Microsoft Azure Files Storage ​

Paths are specified as remote: You may put subdirectories in too, e.g. remote:path/to/dir.

Configuration ​

Here is an example of making a Microsoft Azure Files Storage configuration. For a remote called remote. First run:

 rclone config

This will guide you through an interactive setup process:

No remotes found, make a new one?
n) New remote
s) Set configuration password
q) Quit config
n/s/q> n
name> remote
Type of storage to configure.
Choose a number from below, or type in your own value
[snip]
XX / Microsoft Azure Files Storage
   \ "azurefiles"
[snip]

Option account.
Azure Storage Account Name.
Set this to the Azure Storage Account Name in use.
Leave blank to use SAS URL or connection string, otherwise it needs to be set.
If this is blank and if env_auth is set it will be read from the
environment variable `AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_NAME` if possible.
Enter a value. Press Enter to leave empty.
account> account_name

Option share_name.
Azure Files Share Name.
This is required and is the name of the share to access.
Enter a value. Press Enter to leave empty.
share_name> share_name

Option env_auth.
Read credentials from runtime (environment variables, CLI or MSI).
See the [authentication docs](/azurefiles#authentication) for full info.
Enter a boolean value (true or false). Press Enter for the default (false).
env_auth> 

Option key.
Storage Account Shared Key.
Leave blank to use SAS URL or connection string.
Enter a value. Press Enter to leave empty.
key> base64encodedkey==

Option sas_url.
SAS URL.
Leave blank if using account/key or connection string.
Enter a value. Press Enter to leave empty.
sas_url> 

Option connection_string.
Azure Files Connection String.
Enter a value. Press Enter to leave empty.
connection_string> 
[snip]

Configuration complete.
Options:
- type: azurefiles
- account: account_name
- share_name: share_name
- key: base64encodedkey==
Keep this "remote" remote?
y) Yes this is OK (default)
e) Edit this remote
d) Delete this remote
y/e/d>

Once configured you can use rclone.

See all files in the top level:

rclone lsf remote:

Make a new directory in the root:

rclone mkdir remote:dir

Recursively List the contents:

rclone ls remote:

Sync /home/local/directory to the remote directory, deleting any excess files in the directory.

rclone sync --interactive /home/local/directory remote:dir

Modified time ​

The modified time is stored as Azure standard LastModified time on files

Performance ​

When uploading large files, increasing the value of --azurefiles-upload-concurrency will increase performance at the cost of using more memory. The default of 16 is set quite conservatively to use less memory. It maybe be necessary raise it to 64 or higher to fully utilize a 1 GBit/s link with a single file transfer.

Restricted filename characters ​

In addition to the default restricted characters set the following characters are also replaced:

File names can also not end with the following characters. These only get replaced if they are the last character in the name:

Invalid UTF-8 bytes will also be replaced, as they can't be used in JSON strings.

Hashes ​

MD5 hashes are stored with files. Not all files will have MD5 hashes as these have to be uploaded with the file.

Authentication ​

There are a number of ways of supplying credentials for Azure Files Storage. Rclone tries them in the order of the sections below.

Env Auth ​

If the env_auth config parameter is true then rclone will pull credentials from the environment or runtime.

It tries these authentication methods in this order:

1. Environment Variables
2. Managed Service Identity Credentials
3. Azure CLI credentials (as used by the az tool)

These are described in the following sections

Env Auth: 1. Environment Variables ​

If env_auth is set and environment variables are present rclone authenticates a service principal with a secret or certificate, or a user with a password, depending on which environment variable are set. It reads configuration from these variables, in the following order:

