SMB Backup - Azure

[PMCars]

Hey all,

We currently have 3CX configured to backup both the system and call recordings to SharePoint, however over the last few years this has blown out our storage to a considerable amount. Due to business requirements we have long retention requirements for the recorded calls, so I need to move this elsewhere.

We're exploring the use of an Azure storage account using a classic file share and SMB.

Setup will look like the following:

• Azure Hosted 3CX VM
• Azure 'Classic File Share'
  • File share service endpoint configured and mapped to the existing virtual network
• 3CX configured to connect to the share directly by local IP i.e. smb://172.x.x.x/3cx/backup/

This in theory simulates a standard Windows SMB share like any other with both the 3CX and SMB share residing on the same network.

Though I understand the theory looks fine, is this something commonly done with 3CX? I'm struggling to find anything recent on this in both the forums or 3CX administration guides.
Best I can see is this old post from 2022: https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/smb-backups-to-azure-files.116519/

In addition to this, when we migrated to SharePoint for recording storage, we couldn't find a way around the 'disconnect' of old recordings in the 3CX GUI post migration, if an old recording is needed we have to manually find it now. Is there a new solution or workaround to avoid this disconnect if we move to another storage location?

Thanks

 

[TheodorosG_3CX]

Are you using MS Azure Blob Storage ?

 

[PMCars]

Are you using MS Azure Blob Storage ?

No, it's a 'Classic File Share', it lives within a storage account like blob storage but uses Azure Files services and provides SMB file shares.

 

[TheodorosG_3CX]

Still this is a considered as a blob storage therefore will not work properly:


The suggestion is to use Sharepoint in order to remote archive recordings.

 

[PMCars]

Still this is a considered as a blob storage therefore will not work properly:
View attachment 51880

The suggestion is to use Sharepoint in order to remote archive recordings.

I really don't want to go down this discussion path, I don't want to come across as 'rude' but I only want to discuss SMB shares.

An Azure 'Classic File Share' which is stored within a storage account is not blob storage, this is a very common misunderstanding of the backend services that host the service. The 'note' listed in the image, is specifically for SFTP, blob storage cannot provide an SMB service, it's simply not possible. The closet you may get is Blob with Data Lake Gen2, but still that's API-based, not SMB.

And to be very clear, this isn't a remote connection, both the 3CX system and SMB share exist on the same local network.

However, 3CX specifically note that Azure Blob storage is not compatible with SFTP shares, and in the same image doesn't mention anything about SMB shares (which is what I'm looking for here), in a way this could indicate that there is no issue since they're not calling it out like they have for SFTP.

I'm hoping for discussions with others who have taken this route, or possibly someone technical from 3CX may want to weigh in here.

Thanks.

 

[NikosT_3CX]

@PMCars put the PBX in Verbose mode, schedule the backup to be done 10 or 15 min after, make some test calls,
then download the Support Info of the PBX and check the System Service Logs.