Changing access keys for an Azure storage account without any downtime is the best approach because it minimizes the impact on applications that rely on those keys for accessing resources. Azure provides functionality to easily regenerate access keys while still allowing the existing key to remain valid for a period of time. This is particularly useful during maintenance windows or security audits.
When you regenerate a key, Azure allows you to use the old key for a certain amount of time, providing an opportunity to update applications to use the new key without interrupting access. This strategy significantly enhances operational resiliency, ensuring that applications continue to function seamlessly while access credentials are being updated.
In contrast, manually editing application code to implement key changes can lead to potential errors and downtime as developers would need to redeploy applications or update configurations, which is less efficient. Resetting the entire storage account would be a drastic measure that would likely cause service interruption. Lastly, while automation can assist in managing keys, Azure doesn’t automatically change access keys without user intervention; it requires action by the user or administrator.