1. Service principal with client secret
   • AZURE_TENANT_ID: ID of the service principal's tenant. Also called its "directory" ID.
   • AZURE_CLIENT_ID: the service principal's client ID
   • AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET: one of the service principal's client secrets
2. Service principal with certificate
   • AZURE_TENANT_ID: ID of the service principal's tenant. Also called its "directory" ID.
   • AZURE_CLIENT_ID: the service principal's client ID
   • AZURE_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PATH: path to a PEM or PKCS12 certificate file including the private key.
   • AZURE_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD: (optional) password for the certificate file.
   • AZURE_CLIENT_SEND_CERTIFICATE_CHAIN: (optional) Specifies whether an authentication request will include an x5c header to support subject name / issuer based authentication. When set to "true" or "1", authentication requests include the x5c header.
3. User with username and password
   • AZURE_TENANT_ID: (optional) tenant to authenticate in. Defaults to "organizations".
   • AZURE_CLIENT_ID: client ID of the application the user will authenticate to
   • AZURE_USERNAME: a username (usually an email address)
   • AZURE_PASSWORD: the user's password
4. Workload Identity
   • AZURE_TENANT_ID: Tenant to authenticate in.
   • AZURE_CLIENT_ID: Client ID of the application the user will authenticate to.
   • AZURE_FEDERATED_TOKEN_FILE: Path to projected service account token file.
   • AZURE_AUTHORITY_HOST: Authority of an Azure Active Directory endpoint (default: login.microsoftonline.com).

Env Auth: 2. Managed Service Identity Credentials ​

When using Managed Service Identity if the VM(SS) on which this program is running has a system-assigned identity, it will be used by default. If the resource has no system-assigned but exactly one user-assigned identity, the user-assigned identity will be used by default.

If the resource has multiple user-assigned identities you will need to unset env_auth and set use_msi instead. See the use_msi section.

Env Auth: 3. Azure CLI credentials (as used by the az tool) ​

Credentials created with the az tool can be picked up using env_auth.

For example if you were to login with a service principal like this:

az login --service-principal -u XXX -p XXX --tenant XXX

Then you could access rclone resources like this:

rclone lsf :azurefiles,env_auth,account=ACCOUNT:

Or

rclone lsf --azurefiles-env-auth --azurefiles-account=ACCOUNT :azurefiles:

Account and Shared Key ​

This is the most straight forward and least flexible way. Just fill in the account and key lines and leave the rest blank.

SAS URL ​

To use it leave account, key and connection_string blank and fill in sas_url.

Connection String ​

To use it leave account, key and "sas_url" blank and fill in connection_string.

Service principal with client secret ​

If these variables are set, rclone will authenticate with a service principal with a client secret.

• tenant: ID of the service principal's tenant. Also called its "directory" ID.
• client_id: the service principal's client ID
• client_secret: one of the service principal's client secrets

The credentials can also be placed in a file using the service_principal_file configuration option.

Service principal with certificate ​

If these variables are set, rclone will authenticate with a service principal with certificate.

• tenant: ID of the service principal's tenant. Also called its "directory" ID.
• client_id: the service principal's client ID
• client_certificate_path: path to a PEM or PKCS12 certificate file including the private key.
• client_certificate_password: (optional) password for the certificate file.
• client_send_certificate_chain: (optional) Specifies whether an authentication request will include an x5c header to support subject name / issuer based authentication. When set to "true" or "1", authentication requests include the x5c header.

NB client_certificate_password must be obscured - see rclone obscure.

User with username and password ​

If these variables are set, rclone will authenticate with username and password.

• tenant: (optional) tenant to authenticate in. Defaults to "organizations".
• client_id: client ID of the application the user will authenticate to
• username: a username (usually an email address)
• password: the user's password

Microsoft doesn't recommend this kind of authentication, because it's less secure than other authentication flows. This method is not interactive, so it isn't compatible with any form of multi-factor authentication, and the application must already have user or admin consent. This credential can only authenticate work and school accounts; it can't authenticate Microsoft accounts.

NB password must be obscured - see rclone obscure.

Managed Service Identity Credentials ​

If use_msi is set then managed service identity credentials are used. This authentication only works when running in an Azure service. env_auth needs to be unset to use this.

