Provide shared file storage for the company offices

How to Provide Shared File Storage for Company Offices Using Azure Storage Accounts

In today's hybrid and distributed work environments, cross-office collaboration depends on seamless access to shared files. Be it performance reports, design assets, or sensitive documents, companies need a centralized, secure, and scalable solution.

Microsoft Azure delivers exactly that with its Storage Account service. In this guide, you’ll learn how to provide secure shared storage across locations using Azure Files—ideal for IT teams, finance departments, and growing organizations.

Why Shared Storage Matters?

Fragmented storage systems can lead to:

• Confusing version control
• Security risks with unauthorized access
• Slower file access for remote teams
• Data silos between departments

With centralized shared file storage, teams can collaborate seamlessly with real-time access, consistent backups, and strong access controls.

Azure Storage Account

An Azure Storage Account is a scalable cloud-based container for storing all kinds of data—files, blobs, queues, tables, and more. It's designed to handle massive workloads with high availability and security.

Key Features of Azure Storage Account

Feature	Description
Blob & File Storage	Store and retrieve unstructured data including documents, media, backups.
Replication Options	Locally redundant (LRS), zone-redundant (ZRS), and geo-redundant storage (GRS).
Access Control	Role-based access, shared access signatures (SAS), and network restrictions.
Cost Efficiency	Pay-as-you-go pricing and lifecycle management to optimize storage usage.
Scalability	Automatically scales to accommodate increasing data volumes.
Integration	Seamless integration with Azure Active Directory and other Microsoft services.

Setting Up Shared File Storage Across Offices

Here’s a simple strategy for setting up shared file storage using Azure:

Create and configure a storage account for Azure Files.

1. Create a storage account for the finance department’s shared files.

• In the portal, search for and select Storage accounts.
• Select + Create.
• For Resource group select Create new. Give your resource group a name and select OK to save your changes, Provide a Storage account name, Ensure the name meets the naming requirements.
• Set the Performance to Premium, Set the Premium account type to File shares, Set the Redundancy to Zone-redundant storage, Select Review and then Create the storage account.
• Wait for the resource to deploy, Select Go to resource.

Create and configure a file share with directory.

1. Create a file share for the corporate office.

• In the storage account, in the Data storage section, select the File shares blade.
• Select + File share and provide a Name.
• Review the other options, but take the defaults, Select Create.

2. Add a directory to the file share for the finance department. For future testing, upload a file.

• Select your file share and select + Add directory.
• Name the new directory finance.
• Select Browse and then select the finance directory. Notice you can Add directory to further organize your file share.
• Upload a file of your choosing.

Configure and test snapshots.

1. Similar to blob storage, you need to protect against accidental deletion of files. You decide to use snapshots.

• Select your file share, In the Operations section, select the Snapshots blade.
• Select + Add snapshot. The comment is optional. Select OK.
• Select your snapshot and verify your file directory and uploaded file are included.

2. Practice using snapshots to restore a file.

• Return to your file share.
• Browse to your file directory.
• Locate your uploaded file and in the Properties pane select Delete. Select Yes to confirm the deletion.
• Select the Snapshots blade and then select your snapshot.
• Navigate to the file you want to restore, Select the file and the select Restore.
• Provide a Restored file name.
• Verify your file directory has the restored file.

Configure restricting storage access to selected virtual networks.

1. This tasks in this section require a virtual network with subnet. In a production environment these resources would already be created.

• Search for and select Virtual networks.
• Select Create. Select your resource group. and give the virtual network a name. Take the defaults for other parameters, select Review + create, and then Create.

• Wait for the resource to deploy, Select Go to resource.
  

• In the Settings section, select the Subnets blade.
  

• In the Service endpoints section choose Microsoft.Storage in the Services drop-down.
  
  
  Do not make any other changes.

• Be sure to Save your changes.
  

2. The storage account should only be accessed from the virtual network you just created.

• Return to your files storage account.
• In the Security + networking section, select the Networking blade, Change the Public network access to Enabled from selected virtual networks and IP addresses, In the Virtual networks section, select Add existing virtual network, Select your virtual network and subnet, select Add.

• Be sure to Save your changes.
• Select the Storage browser and navigate to your file share.
• Verify the message not authorized to perform this operation. You are not connecting from the virtual network.

Final Thoughts

Azure Files offers a reliable, secure way to host shared corporate files across distributed teams. With premium performance, built-in snapshot recovery, and network restrictions, your organization can collaborate safely—without sacrificing flexibility or control.

Whether you’re supporting the finance department, onboarding new branches, or migrating from legacy file servers, Azure makes enterprise-grade file sharing simple.

Written by Oluwanifesimi — Cloud & DevOps learner streamlining teamwork with secure infrastructure.