---
title: "Install an Edge Filer in Azure Not Using the Azure Marketplace Version"
slug: "install-an-edge-filer-in-azure-not-using-the-azure-marketplace-version"
updated: 2026-10-13T08:37:30Z
published: 2026-10-13T08:37:30Z
canonical: "kb.ctera.com/install-an-edge-filer-in-azure-not-using-the-azure-marketplace-version"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.ctera.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Install an Edge Filer in Azure Not Using the Azure Marketplace Version

The edge filer image used to create the CTERA Edge Filer instance is created from a vhd file that is obtainable from [CTERA support](https://www.ctera.com/support/). The file needs to be moved to your Azure portal, using either Azure Storage Explorer or Azcopy.exe. Azcopy is available for download from [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-use-azcopy-v10](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-use-azcopy-v10). The zip file contains the azcopy.exe program.

After installing the CTERA Edge Filer, you perform an initial configuration, described in **First Time Setup** for your version.

The edge filer can be installed in a Microsoft Azure environment with the following:

- Microsoft Azure portal premium account.
- Azure instance that matches the license:

| License | Maximum Data |
| --- | --- |
| EV16 | 16TB |
| EV32 | 32TB |
| EV64 | 64TB |
| EV128 | 128TB |
| EV256 | 256TB |
- Premium disks: P40 or P50 with maximum throughput of 250MB/s.

Contact CTERA, and request the latest Azure edge filer vhd file.

## Create the Edge Filer Image in Azure

**To get the image vhd files:**

1. Log in to your Azure portal and access the **Storage Accounts** service to display the images.  

The list of available storage accounts is displayed.
2. Either create a new storage account for the image or click the storage account to use for the image.  

The storage account details are displayed.
3. Click **Access Keys** under **Security + Networking** in the navigation menu and note the **Storage account name** and the **Key 1** key value.
**Note**

Click **Show keys** to display the key.
4. Click **Storage browser** in the navigation menu and then click **Blob containers** and select **Add container**.  

The **New container** page is displayed.
5. Enter a name for the container and click **Create**.
6. Click the container.
7. Click **Shared access signature** under **Security + Networking** in the navigation menu.  

The **Shared access signature** page is displayed.
8. Set the permissions and click **Create**.
9. Copy the URI that is generated and save it.  

The URI includes a shared access key.

**To copy the vhd file:** To copy the vhd file, you can use **Azure Storage Explorer** for a graphical user interface (GUI) or **AzCopy.exe** for a command line option.

Via **AzCopy.exe**, run the following command from the folder where you saved AzCopy.exe for the vhd file: `AzCopy.exe cp "<source_uri>" "<destination_uri>"` **source_uri** – The source URI location and path of the vhd file obtained from CTERA. **destination_url** – The destination URL.

The vhd file is copied to the container. This can take some time.

**To create the CTERA Edge Filer server instance in Azure:**

1. Log in to your Azure portal and access the **Images** service to display the image obtained from CTERA support. The list of available images is displayed.
2. Click **Create**. The **Create an image** page is displayed. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-6CH73GWG.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A34%3A45Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A34%3A45Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XY0mHFiSAoVesIA9U4ppIwGdbQhc9NqJlVYHkWCggm8%3D)
3. Enter the following in the **Basics** tab. **Resource group** – The resource group to be used. If the edge filer workload will require high performance, specify a resource group that uses premium storage. **Name** – A name to uniquely identify the virtual machine. **Region** – The region to host the image. **OS type** – Select `Linux`. **VM generation** – Select `Gen 1`.

**Note**

You **must** select `Gen 1`.

**Storage blob** – Either enter the storage blob URI for the OS vhd file from CTERA or click **Browse**. The **Storage accounts** page is displayed.

**Account type** – Select `Premium SSD`.
  1. Select the storage account from the list.  

The **Containers** page is displayed.
  2. Select the container from the list.  

The container content is displayed.
  3. Select the OS vhd file received from CTERA and click **Select**.
4. Click **+ Add data disk**. The data disk options are displayed.
5. Either enter the storage blob URI for the data disk vhd file from CTERA or click **Browse**. The **Storage accounts** page is displayed.
  1. Select the storage account from the list.  

The **Containers** page is displayed.
  2. Select the container from the list.  

The container content is displayed.
  3. Select the data disk vhd file received from CTERA and click **Select**.
  4. For **Account type**, select `Premium SSD` from the drop-down box.
  5. Set **Host caching** to `None`. Setting it to `Read/write` can cause issues during periods of heavy writes, mainly during portal upgrades.
6. Leave the other fields with their defaults and click **Review + create**. The information is checked and if okay, it is validated.
7. Click **Create**. Deployment starts. Upon completion, click **Go to resource**. The image details are displayed.

