3: Authenticate with Azure Storage
string accountName = "your_account_name";
string accountKey = "your_account_key";
string dfsUri = "https://" + accountName + ".dfs.core.windows.net";
DataLakeServiceClient _dataLakeClient = new DataLakeServiceClient(new Uri(dfsUri), new AzureStorageCredential(accountName, accountKey));
Step 4: Get the File Shares List (Metadata)
DataLakeFileSystemClient fileSystemClient = _dataLakeClient.GetFileSystemClient("your_file_system_name");
IAsyncEnumerator enumerator = fileSystemClient.GetFileSharesAsync().GetAsyncEnumerator();
List<FileShareInfo> fileShares = new List<FileShareInfo>();
while (await enumerator.MoveNextAsync())
{
fileShares.Add(enumerator.Current);
}
Now, you have a list of FileShareInfo objects, which contain metadata about your file shares, such as file share names, modification dates, and sizes.
Configuring Copy Data Activity in ADF
Now that we have the metadata, let’s configure the copy data activity in ADF to copy data between storage accounts.
Prerequisites
- Azure Data Factory (ADF) Account
- Two Azure Storage Accounts (Source and Sink)
- Data Factory Module in Azure Portal
Step 1: Create a New Pipeline in ADF
Log in to the Azure portal and navigate to your ADF account. Click on Author & Monitor and then click on New pipeline.
Step 2: Create a New Source Dataset
In the pipeline, click on + New and select Dataset. Choose Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 as the dataset type.
{
"name": "SourceDataset",
"properties": {
"type": "AzureDataLakeStorageGen2",
"typeProperties": {
"filesystem": "your_file_system_name",
"folderPath": "your_folder_path",
"fileName": "your_file_name"
},
"schema": []
}
}
Step 3: Create a New Sink Dataset
In the pipeline, click on + New and select Dataset. Choose Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 as the dataset type.
{
"name": "SinkDataset",
"properties": {
"type": "AzureDataLakeStorageGen2",
"typeProperties": {
"filesystem": "your_sink_file_system_name",
"folderPath": "your_sink_folder_path",
"fileName": "your_sink_file_name"
},
"schema": []
}
}
Step 4: Create a Copy Data Activity
In the pipeline, click on + New and select Copy data. Choose the source dataset and sink dataset created earlier.
{
"name": "CopyData",
"type": "Copy",
"dependsOn": [],
"policy": {
"timeout": "7.00:00:00",
"retry": 0,
"retryIntervalInSeconds": 30
},
"typeProperties": {
"source": {
"type": "DatasetReference",
"referenceName": "SourceDataset"
},
"sink": {
"type": "DatasetReference",
"referenceName": "SinkDataset"
},
"enableStaging": true,
"stagingSettings": {
"linkedService": {
"referenceName": "AzureDataLakeStorageGen2",
"type": "LinkedServiceReference"
}
}
}
}
Step 5: Execute the Pipeline
Click on Debug to execute the pipeline. ADF will copy the data from the source storage account to the sink storage account.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve covered the steps to retrieve metadata (File Shares List) of your storage account using the Azure Storage Client Library and configure copy data activity in ADF to copy data between storage accounts. With this knowledge, you can unlock the power of metadata and streamline your data management and analysis processes.
Keyword | Description |
---|---|
Metadata | Data that provides information about other data |
Azure Storage Client Library | A library used to interact with Azure Storage |
Azure Data Factory (ADF) | A cloud-based data integration service |
Remember to bookmark this article for future reference and share it with your colleagues who may benefit from this knowledge. Happy coding!
Frequently Asked Question
Unlock the secrets of Azure Data Factory (ADF) and learn how to get metadata (File Shares List) of the Storage account and configure the copy data activity for copying between storage accounts in ADF!
Q1: How can I get the list of file shares in a Storage account using ADF?
To get the list of file shares in a Storage account, you can use the “Get Metadata” activity in ADF. Create a new pipeline, add a “Get Metadata” activity, and specify the Storage account as the dataset. Then, select “File shares” as the metadata type. This will return a list of file shares in the specified Storage account.
Q2: What is the purpose of the “Get Metadata” activity in ADF?
The “Get Metadata” activity is used to retrieve metadata about a dataset, such as file shares, folders, and files in a Storage account. This activity helps you to dynamically fetch metadata at runtime, which can be used to drive subsequent activities in your pipeline, such as file copying or data transformation.
Q3: How can I configure the copy data activity to copy files between Storage accounts in ADF?
To configure the copy data activity, create a new pipeline, add a “Copy data” activity, and specify the source and sink datasets as the two Storage accounts. Then, configure the source and sink settings, such as the file shares, folders, and files to copy. You can also specify additional settings, such as data encryption, compression, and logging.
Q4: Can I use the “Get Metadata” activity to retrieve metadata about a specific file share in a Storage account?
Yes, you can! To retrieve metadata about a specific file share, you can specify the file share name in the “Get Metadata” activity settings. This will return metadata about the specified file share, such as its size, last modified date, and file count.
Q5: Are there any security considerations I need to be aware of when copying data between Storage accounts in ADF?
Yes, there are! When copying data between Storage accounts, ensure that you have the necessary permissions and access controls in place to secure your data. Use Azure Active Directory (AAD) authentication, enable encryption, and configure logging and monitoring to track data access and changes.