SharePoint vs OneDrive vs Azure – What should you choose for your business?

You may be aware of some of the different Microsoft solutions available to support your business, including SharePoint, OneDrive and Microsoft Azure, but which is best for your needs? Here we explore the differences between them to help you understand the benefits.

It’s our job at Extech Cloud to setup the most appropriate solution for your business network and file sharing, whether it’s a straightforward OneDrive implementation, SharePoint or Azure.

What are SharePoint, OneDrive and Microsoft Aure?

SharePoint is predominantly an online document management system, collaboration platform and communication site. OneDrive is a cloud storage solution (an online cabinet for storing documents or files) that can sit on top of SharePoint or independently. Both feature rock-solid data security at a level considered much higher than an on-premises server. Azure is a more complex solution, typically for larger businesses.

Save and share files with ease, using Microsoft OneDrive

OneDrive allows you to save all your photos/files and quickly access them from any device regardless of your location.

OneDrive allows users to consistently collaborate with the people they choose to share their files with. So, if some of your business partners or remote employees are abroad, you can still share files with them and avoid the hassle of dealing with USB drives, on-premise network (VPS) and large email attachments—you send a full OneDrive link through email or text. Furthermore, files on OneDrive are always encrypted.

OneDrive is also a reliable platform for versioning and sharing work projects as other users can also comment and offer suggestions on your documents when using OneDrive. And with the roll-back functionality, you can rest assured that you can retrieve files anytime if you delete or corrupt them accidentally.

Extech Cloud helps businesses in the Southeast of the UK setup their OneDrive environment securely in the cloud and ensures each device is syncing correctly. We take care of optimising the implementation and cyber security settings to ensure continual safety of your documents.

Facilitate remote and hybrid working with Microsoft SharePoint

SharePoint enables employees to collaborate remotely through an internal site accessible from any mobile device or computer.

OneDrive sits inside of SharePoint, but in addition to what OneDrive offers, SharePoint is more like an intranet allowing users to seamlessly share workflows, apps, news, vital resources, and files with other users. The tool runs on the cloud, which means that teams can create, store, modify, and share files with others from anywhere, anytime.

SharePoint is considered a shared company drive, like your old on-premise network, but it’s possible to add user access levels which means that only certain users on your team can access specific resources or files on your account. In addition, the tool has a unique quarantining feature designed to detect infected data and section it off so that it doesn’t spread to all your company data.

SharePoint also comes with roll-back functionality and encryptions, just like OneDrive. Besides, you can integrate your SharePoint with Microsoft Teams to create an intranet for sharing files via the Teams collaborative feature for more collaboration.

Be secure, compliant and accessible with Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure is a more complex cloud-based platform designed for mid-to-larger-sized enterprises. By moving to Microsoft Azure, your business can boost performance, save money, scale easily and optimise uptime.

Azure liberates your business by removing the need to keep investing in bulky servers every 5 years, comms rooms, and the systems and staff that may be required to maintain them. IT therefore becomes an OPEX, not a CAPEX, keeping server costs off the balance sheet. With no servers onsite, power bills will also come down.

Extech Cloud is a Microsoft Azure specialist, and we can help implement Azure seamlessly.

 Get in touch with Extech Cloud

Not sure which is right for your business? Here at Extech Cloud we can set you up with the solution that works for you and your people, contact us today to see how we can support your business needs.