Once a company grows beyond a few people, files on someone's laptop and a USB stick are no longer enough. The main options are a network drive in the office (NAS), the Microsoft 365 cloud (SharePoint and OneDrive) or your own server. Each has strengths, and the right choice depends on how your people work.
Comparison
| NAS | SharePoint / OneDrive | Server | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | One-off purchase of the device and disks, disk replacements later | Monthly licence per user, storage included | Highest up-front cost, plus licences, power and maintenance |
| Remote access | Via VPN or the vendor's cloud service | From anywhere in the browser and apps | Via VPN |
| Backup | Must be solved separately (second device or cloud) | Built-in recycle bin and versions; separate backup for longer periods | Must be solved separately |
| Security | Depends on updates and configuration; exposing it to the internet is risky | MFA, conditional access, Microsoft's infrastructure | Full control, but also full responsibility |
| Sharing externally | Limited and awkward | Easy, with permissions and expiring links | Limited |
| Working offline | Works in the office | Only synced files | Works in the office |
| Large files (video, CAD) | Fast on the local network | Depends on the internet connection | Fast on the local network |
Typical recommendations
- Office work, 3–30 people, already on Microsoft 365: SharePoint for shared files (one site or library per department or project) and OneDrive for personal work files. No extra hardware needed.
- Many mobile or remote workers: the cloud is almost always better, because a NAS over VPN is slower and more cumbersome.
- Large files (design, video, architecture, photography): a NAS in the office for fast work, with the cloud or a second NAS for backup.
- Accounting or production software that needs a local database: a server or virtual server, as such software usually does not work properly from a synced folder.
- A strict requirement to keep data on your own premises: a NAS or server with proper backup and remote access via VPN.
Hybrid setups
Many companies are best served by a combination. For example, everyday documents in SharePoint, large media files on the office NAS, and the NAS backing itself up to the cloud overnight. Another common pattern is a server for the accounting software and everything else in Microsoft 365. What matters is that each type of file has one clear home and staff know where to put what.
Migration tips
- Clean up before moving. Leave old and duplicate files behind or archive them separately.
- Plan the structure and permissions. Do not copy the old folder tree one to one. In SharePoint several smaller libraries work better than one huge one.
- Check file names and path lengths. Very long paths and some special characters cause sync problems.
- Move in one go and agree a cut-over day. Afterwards make the old location read-only so nobody keeps saving there.
- Train staff on sharing files, OneDrive sync and how to find a previous version.
When to call a professional
If your files are currently scattered across several places, or the move involves accounting or other business-critical software, it is worth going through the plan with a specialist first. ITABIKS can help choose and set up the right solution and look after server and backup maintenance, phone +372 53 888 229.