Our R&D team has about 100 GB of CAD and Solidworks files on a Windows Server that needs replacing. We already use SharePoint for office documents, but it doesn't seem like a good fit for the CAD files.
Is Azure Files worth considering, or would another on-premises share be simpler? Solidworks 3DEXPERIENCE looks like more than we need.
A new on-premises file server is a perfectly reasonable answer. You don't have to move the CAD workload to the cloud just because the current server is being retired.
A NAS with SMB sharing is another option if you don't need a full Windows Server. Either way, check permissions, backups and recovery, and test drawing references before switching users over.
Take a look at Solidworks PDM if file control is the bigger problem. It's a different decision from simply replacing storage, though. If the team is happy with a shared folder and doesn't need a PDM workflow, adding one could be more than you need.
Egnyte is another option to evaluate if you want something other than a traditional local server. It supports mapped drives, which may help preserve reference paths, but check the paths and CAD workflows in a pilot rather than assuming the migration will be seamless. It could also be overkill for a share this size.
For Azure Files, I'd start with a small test using representative assemblies and drawings. Check open and save performance, references, permissions, and what happens when two people access the same files. If you're considering a sync component, test that separately too.
The 100 GB figure tells you how much data you have, not whether the team's workflow will tolerate a particular setup. I'd be cautious about treating a general document sync service as a drop-in replacement without those tests.
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