Azure Data Box: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Azure Data Box service?

Azure Data Box service is designed for offline data ingestion. This service manages an array of products of differing storage capacities, all tailored for data transport.

What is Azure Data Box?

The Azure Data Box allows a quick, inexpensive, and secure transfer of terabytes of data into Azure. You order the Data Box device via the Azure portal. Microsoft ships you a storage device through a regional carrier.

Which Data Box model should I use?

If you have 40 - 500 TB of data that you want to transfer to or from Azure, you would benefit from using Data Box. For data sizes < 40 TB, use Data Box Disk, and for data sizes > 500 TB, sign up for Data Box Heavy.

What is the price of Data Box?

Data Box is available at a nominal charge for 10 days. When you select the product model while creating an order in the Azure portal, the charges for the device are displayed. Standard shipping charges and charges for Azure storage also apply. Export orders follow a similar pricing model as for import orders, though additional egress charges may apply.

For more information, go to Azure Data Box pricing and Azure Data Box Heavy pricing. For egress charges, see Bandwidth pricing.

Can I use a Data Box to import or export data from the country/region where I’m located to a different country/region?

Data Box supports data ingestion or egress only within the same country/region as the destination and won't cross any international borders. The only exception is for orders in the European Union (EU), where Data Boxes can ship to and from any EU country/region.

For example, working with an import in Data Box, if you wanted to move source data in Canada to an Azure West US storage account, you could do that in the following way:

1. Order Data Box in Canada by choosing a storage account in Canada. The device is shipped from an Azure datacenter in Canada to the shipping address, also in Canada, that you provided when you created the order.

2. Once the on-premises data copy to the Data Box is done, return the device to the Azure datacenter in Canada. The data on the Data Box then gets uploaded to the destination storage account in the Canada Azure region that you chose.

3. You can then use a tool like AzCopy to copy the data from the storage account in Canada to a storage account in West US. This step incurs standard storage and bandwidth charges that aren't included in the Data Box billing.

Does Data Box store any customer data outside the service region?

No. Data Box does not store any customer data outside of the service region. The customer has full ownership of their data. They can save the data to a specified location based on the storage account they select during the order creation.

In addition to the customer data, there is Data Box data that includes security artifacts related to the device, monitoring logs for the device and the service, and service-related metadata. In all regions (except Brazil South, Southeast Asia, and East Asia), Data Box data is stored and replicated in the paired region via a Geo-redundant Storage account to protect against data loss.

Due to data residency requirements in Brazil South, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, Data Box data is stored in a Zone-redundant Storage (ZRS) account so that it is contained in a single region. For Southeast Asia, all the Data Box data is stored in Singapore. For Brazil South, the data is stored in Brazil. For East Asia, the data is stored in Hong Kong SAR.

If there is a service outage in Brazil South, Southeast Asia, or East Asia, the customers can create new orders from another region. The new orders will be served from the region in which they are created and the customers are responsible for the to and fro shipment of the Data Box device.

Does my Data Box region have to be in the same Azure region as my destination storage account?

No. The Data Box resource does not need to be the same as the storage account region where you want to transfer data. You can choose a storage account in any region within the country or commerce boundary selected during the order. The Data Box region is only used to deploy the resource during order creation. This is fixed for each country or commerce boundary and cannot be changed.

How can I recover my data if an entire region fails?

In extreme circumstances where a region is lost because of a significant disaster, Microsoft may initiate a regional failover. No action on your part is required in this case. Your order will be fulfilled through the failover region if it is within the same country or commerce boundary. However, some Azure regions don't have a paired region in the same geographic or commerce boundary. If there is a disaster in any of those regions, you will need to create the Data Box order again from a different region that is available, and copy the data to Azure in the new region. For more information, see Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR): Azure Paired Regions.

Who should I contact if I come across any issues with Data Box?

If you come across any issues with Data Box, contact Microsoft Support.

I lost my Data Box. Is there a lost device charge?

Yes. There is a charge for a lost or damaged device. This charge is covered on the Pricing page and in the Product Terms of Service. Scroll down to "Frequently asked questions" for the product and look for "Lost device fee."

What is the maximum amount of data I can transfer with one Data Box device?

Data Box has a raw capacity of 100 TB and usable capacity of 80 TB. You can transfer up to 80 TB of data with Data Box. To transfer more data, you need to order more devices.

How can I check if Data Box is available in my region?

