Overview

Moving data from Azure Blob Storage to Google Cloud Storage enables organizations to leverage Google Cloud's powerful data analytics and machine learning capabilities, including seamless integration with BigQuery and Vertex AI.

Why Google Cloud Storage?

GCS offers excellent integration with BigQuery for analytics, competitive pricing, and strong global performance.

Prerequisites

  • A Cloney account with an active subscription
  • Azure Blob Storage container with data to migrate
  • Google Cloud Storage bucket (destination)
  • Appropriate credentials for both services

Setup Access Credentials

Before proceeding, ensure you have configured least privilege access for both services:

Azure: Least Privilege Access SetupGoogle Cloud: Least Privilege Access Setup

Step 1: Add Your Azure Source

  1. Log in to your Cloney dashboard
  2. Navigate to Jobs → Create New Job
  3. Select Azure Blob Storage as your source provider
  4. Enter your Azure credentials
  5. Click Validate Connection to verify access

Step 2: Configure Your GCS Destination

  1. Select Google Cloud Storage as your destination provider
  2. Upload your GCP service account JSON key file or enter credentials manually:
    • Project ID: Your GCP project identifier
    • Service Account Email: The service account email address
    • Private Key: The service account private key
    • Bucket Name: The name of your destination GCS bucket
  3. Click Validate Connection to verify access

Step 3: Start the Migration

  1. Configure optional settings (prefix filter, storage class, metadata)
  2. Review your migration configuration
  3. Click Start Migration
  4. Monitor progress in the Jobs dashboard
Migration Complete

Once finished, verify your data in the GCS console and update your applications to use the new bucket.

Storage Tier Mapping

Azure access tiers map to GCS storage classes as follows:

Azure TierRecommended GCS Class
HotStandard
CoolNearline
ColdColdline
ArchiveArchive

Best Practices

  • Test with a subset first: Run a pilot migration with a small subset of data to validate your configuration.
  • Consider region proximity: Choose a GCS region close to your users or other GCP resources.
  • Enable Autoclass: Consider using GCS Autoclass for automatic storage class management.
  • Plan for BigQuery: If using BigQuery, ensure your GCS bucket is in the same region as your BigQuery datasets.