Microsoft Encrypts Cloud Data With Azure Storage Service

Microsoft’s latest addition to its Azure cloud platform is the ability for customers to set encryption by default on their files with the launch of a preview for Storage Service Encryption (SSE) for Azure File Storage.

It comes after the firm earlier this week gave Azure customers in the UK with access to Azure Backup and Site Recovery services delivered via the company’s data centres in the UK.

Cloud Encryption

“Today, we are excited to announce the preview of Storage Service Encryption (SSE) for Azure File Storage,” blogged Lavanya Kasarabada Program Manager II of Azure Storage. “When you enable Storage Service Encryption for Azure File Storage your data is automatically encrypted for you.”

Azure File Storage is a fully managed service that allows businesses to transfer any on premise files to the cloud via the Azure Files service.

“Microsoft handles all the encryption, decryption and key management in a fully transparent fashion,” added Kasarabada.

“All data is encrypted using 256-bit AES encryption, also known as AES-256, one of the strongest block ciphers available. Customers can enable this feature on all available redundancy types of Azure File Storage – LRS and GRS.”

It should be noted that during the preview status of this service, the feature can only be enabled for newly created Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Storage accounts.

Crowded Market

Microsoft of course is competing in a crowded cloud market at the moment. Amazon Web Services (AWS) still has a 45 percent share of the worldwide public IaaS market, Synergy Research Group revealed last year.

That said, Microsoft and Google are said to enjoying much higher growth rates, but Amazon remains more than twice the size of the next three public IaaS providers combined.

Microsoft officially opened its UK data centres in September last year, but has previously warned that Brexit could impact its UK data centre expansion plans.

That said, Redmond has since introduced several new tools including the use of private internet connections to increase security for businesses in the region.

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