For information on which countries/regions the Data Box is available, go to region availability.

Which regions can I store data in with Data Box?

Data Box is supported for all regions within the US, Canada, the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Japan, Korea, India, Brazil, South Africa, and the UAE. For more information, go to Region availability.

What is the maximum amount of data I can transfer with one Data Box Heavy device?

Data Box Heavy has a raw capacity of about 1 PB (70 disks of 14 TB each) and usable capacity of 770 TB. To transfer more data, you need to order more devices.

How can I check if Data Box Heavy is available in my region?

For information on which countries/regions the Data Box is available, go to region availability.

Which regions can I store data in with Data Box Heavy?

Data Box Heavy is supported for regions within the US and EU regions. For more information, go to Region availability.

I couldn't create a Data Box/Data Box Heavy order in the Azure portal. Why?

If you can't create a Data Box or Data Box Heavy order, there's a problem with either your subscription type or access.

Check your subscription. Data Box is only available for Enterprise Agreement (EA) and Cloud solution provider (CSP) subscription offers. If you don't have either of these subscription types, contact Microsoft Support to upgrade your subscription.

If you have a supported offer type for the subscription, check your subscription access level. You need to be a contributor or owner in your subscription to create an order.

I ordered a couple of Data Box devices. I can't create any additional orders. Why?

We allow a maximum of five active orders per subscription per commerce boundary (combination of country and region selected) for any Data Box product. You can have five active Data Box orders and five active Data Box Heavy orders. If you need to order an additional device, contact Microsoft Support to increase the limit for your subscription.

When I try to create an order, I receive a notification that the Data Box service is not available. What does this mean?

The Data Box service isn't available for the combination of country and region you selected for the selected product - either Data Box or Data Box Heavy. Changing this combination would likely allow you to avail of the Data Box service. For a list of the regions where the service is available, go to Region availability for Data Box or Region availability for Data Box Heavy.

My Data Box is dispatched, but now I want to cancel this order. Why is the cancel button not available?

You can only cancel the order after the Data Box is ordered and before the order is processed. Once the Data Box order is processed, you can no longer cancel the order.

I have filled up my Data Box with data and need to order another one. Is there a way to quickly place the order?

You can clone your previous order. Cloning creates the same order as before and allows you to edit order details only without the need to type in address, contact, and notification details. Cloning is allowed only for import orders. For more information, see Clone an order.

How do I get Data Box?

The following estimated lead times for each phase of order processing will give you a good idea of what to expect.

These lead times are estimates. The time for each stage of order processing is affected by load on the datacenter, concurrent orders, and other environmental conditions.

Estimated lead times for a Data Box order:

1. Order Data Box: A few minutes, from the portal

2. Device allocation and preparation: 1-2 business days, subject to inventory availability and other orders pending fulfillment

3. Shipping: 2-3 business days

4. Data copy at customer site: Depends on nature of data, size, and number of files

5. Return shipping: 2-3 business days

6. Processing device at datacenter: 1-2 business days, subject to other orders pending processing

7. Upload data to Azure: Begins as soon as processing is complete and the device is connected. Upload time depends on nature of data, size, and number of files.

I placed my Data Box order few days back. When will I receive my Data Box?

When you place an order, we check whether a device is available for your order. If a device is available, we will ship it within 10 days. It is conceivable that there are periods of high demand. In this situation, your order will be queued and you can track the status change in the Azure portal. If your order is not fulfilled in 90 days, the order is automatically canceled.

How do I get a Data Box Heavy device?

Data Box Heavy requires a sign-up when ordering a device. Use the Request Heavy button on the initial order screen, and send your migration details. We will be in touch with you within 1-2 business days. Once you enable Data Box Heavy for your subscription, a Select button replaces Request Heavy, and you can continue with your order.

What carrier services can I use for my Data Box Heavy order?

Because of their size and weight, Data Box Heavy devices require special handling. For this reason, we recommend that you use the white glove delivery service, which is used commonly by most Data Box Heavy customers. The white glove service delivers the crate to your premises, unpacks the device, and then keeps the crate for return of the device, which is arranged through Operations.

If you want to do your own shipping through a different carrier, contact Operations to get detailed shipping requirements. After you uncrate the device, you must save the crate and use it for the return shipment.

How do I unlock the Data Box?

In the Azure portal, go to your Data Box order, and navigate to Device details. Copy the unlock password. Use this password to log into the local web UI on your Data Box. For more information, go to Tutorial: Unpack, cable, connect your Azure Data Box.