However if you have multiple user identities to choose from these must be explicitly specified using exactly one of the msi_object_id, msi_client_id, or msi_mi_res_id parameters.

If none of msi_object_id, msi_client_id, or msi_mi_res_id is set, this is is equivalent to using env_auth.

start" - DO NOT EDIT - instead edit fs.RegInfo in backend/azurefiles/azurefiles.go then run

Standard options ​

Here are the Standard options specific to azurefiles (Microsoft Azure Files).

--azurefiles-account ​

Azure Storage Account Name.

Set this to the Azure Storage Account Name in use.

Leave blank to use SAS URL or connection string, otherwise it needs to be set.

If this is blank and if env_auth is set it will be read from the environment variable AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_NAME if possible.

Properties:

• Config: account
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_ACCOUNT
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-share-name ​

Azure Files Share Name.

This is required and is the name of the share to access.

Properties:

• Config: share_name
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_SHARE_NAME
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-env-auth ​

Read credentials from runtime (environment variables, CLI or MSI).

See the authentication docs for full info.

Properties:

• Config: env_auth
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_ENV_AUTH
• Type: bool
• Default: false

--azurefiles-key ​

Storage Account Shared Key.

Leave blank to use SAS URL or connection string.

Properties:

• Config: key
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_KEY
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-sas-url ​

SAS URL.

Leave blank if using account/key or connection string.

Properties:

• Config: sas_url
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_SAS_URL
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-connection-string ​

Azure Files Connection String.

Properties:

• Config: connection_string
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_CONNECTION_STRING
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-tenant ​

ID of the service principal's tenant. Also called its directory ID.

Set this if using

• Service principal with client secret
• Service principal with certificate
• User with username and password

Properties:

• Config: tenant
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_TENANT
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-client-id ​

The ID of the client in use.

Set this if using

• Service principal with client secret
• Service principal with certificate
• User with username and password

Properties:

• Config: client_id
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_CLIENT_ID
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-client-secret ​

One of the service principal's client secrets

Set this if using

• Service principal with client secret

Properties:

• Config: client_secret
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_CLIENT_SECRET
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-client-certificate-path ​

Path to a PEM or PKCS12 certificate file including the private key.

Set this if using

• Service principal with certificate

Properties:

• Config: client_certificate_path
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PATH
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-client-certificate-password ​

Password for the certificate file (optional).

Optionally set this if using

• Service principal with certificate

And the certificate has a password.

NB Input to this must be obscured - see rclone obscure.

Properties:

• Config: client_certificate_password
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD
• Type: string
• Required: false

Advanced options ​

Here are the Advanced options specific to azurefiles (Microsoft Azure Files).

--azurefiles-client-send-certificate-chain ​

Send the certificate chain when using certificate auth.

Specifies whether an authentication request will include an x5c header to support subject name / issuer based authentication. When set to true, authentication requests include the x5c header.

Optionally set this if using

• Service principal with certificate

Properties:

• Config: client_send_certificate_chain
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_CLIENT_SEND_CERTIFICATE_CHAIN
• Type: bool
• Default: false

--azurefiles-username ​

User name (usually an email address)

Set this if using

• User with username and password

Properties:

• Config: username
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_USERNAME
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-password ​

The user's password

Set this if using

• User with username and password

NB Input to this must be obscured - see rclone obscure.

Properties:

• Config: password
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_PASSWORD
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-service-principal-file ​

Path to file containing credentials for use with a service principal.

Leave blank normally. Needed only if you want to use a service principal instead of interactive login.

$ az ad sp create-for-rbac --name "<name>" \
  --role "Storage Files Data Owner" \
  --scopes "/subscriptions/<subscription>/resourceGroups/<resource-group>/providers/Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/<storage-account>/blobServices/default/containers/<container>" \
  > azure-principal.json

See "Create an Azure service principal" and "Assign an Azure role for access to files data" pages for more details.

NB this section needs updating for Azure Files - pull requests appreciated!

