Hey everyone! I'm seeking your insights on managing file storage solutions for our global company. We have offices worldwide and need a quick and efficient file solution. We've tried using Azure Files, but unfortunately, it's not meeting our latency needs. The higher-ups have decided against local file servers in favor of Azure Files but have asked for alternatives for new companies we're onboarding in LATAM. We have an On-Prem file server in the USA where we could store 'Archive' data, which the team is okay with having higher latency. In contrast, daily operations will utilize SharePoint Online (SPO) with a simple structure—an Finance Library with access managed through a 365 Group model. However, I'm facing several concerns: 1) We want to keep our SPO storage costs low since we're already at 9TB. 2) SPO's built-in backup and recovery options are inadequate. 3) Management doesn't want to invest in a third-party backup service for SPO. 4) I'm considering a PowerAutomate Flow for backups to Azure blob storage, but I worry about whether it tracks live data accurately. 5) Lastly, I need advice on encouraging users to store less important data on the file server while still using SPO for their everyday needs—I'm worried it'll just all end up in SPO. How have you guys handled these kinds of challenges?
3 Answers
For your latency issues, could you clarify what exactly is lagging with SPO? To minimize storage on SPO, have you thought about using Purview data lifecycle management? Also, the version history feature isn't a backup solution. You really need to push for a third-party backup option—if not, try to emphasize compliance requirements to sway their decision. On getting users to adhere to storage protocols, implementing some sort of user adoption program might really help, even if it's basic to start; it’ll encourage good data management practices.
Check out some global file systems like Panzura or Egnyte; they could be a viable solution but typically come with costs. You might need to convince management to open the wallet for something sustainable in the long run.
What Microsoft 365 licensing do you currently use? If you have M365 E5, leverage SharePoint Online with M365 Groups. You can sync M365 Groups to workstations with OneDrive—it acts like a mapped drive. If you don’t have M365 E5, consider upgrading. For backups, you can either explore third-party options or adjust the recycle bin settings, plus implement Data Loss Prevention policies to minimize accidental deletions. It's been working well for my clients!
+1 for that! We’ve transitioned around 90% of our shared data to SharePoint, and users are successfully mapping and syncing their department folders—it’s streamlined our process quite a bit.
Yeah, I’m seeing great results with similar strategies. Keeping things streamlined has made access much easier!