Any timeline to support "Extended Attributes" over "SMB Azure file shares"?

Question

I've run into an issue with container apps. My WebDAV service relies on what are called "Extended Attributes" on files.

Basically, little metadata "files" that are stored next to a file but not part of the actual file. Specifically, the files we need this are in one of the container volume mounts mapped to an Azure File Share.

I am exploring alternatives to Extended Attributes as well, but all options there would require some development time.

Answer 1

Hi @Omar Aviles

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, thanks for posting your query here.

Currently, Azure Files does not support "Extended Attributes" over SMB Azure file shares. This limitation is noted in the documentation, which states that extended attributes are not supported in Azure Files, page blob, or block blob storage. At this time, there is no timeline provided by the Microsoft when this feature will be available in the future.

SMB file shares in Azure Files | Microsoft Learn

If your application relies heavily on Extended Attributes, you may need to follow some alternatives.

• Use a different storage solution that supports extended attributes, like Azure Blob Storage, which allows you to store custom metadata for files. This would require updating your WebDAV service to work with Azure Blob Storage instead of Azure File Shares.
• ⁠Setup a temporary local file system within your container to handle Extended Attributes and sync the files with Azure File Shares. Store the metadata in a database or in separate files alongside the actual files. While not a direct replacement for Extended Attributes, it will be a useful alternative.

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