Does Microsoft offer a service to help migrate from an on-prem domain to an Azure domain, with storage?

Question

We are a Small Business 365 tenant of about 50 users with an on-prem file/print/dc server. I want to start researching moving my users from our domain to and Azure domain. These users will need to have as much transparency as possible. They primarily would want to see their shared drive in Windows Explorer (I:) like they do now. My fantasy would be they just start logging into their laptops using their 365 credentials and will be looking at the same thing they are used to seeing.

I don't employ many GPO's, they have only a few unique applications other the the ones 365 provides. One would be Salesforce. They use Quickbooks, but hosted elsewhere via an RDP connection. Anyway, I perceive it to be doable, with possibly the file mapping part. I would like to engage Microsoft for assistance to at least get one machine and user account over to demo to management.

Also, if anybody has done this, what do you think? Do you find it better or worse then on-prem? Pros and cons? Our server (2012) has reached EOL and I need to either get another one and migrate to it (2016? 2022?) or go in this direction.

Thanks for any advice.

Answer 1

Great questions! Azure Active Directory joined devices could be all you need depending on your requirements.

There are a few things to consider here when it comes to file shares.

Take a look into Azure File Shares and Azure File Sync - Sync can be used at least to get your data into the Azure File Shares.

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/storage/files

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/file-sync/file-sync-deployment-guide?tabs=azure-portal%2Cproactive-portal

What I've seen done as well, is files migrated from file servers into SharePoint and Teams. So for example, Finance team have a Microsoft Teams channel and their files are stored in the Files tab in teams, then files are synced to the device: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/sync-sharepoint-and-teams-files-with-your-computer-6de9ede8-5b6e-4503-80b2-6190f3354a88

Answer 2

Nice, this looks like a great start.

I may put this in a new thread, but I'm also looking at option 2 if Mgmt. doesn't like this.

That would be migrating the current server to a new machine running whatever is the latest OS I can use when migrating from Server 2012 standard (not R2). I can find charts re: upgrading on the same box, but not migrating. Would you have any pointers as to what that would be? 2016? 2022?. Again, newest is preferable.