Azure NetApp Files VS Code Extension

AI-Powered Storage Management for Developers

A VS Code extension that brings Azure NetApp Files (ANF) storage management directly into your development environment. Manage storage resources, generate templates, and get AI-powered recommendations without leaving VS Code.

The Solution: AI-powered storage management integrated directly into VS Code with natural language commands and intelligent recommendations.

✨ Key Features

AI-Powered Chat Integration

@anf Chat Participant: Natural language storage management through GitHub Copilot
Intelligent Recommendations: AI-powered analysis and optimization suggestions
Context-Aware Assistance: Framework-specific code generation and best practices

Core Functionality

Resource Management: Browse and manage ANF accounts, capacity pools, and volumes
Template Generation: Create ARM, Terraform, and Powershell templates with AI assistance
One-Click Operations: Copy connection strings, generate mount scripts, and deploy templates
Real-Time Analysis: Performance metrics and cost optimization insights

Developer/Devops Experience

Zero Context Switching: Everything happens in VS Code
Natural Language Commands: "analyze this volume", "generate ARM template", "optimize configuration"
Framework Integration: Direct code insertion for .NET, Python, Java, Node.js

Prerequisites

VS Code: Version 1.105.0 or higher
Azure Account: With access to Azure NetApp Files
Azure Subscription: With ANF service enabled
Permissions: Contributor or NetApp Contributor role on target subscriptions
GitHub Copilot: For AI-powered chat features (optional but recommended)

Installation

From VS Code Marketplace

Open VS Code
Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
Search for "Azure NetApp Files"
Click Install

From Source

git clone https://github.com/NetApp/anf-vscode-extension.git
cd anf-vscode-extension
npm install
npm run compile

Quick Start

1. Authentication

# Sign in to Azure
Ctrl+Shift+P → "Azure NetApp Files: Sign in to Azure"

# Select subscription
Ctrl+Shift+P → "Azure NetApp Files: Select Subscription"

2. Explore Resources

Open ANF Explorer in the sidebar
Browse your accounts, pools, and volumes
Right-click items for context actions

3. Try AI Features

Open GitHub Copilot chat and try:

"@anf analyze this volume"
"@anf generate ARM template for this setup"

Natural Language Commands

Transform complex storage management into simple conversations:

Command	Description	Example
`@anf analyze this volume`	Get AI-powered analysis and recommendations	Analyzes performance, cost, and optimization opportunities
`@anf generate ARM template`	Create deployment templates	Generates production-ready ARM templates
`@anf what is this volume`	Get detailed resource information	Provides comprehensive resource details

Volume Management

Command	Description
`@anf create a snapshot for this volume`	Create a new snapshot of the selected volume
`@anf list all snapshots`	Display all snapshots for the selected volume
`@anf restore from snapshot`	Restore a volume from a snapshot
`@anf delete snapshot`	Remove a specific snapshot
`@anf set quota limit to 500GB`	Configure volume quota limits
`@anf configure export policy`	Set up NFS export policies and rules
`@anf show mount target info`	Get mount target details and configuration
`@anf monitor performance`	View performance metrics (IOPS, throughput, latency)

Cross-Region Replication

Command	Description
`@anf replicate this volume to East US`	Set up cross-region replication to a target region
`@anf check replication status`	Display current replication state and health
`@anf failover replication to secondary`	Initiate disaster recovery failover
`@anf resync replication`	Re-establish replication after failover

Backup & Recovery

Command	Description
`@anf create a backup policy`	Set up automated backup schedules
`@anf take a manual backup`	Create an immediate backup of the volume
`@anf list all backups`	Show available backups and policies
`@anf restore from backup`	Recover data from a backup
`@anf create backup vault`	Set up a new backup vault
`@anf assign volume to backup vault`	Link a volume to a backup vault

Template Generation

Command	Description
`@anf generate an ARM template for a NetApp account`	Create Azure Resource Manager deployment templates
`@anf create a Terraform configuration`	Generate Terraform infrastructure-as-code files
`@anf show me a volume deployment template`	Get deployment templates for volumes

Resource Analysis

Command	Description
`@anf analyze my ANF configuration`	Get AI-powered analysis and recommendations
`@anf optimize my volume performance`	Receive performance optimization suggestions
`@anf review my capacity pool settings`	Analyze capacity pool configuration

Troubleshooting

Command	Description
`@anf my volume isn't mounting`	Get help with mount issues
`@anf performance issues with ANF`	Diagnose performance problems
`@anf connection problems`	Troubleshoot connectivity issues

General

Command	Description
`@anf help`	Display all available commands
`@anf getting started with ANF`	Learn ANF basics and first steps
`@anf how to select a resource`	Learn how to select resources in the tree view

💡 Tip: Select a volume in the ANF tree view before running volume-specific commands for better context!

Configuration

Extension Settings

Access via File → Preferences → Settings → Extensions → Azure NetApp Files

Workspace Configuration

Add to .vscode/settings.json:

{
  "anf-extension.defaultServiceLevel": "Premium",
  "anf-extension.refreshInterval": 10,
  "anf-extension.aiAdvisor.enabled": true
}

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"No enabled subscriptions found"

Cause: Authenticated to tenant without ANF subscriptions
Solution: Run Azure NetApp Files: Select Tenant and choose correct tenant

"Authentication failed"

Cause: Expired or invalid credentials
Solution: Run Azure NetApp Files: Sign in to Azure to re-authenticate

"@anf commands not working"

Cause: GitHub Copilot not installed or AI features disabled
Solution: Install GitHub Copilot extension and enable AI features in settings

Extension not loading

Cause: VS Code compatibility or corrupted installation
Solution: Restart VS Code and reinstall the extension

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging:

{
  "anf-extension.debug": true,
  "anf-extension.logLevel": "debug"
}

Security

Authentication: Uses VS Code's built-in Microsoft authentication provider
Token Storage: Securely stored in VS Code's global state
Permissions: Requires only necessary Azure permissions
Data Privacy: No ANF data stored locally
Enterprise Compliance: Supports Azure AD conditional access policies

Manual Testing

Install extension in development mode
Sign in to Azure with test subscription
Test all major features and commands

📚 Resources

VS Code Marketplace - Install the extension
Documentation - Complete user guide
GitHub Repository - Source code and issues
Community Forum - Get help and share feedback
NetApp Support - Technical support

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🆘 Support

Issues: GitHub Issues
Documentation: Azure NetApp Files Docs
Community: Azure Community Forums

🎉 New Features

Version 1.1.0

Multi-Tenant Support: The ANF Extension now supports logging into more than just your home Tenant!
Right-Click Mount Autofill: The ANF Extension now supports generating NFS mount code in common languages, currently supports:
- Python (.py)
- JavaScript (.js)
- TypeScript (.ts)
- C# (.cs)
- Java (.java)
- YAML (.yml, .yaml)