It may be more convenient to put the credentials directly into the rclone config file under the client_id, tenant and client_secret keys instead of setting service_principal_file.

Properties:

• Config: service_principal_file
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_SERVICE_PRINCIPAL_FILE
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-use-msi ​

Use a managed service identity to authenticate (only works in Azure).

When true, use a managed service identity to authenticate to Azure Storage instead of a SAS token or account key.

If the VM(SS) on which this program is running has a system-assigned identity, it will be used by default. If the resource has no system-assigned but exactly one user-assigned identity, the user-assigned identity will be used by default. If the resource has multiple user-assigned identities, the identity to use must be explicitly specified using exactly one of the msi_object_id, msi_client_id, or msi_mi_res_id parameters.

Properties:

• Config: use_msi
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_USE_MSI
• Type: bool
• Default: false

--azurefiles-msi-object-id ​

Object ID of the user-assigned MSI to use, if any.

Leave blank if msi_client_id or msi_mi_res_id specified.

Properties:

• Config: msi_object_id
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_MSI_OBJECT_ID
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-msi-client-id ​

Object ID of the user-assigned MSI to use, if any.

Leave blank if msi_object_id or msi_mi_res_id specified.

Properties:

• Config: msi_client_id
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_MSI_CLIENT_ID
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-msi-mi-res-id ​

Azure resource ID of the user-assigned MSI to use, if any.

Leave blank if msi_client_id or msi_object_id specified.

Properties:

• Config: msi_mi_res_id
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_MSI_MI_RES_ID
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-endpoint ​

Endpoint for the service.

Leave blank normally.

Properties:

• Config: endpoint
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_ENDPOINT
• Type: string
• Required: false

--azurefiles-chunk-size ​

Upload chunk size.

Note that this is stored in memory and there may be up to "--transfers" * "--azurefile-upload-concurrency" chunks stored at once in memory.

Properties:

• Config: chunk_size
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_CHUNK_SIZE
• Type: SizeSuffix
• Default: 4Mi

--azurefiles-upload-concurrency ​

Concurrency for multipart uploads.

This is the number of chunks of the same file that are uploaded concurrently.

If you are uploading small numbers of large files over high-speed links and these uploads do not fully utilize your bandwidth, then increasing this may help to speed up the transfers.

Note that chunks are stored in memory and there may be up to "--transfers" * "--azurefile-upload-concurrency" chunks stored at once in memory.

Properties:

• Config: upload_concurrency
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_UPLOAD_CONCURRENCY
• Type: int
• Default: 16

--azurefiles-max-stream-size ​

Max size for streamed files.

Azure files needs to know in advance how big the file will be. When rclone doesn't know it uses this value instead.

This will be used when rclone is streaming data, the most common uses are:

• Uploading files with --vfs-cache-mode off with rclone mount
• Using rclone rcat
• Copying files with unknown length

You will need this much free space in the share as the file will be this size temporarily.

Properties:

• Config: max_stream_size
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_MAX_STREAM_SIZE
• Type: SizeSuffix
• Default: 10Gi

--azurefiles-encoding ​

The encoding for the backend.

See the encoding section in the overview for more info.

Properties:

• Config: encoding
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_ENCODING
• Type: Encoding
• Default: Slash,LtGt,DoubleQuote,Colon,Question,Asterisk,Pipe,BackSlash,Del,Ctl,RightPeriod,InvalidUtf8,Dot

--azurefiles-description ​

Description of the remote.

Properties:

• Config: description
• Env Var: RCLONE_AZUREFILES_DESCRIPTION
• Type: string
• Required: false

Custom upload headers ​

You can set custom upload headers with the --header-upload flag.

• Cache-Control
• Content-Disposition
• Content-Encoding
• Content-Language
• Content-Type

Eg --header-upload "Content-Type: text/potato"

Limitations ​

MD5 sums are only uploaded with chunked files if the source has an MD5 sum. This will always be the case for a local to azure copy.