## Install the Edge Filer

## Install the Edge Filer

**To create the CTERA Edge Filer instance in Azure:**

1. Log in to your Azure portal and access the **Images** service to display the image obtained from [CTERA support](http://ctera.com/support). The list of available images is displayed.
2. Click the image for the CTERA Edge Filer. The image details are displayed.
3. Click **Create VM**. The **Create a virtual machine** window is displayed.
4. Enter the following in the **Basics** tab for the virtual machine. **Resource group** – The resource group to be used. The resource group must use premium storage. **Virtual machine name** – A name to uniquely identify the virtual machine. **Region** – The region to host the virtual machine. **Size** – Click **See all sizes** to specify the size of the storage used for the edge filer software. The **Select a VM size** window is displayed. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-YBNML19F.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A34%3A45Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A34%3A45Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XY0mHFiSAoVesIA9U4ppIwGdbQhc9NqJlVYHkWCggm8%3D)

**Authentication type** – Choose either **SSH public key** or **Password**. The tab changes depending on this choice to enable entering the SSH public key or a password and confirmation password. Make a note of any password entered, as it is used to log on to the edge filer instance. **Username** – A name to access the virtual machine. This is an administrator name that can access the edge filer. **Public inbound ports** – Choose the **None** option. Inbound and outbound ports will be added later. Leave the other values with their defaults.
  1. Select a VM that matches your requirements. The size you select should be dependent on the license.

| License | Maximum Memory |
| --- | --- |
| EV16 | 8GB |
| EV32 | 16GB |
| EV64 | 32GB |
| EV128 | 64GB |
| EV256 | 128GB |

The edge filer software requires less than 1GB storage. CTERA limits the number of data disks for a gateway to 16.
  2. Click **Select**.
5. Click the **Disks** tab, or click **Next: Disks**. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-1KU1CF03.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A34%3A45Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A34%3A45Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XY0mHFiSAoVesIA9U4ppIwGdbQhc9NqJlVYHkWCggm8%3D)
6. Set the **OS disk type**.
7. Under **Data disks**, click **Create and attach a new disk**. The **Create a new disk** window is displayed. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-PUY3KRO5.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A34%3A45Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A34%3A45Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XY0mHFiSAoVesIA9U4ppIwGdbQhc9NqJlVYHkWCggm8%3D)
8. Enter a unique name to identify the disk.
9. Click **Change size** and enter the storage type and size of the disk. You can add more than one disk, up to the number allowed for the size of selected virtual machine. CTERA recommends storage of at least 20% of the Portal Global Name Space. The maximum storage is dependent on the license.

Click **OK**.
  - For an EV16 license, the maximum is 16TB.
  - For an EV32 license, the maximum is 32TB.
  - For an EV64 license, the maximum is 64TB
  - For an EV128 license, the maximum is 128TB.
  - For an EV256 license, the maximum is 256TB.
10. Leave the **Source type** value as **None** and click **OK**.
11. Click the **Networking** tab, or click **Next: Networking**.
12. Set the network and subnet details to access the edge filer.
13. Click the **Review + Create** tab, or click **Review + Create**. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-11CCO3PC.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A34%3A45Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A34%3A45Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XY0mHFiSAoVesIA9U4ppIwGdbQhc9NqJlVYHkWCggm8%3D)
14. Review the virtual machine details and click **Create**. The machine is deployed, which can take a few minutes. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-CC8ISGZZ.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A34%3A45Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A34%3A45Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XY0mHFiSAoVesIA9U4ppIwGdbQhc9NqJlVYHkWCggm8%3D) The machine is started automatically.
15. Click **Go to resource** to display the edge filer details. The virtual machine includes the OS disk and the added data disks, which are used for the edge filer data.
16. Note the **Public IP address**.
17. In the options for the virtual machine in the left pane, click **Networking**, under **Settings**, to add inbound and outbound port rules.
18. For the **Inbound port rules** tab, click **Add inbound port rule**. The **Add inbound security rule** pane is displayed.
19. Add the inbound port rules, clicking **Add** after adding each rule, using the ports listed in [Port Requirements](https://kb.ctera.com/docs/port-requirements-and-general-specifications-2-1-1-1-1)
20. For the **Outbound port rules** tab, click **Add outbound port rule**. The **Add outbound security rule** pane is displayed.
21. Add the outbound ports listed in [Port Requirements](https://kb.ctera.com/docs/port-requirements-and-general-specifications-2-1-1-1-1).