As companies grow across multiple offices, one challenge becomes constant: how do we securely share files between teams in different locations without creating chaos?
If your teams rely on emailing attachments, USB drives, or disconnected local servers, it’s time to modernize your shared file storage strategy.
In this post, we move beyond individual virtual machines to build a Single Source of Truth using Azure Files.
The Architecture: Launching Your Shared Drive
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 is it unique.
- Set the Performance to Premium, set the _ Premium account type_ to File shares, set the Redundancy to Zone-redundant storage and click Review + create and then create.
- Wait for Deplyment to complete then click Go to resource.
2. Create and configure a file share with directory for the corporate office.
- Search for Data storage and select File shares in the storage account. Then select + File share
- Give a Name, review the other options, stick to default then select Create once the validation is passed.
- Select + Add directory, give a name and press OK
- Select Browse then finance
- Notice you can Add directory to further organize your file share but click Upload, select Browse for file and then press Upload.
3. Configure and test snapshots: Protect against accidental deletion of files
- In the Operations section, select the Snapshots blade and select + Add snapshot. The comment is optional so select OK.
- Select your snapshot and verify your file directory and uploaded file that are included in it.
Practice using snapshots to restore a file by:
- Clicking ob Browse, then select the file icon, then select the context menu, select delete and click Yes.
- To restore, navigate through the snapshots, select the file and click restore, then overwrite name, then OK. Then your file will be back where it was deleted.
4. Configure restricting storage access to selected virtual networks.
In the search bar, search for and select Virtual networks.
Select + create
- Select your resource group from the drop down.
- 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 Subnets and then select the Default subnet.
- In the Service endpoints section choose Microsoft.Storage in the Services drop-down, keep other default settings and click Save.
- Return to files storage account. Search and select for Networking In the Security + networking section. Then click Manage under Public network access.
- Under the Public network access, Enable from selected networks, then under Virtual Networks, select + Add a virtual network and Add existing virtual network. Then select your virtual network and subnet, select Add and be sure to Save your changes.
- Then select the Storage browser and navigate to your File shares and select office.
- Verify the prompt message "This request is not authorized to perform this operation".
Summary
Providing shared storage isn't just about "saving files"—it's about Unified Collaboration. By moving to Azure Files, you eliminate physical boundaries, allowing your teams to work as one, regardless of where they are sitting.
Top comments (1)
Welldone!