Can I use a Linux host computer to connect and copy the data on to the Data Box?

Yes. You can use Data Box to connect to SMB and NFS clients. For more information, go to the list of Supported operating systems for Data Box or Supported operating systems for Data Box Heavy.

Can I connect a Data Box to multiple host computers to transfer data at the same time?

Yes. Multiple host computers can connect to Data Box to transfer data and multiple copy jobs can be run in parallel. For more information, go to Tutorial: Copy data to Azure Data Box or Tutorial: Copy data to Azure Data Box Heavy.

Can I connect to both of the 10-GbE interfaces on the Data Box to transfer data?

Yes. Both of the 10-GbE interfaces can be connected on the Data Box to copy data at the same time. For more information on how to copy data, go to Tutorial: Copy data to Azure Data Box or Tutorial: Copy data to Azure Data Box Heavy.

I can't access the Data Box unlock password in the Azure portal. Why?

If you aren't able to access the unlock password in the Azure portal, check the permissions on your subscription and storage account. Ensure that you have contributor or owner permission at resource group level. You need to have at least Data Box Operator role permission to see the access credentials.

Is port channel configuration supported on Data Box? How about MPIO?

We don't support port channel configuration, Multipath IO (MPIO) configuration, or vLAN configuration on Data Box.

When do the automatically generated self-signed certificates on my device expire?

The automatically generated self-signed certificates expire after 12 months, and the device can no longer be used. You're notified 3 months before the certificates expire. To avoid data loss, return the device at least 1 month before certificate expiration so all data can be ingested in the datacenter before the certificates expire.

How do I verify the data I copied onto my Data Box?

After the data copy is complete, when you run Prepare to ship, your data is validated. Data Box generates a list of files and checksums for the data during the validation process. You can download the list of files and verify the list against the files in the source data. For more information, go to Prepare to ship.

The system fault indicator LED on the front operating panel is on. What should I do?

There are two LED lights under the power button on the front of a Data Box. The bottom-most light is the system fault indicator, which indicates whether your system is healthy.

A system fault indicator LED that is red may indicate one of the following issues:

• Fan failure
• CPU temperature is high
• Motherboard temperature is high
• Dual inline Memory Module (DIMM) Error Connecting Code (ECC) error

Take these steps:

1. Check whether the fan is working.
2. Move the device to a location with greater airflow.
3. If the system fault indicator light is still on, contact Microsoft Support.

The disk status indicator LED on the front operating panel is flashing yellow. What does this mean?

The top-most light is the disk status indicator. If this light is flashing yellow, this means there is RAID HDD activity. If it is off, there is no RAID HDD activity.

How do I verify the data I copied onto my Data Box?

After the data copy is complete, when you run Prepare to ship, your data is validated. Data Box generates a list of files and checksums for the data during the validation process. You can download the list of files and verify the list against the files in the source data. For more information, go to Prepare to ship.

How do I track the Data Box from when I placed the order to shipping the device back?

You can track the status of the Data Box order in the Azure portal. When you create the order, you are prompted to provide a notification email. If you provided one, you're notified via email of all status changes for the order.

More information on how to Configure notification emails.

How do I return my Data Box?

If the carriers in your region support E-link, Microsoft displays a shipping label on the E-ink display. E-link is supported in the United States and EU regions.

For other locations, go to Overview > Download shipping label. Download and print the label, and insert the label in the clear plastic tag on the device where it's clearly visible.

Then drop off the device at your shipping carrier location.

In some regions, you can use self-managed shipping. For eligibility and instructions, see Use self-managed shipping.

How do I return my Data Box Heavy device?

If you used White Glove service for your Data Box Heavy order, email adbops@microsoft.com to arrange for return of the device.

If you used a different carrier, you'll need to return the device in the crate that it was shipped in. Email adbops@microsoft.com for instructions.

Will my Data Box devices cross country/region borders during shipping?

All Data Box devices are shipped from within the same country/region as their destination and will not cross any international borders. The only exception is for orders in the European Union (EU), where devices can ship to and from any EU country/region. This policy applies to both Data Box and Data Box Heavy devices.

How is my data protected during transit?

During transit, the following features on the Data Box help protect the data.

• The Data Box disks are encrypted with AES 256-bit encryption.
• The device is locked and needs an unlock password to enter and access data. For more information, go to Data Box security features.

