I'm working on setting up two new file servers, each with about 250TB of storage, in a mainly Windows environment. We have A5 licenses for both students and faculty, but my boss wants the servers to be accessible off-premises via a web client so that students can upload large files without relying on our M365 storage pool. Azure Files isn't a viable option for us. I'm considering implementing WebDAV with IIS and an Azure app proxy, but I'm worried about security issues surrounding that setup.
Here are my specific questions: What operating system should I go with? I'm leaning towards a simple Windows Server with storage pools, but I'm unsure how to handle the front-end access. Additionally, would it be reasonable to set up an on-prem SharePoint server and utilize SharePoint hybrid for this purpose? I also plan on mapping the share to Intune devices, possibly through a VPN.
1 Answer
You might want to consider Microsoft Work Folders for your situation. For departmental shares, I'd suggest moving them to SharePoint libraries since you've got those A5 licenses; it would save you from reinventing the wheel. If this is primarily for student work, OneDrive with Known Folder Move will work well, allowing students to access their files anywhere via the web or the OneDrive app. Check out the Work Folders overview for more details.
That sounds good, especially since it's for homework. Work Folders seem like a neat option to explore!