Windows Server Summit | Azure File Sync - the "OneDrive for Servers"
Krähe mit HutThere is no functional replacement for file sharing on a Windows Server!
This statement can now be refuted with good reason, but it is entirely understandable that this view arose and persisted for so long.
A few years ago, the only way to move data to the cloud was SharePoint Online. And anyone who has ever tried to map classic file sharing and its often wild permission structures (and name lengths) in SharePoint Online knows why this is not a good idea.
However, Microsoft has now made improvements in this area and offers a viable alternative in the form of Azure File Share, the cloud version of a file server (the comparison is flawed…), and a matching migration tool called Azure File Sync.
How Azure File Sync works
Azure File Sync can basically be thought of as modern DFS replication or “OneDrive for Servers.” The agent that needs to be installed synchronizes the contents of a file share between servers and, if desired, with an Azure File Share.
Similar to OneDrive for Business, you can determine which data is accessed frequently and should therefore remain stored locally permanently, and which data should only be retrieved from the cloud when needed to save storage space.
Important: Azure File Sync is not exclusively reserved for Windows Server 2025, but also works with older supported operating systems (oldest version: 2016).
Reasons for migrating to the cloud
The following list is intended to represent a selection of possible reasons, but does not claim to be exhaustive:
- Growing storage requirements and associated storage costs
- Improved data availability (traditional file servers do not offer high availability features themselves and are therefore dependent on the underlying virtualization platform)
- End-of-life of the hardware used
- (Complete) replacement of local data centers
The second reason in particular is a typical problem with traditional file servers. Azure File Share is highly available by design and can be supplemented with Azure Backup to enable fast recovery.
Replacing traditional file shares with Azure File Share
Azure File Sync can also be used to perform migrations by first synchronizing the data from the local server and then removing it locally. And the best part is that nothing changes for users in terms of handling!
Azure File Share can be integrated into Active Directory, enabling native AD-based authentication so that users can access their file shares as before. Azure File Share now also supports native authentication using Entra ID, eliminating the need for Active Directory dependency!
Additional information
Official video: From on-premises to cloud with Azure File Sync - Windows Server Summit
Overview of all articles: Windows Server Summit in a nutshell
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