I finished Prepare to Ship for my import order and shut down the device. Can I still add more data to the Data Box?

Yes. You can turn on the device and add more data. You'll need to run Prepare to Ship again once you have completed the data copy.

My device was delivered, but the device seems to be damaged. What should I do?

If your device arrived damaged or there is evidence of tampering, do not use the device. Contact Microsoft Support and return the device as soon as possible. You can also create a new Data Box order for a replacement device. In this case, you won't be charged for the replacement device.

I received my device and it's not booting up. How do I ship the device back?

If your device isn't booting, contact Microsoft Support for help.

Can I pick up my Data Box order myself? Can I return the Data Box via a carrier that I choose?

Yes. Microsoft also offers self-managed shipping. When placing the Data Box order, you can choose self-managed shipping option. For more information, see Use self-managed shipping for Data Box.

I ordered a Data Box in US East, but I received a device that was shipped from a location in US West. Where should I return the device to?

We try to get a Data Box device to you as quickly as possible. We prioritize the shipment from a datacenter closest to your storage account location but will ship a device from any Azure datacenter that has available inventory. Your Data Box should be returned to the same location where it was shipped from as displayed in the shipping label.

I need to ship a Data Box to Puerto Rico. Are there any special requirements?

If you need to have a device shipped to Puerto Rico, email adbops@microsoft.com for instructions. You'll be asked to create an order using a United States address but provide the Operations team a Puerto Rico address via email. Shipping a device to Puerto Rico doesn't add any extra shipping cost from UPS.

E-ink display is not showing the return shipment label. What should I do?

E-link is only supported in the United States and EU regions. If the E-ink display in the Azure portal doesn't show the return shipping label, you can download the shipping label from the local web UI on the device after completing the Prepare to ship step. For more information, see Prepare to ship.

When you have the shipping label, remove the old label and any sticker from the previous shipment. Insert the new label into the clear plastic sleeve attached to the device, ensuring that the shipping label is clearly visible.

Can I transport the Data Box to the Azure datacenter?

No. If you have chosen Microsoft managed shipping, you can't transport the data. Currently, Azure datacenter does not accept delivery of the Data Box from customers or from carriers other than UPS.

If you chose self-managed shipping, then you can pick up or drop off your Data Box from the Azure datacenter.

My device was delivered, but the device seems to be damaged. What should I do?

If your device arrived damaged or there is evidence of tampering, do not use the device. Contact Microsoft Support and return the device as soon as possible. You can also create a new Data Box Heavy order for a replacement device. In this case, you won't be charged for the replacement device.

I received my device and it's not booting up. How do I ship the device back?

If you used White Glove service for your Data Box Heavy order, email adbops@microsoft.com to arrange for return of the device.

If you used a different carrier, you'll need to return the device in the crate that it was shipped in. Email adbops@microsoft.com for instructions.

Can I pick up my Data Box Heavy order myself? Can I return the Data Box Heavy device via a carrier that I choose?

No. You can't pick up your Data Box Heavy order yourself.

As for returning the device, if you used the White Glove service for your Data Box Heavy order, the White Glove service will manage return of the device also. Email adbops@microsoft.com to make the arrangements.

If you didn't use the White Glover service for your order, you'll need to return your device, in the same crate, using the service delivered the device. Email adbops@microsoft.com for more information.

How does Azure Data Box service help support customers’ chain of custody procedure?

Azure Data Box service natively provides reports that you can use for your chain of custody documentation. The audit and copy logs are available in your storage account in Azure and you can download the order history in the Azure portal after the order is complete.

What type of reporting is available to support chain of custody?

Following reporting is available to support chain of custody:

• Transport logistics from UPS.
• Logging of powering on and user share access.
• BOM or manifest file with a 64-bit cyclic redundancy check (CRC-64) or checksum for each file ingested successfully into the Data Box.

Are the carrier tracking logs (from UPS) available?

Carrier tracking logs are captured in the Data Box order history. This report is available to you after the device has returned to Azure datacenter and the data on device disks is cleaned up. For immediate need, you can also go directly to the carrier's website with the order tracking number and get the tracking information.

Are the carrier tracking logs available for my order?

Carrier tracking logs are captured in the Data Box Heavy order history. This report is available to you after the device has returned to Azure datacenter and the data on device disks is cleaned up. For immediate need, you can also go directly to the carrier's website with the order tracking number and get the tracking information.