Can I add an Azure File Share to a SharePoint/Teams site?

Question

I would like to add an Azure File Share to a SharePoint site used by a handful of my users. The issue is I have a SharePoint site that is using a great amount of storage space from our organization-shared SharePoint storage total:

Although I have set a limit for the site, I do not want that as my long-term solution. Ideally, I want the members of that site to use as much space as they need and be able to access their data on Teams. I know Teams allows users to attach a Cloud Storage service, but Azure File Share isn't an option:

To continue purchasing the SharePoint Extra Storage add-on would be an expensive option ($0.20/GiB), which I am currently using, as opposed to Azure File Share (~$0.06/GiB). I understand the total cost depends on the month's file transactions.

I have seen other questions asking to sync a SharePoint site to an Azure File Share, but I think that consumes twice amount of storage space (both in Azure and in SharePoint). If this is the case, then I do not want this solution.

I think I will need to move this site's data to Azure File Share regardless if it can be hosted on Teams, but I wanted to check: is it possible to attach an Azure File Share to a SharePoint/Teams site so that users can access the data via Teams?

Answer 1

@Dan Ortiz Currently we don't have support for attaching Azure File share to sharepoint or teams site. We have add this feature in our backlog

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Answer 2

Yes, it is possible to add an Azure File Share to a SharePoint/Teams site. However, it may require some additional setup and configuration.

Here are the high-level steps:

1. Create an Azure File Share in your Azure storage account.
2. Set up the appropriate permissions for the file share, such as granting access to the users who need to access the files.
3. Mount the Azure File Share as a network drive on the SharePoint server(s) or use a client tool to access the file share directly from the SharePoint server(s).
4. Add the mounted network drive or link to the client tool to your SharePoint site as a link or document library.
5. You can also create a Teams channel and add the file share as a tab within that channel.

It's important to note that when accessing files from an Azure File Share through SharePoint/Teams, the files will be downloaded to the user's device and stored locally. So while you may be able to save costs on storage, you may still need to consider bandwidth usage and potential limitations on device storage.

Additionally, as you mentioned, syncing SharePoint with Azure File Share may consume twice the amount of storage space, so it may not be the best solution for your needs.

Overall, adding an Azure File Share to SharePoint/Teams can be a viable option for reducing storage costs, but it may require some additional setup and considerations for user access and data management.