Cloud Storage Manager FAQs
3 min read
Common questions about Cloud Storage Manager.
Is it really free?
Yes. Cloud Storage Manager is a free Windows tool. No subscription, no per-seat licence, no usage limits. Request a download from the product page.
What permissions does it need in Azure?
- For scanning and reporting: Azure Reader role on each subscription you connect.
- For tier changes and blob deletions (optional): Storage Blob Data Contributor on the affected storage accounts.
Many admins sign in with a read-only account day to day and only elevate when they need to apply changes.
Does it modify my Azure environment?
Not unless you explicitly take an action. The default scan and report flow is read-only. Tier changes and blob deletions only happen when you explicitly click the action in the UI; nothing is automated or background-applied.
How long does a scan take?
Depends on tenancy size:
- A handful of storage accounts - minutes.
- Hundreds of accounts across many subscriptions - hours.
The world map populates as accounts are discovered, so you can browse the high-level view before the deep blob enumeration completes.
Where does it store scan data?
On the Windows machine you installed it on. Nothing is uploaded to Smikar; nothing is stored outside your machine.
Can it handle multiple Azure tenants?
Yes. Sign in once per tenant via Settings → Tenants. Each tenant is scanned and reported separately; results from different tenants do not mix.
How is it different from Azure Storage Explorer?
Microsoft's Azure Storage Explorer is a file-manager-style tool for browsing and uploading individual blobs. Smikar's Cloud Storage Manager is focused on tenancy-wide visibility and cost optimisation - it adds the ranked top reports, growth tracking, tier analysis across accounts, and tier-change automation that the Microsoft tool does not have. They complement each other rather than overlap.
Does it pull pricing from Azure?
Yes - the estimated cost change shown when you make tier changes uses Azure's published pricing for the region. Actual billing reflects your tenant's specific commitments, discounts, and reservations, so treat the estimate as directional rather than invoice-exact.
How do I uninstall it?
Two steps:
- Uninstall the application from Windows Settings → Apps.
- The application keeps a local cache of scan data in the application data folder. Delete it manually if you want to fully clean up.
No Azure-side cleanup is required - Cloud Storage Manager does not register any application in Entra ID for its operation (it uses your direct sign-in credentials).
Can it analyse Azure Files (not just Blob)?
Yes. The Explorer and reports cover both Blob containers and File shares within storage accounts. Tier changes apply to Blob only - Azure Files does not have the Hot / Cool / Archive tier model in the same way.
Need help? support@smikar.com.