azure destinations for file migration
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2Azure Destinations for File Migration
When you first start migrating files into Azure, you’ll come to something of a crossroad.
There are four possible Microsoft cloud destinations for files, each with its own benefits, considerations, and best-fit use cases.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of each destination and why you should use
it for each use case:
1. OneDrive for Business
2. SharePoint Online
3. File Server VM in Azure
4. Azure Files
3Azure Destinations for File Migration
Storage: 1TB per-user account
Integrations: Office suite products
Access: Via web browser or installed OneDrive app and a mobile app is
available for remote access. Supports Multi-Factor Authentication
(MFA) through an Office 365 login.
Used for: Designed for storing individual user’s files and synchronizing them
between multiple personal devices with the OneDrive app
Features: • Allows for flexible file sharing and collaboration with internal
and external collaborators on a per-file or per-folder basis
• Ability to view and restore historic versions of files
Best fit: Storing the personal files of each user via synchronization using
the OneDrive client
Important considerations:
• Files are stored both in the cloud and on each device where
synchronization is configured. This can consume space in
multiple places, although with Windows 10 there is an On-
Demand feature that saves space by only downloading the
files when they are accessed.
• Files are stored on multiple user-controlled devices. Security,
privacy, and compliance considerations need to be
considered.
• Files in OneDrive are kept in synch via synchronization of
various local caches. Multi-user database files (e.g. QuickBooks)
cannot be shared by multiple users when stored in OneDrive.
OneDrive for BusinessPart of most Office 365 packages that include Office Business or ProPlus
4Azure Destinations for File Migration
Storage: 1TB included for the organization, plus 10GB of storage for each
licensed user who is part of the organization
Integrations: Office suite products
Access: Via web browser, mapped drives, Teams app, or OneDrive mobile
app. Supports MFA through an Office 365 login.
Used for: Designed for storing shared company files that are accessed by
multiple users with pre-configured security rights
Best fit: • Storage of Company files that are shared among multiple
users and groups within the organization
• Ability to view and restore historic versions of files
Important considerations:
• Files stored in SharePoint can be configured to be synchronized
with the OneDrive client installed on users’ devices. It is
important to take data security, privacy, and compliance
considerations into account.
• Although it is possible to map a drive to access files in
SharePoint, the storage is in the cloud and the latency of
access may be an issue for large files or chatty applications
(e.g. QuickBooks).
SharePoint OnlineIncluded with most Office 365 packages such as Business Premium, E1/E3/E5 and
Microsoft 365
5Azure Destinations for File Migration
Storage: Identical file storage to on-premises file servers.
Integrations: • Managed disk attached to Azure VM running in an Azure region
• Ability to use Volume Shadow Copy to save and restore
Previous Version of files
Access: • Ability to access files securely from Azure-hosted or remote
devices via VPN
• No native mobile app to access file shares
Used for: Gives you control over the location and storage of files, with the
ability to control users’ access to download files to local devices.
Best fit: Company files and redirected Personal files in virtual desktop
deployments
Important considerations:
• Backup strategy – Azure Backup is a good option. Be sure
Shadow Copy is enabled on all Windows volumes.
• File servers are needed to store shared database files like
QuickBooks
• Necessary for storing profiles and redirected folder in virtual
desktop deployment scenarios
• No native way to synchronize files reliably to users’ personal
devices
File Server VM in AzureA Windows Server Virtual Machine running in Azure with all the familiar file services
functionality, including shares, permissions, mapped drives, UNC access, etc.
6Azure Destinations for File Migration
Storage: Inexpensive, at $0.06/GB per month for Standard (slow) storage.
Also supports mapping of drives. Comes in Standard (slow) and
Premium (fast) storage options. Backup can be performed with
snapshots in Azure
Integrations: • Supports share permissions with Azure AD DS only, which limits
usability to a small number of use-cases.
• Also supports Azure File Sync, which can be used as an
alternative to DFSR to synchronize file shares across multiple
Windows file servers
Best fit: Large repositories of rarely accessed archive data
Azure FilesPaaS product in Azure that leverages file server functionality. The underlying file server
infrastructure is managed by Microsoft and the admin receives an Azure portal UI to
manage file shares.
There you have it. Make sure you’re matching the right files to the right storage solution
when you start planning your migration and everything will go much more smoothly.
Nerdio has much more information for MSPs looking to migrate their clients to the cloud. If
you want to make sure you’re set for success, check out our full guide on Azure migration
strategies in our online Academy.
7Azure Destinations for File Migration
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