NAS to replace SharePoint space

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Posted on by Sphynx2120

Hey

We currently use SharePoint to host all our artwork and print production files, however we are using far too much SharePoint storage (which we need). We use Tasks by Planner to move the artwork between departments, with a link to the individual SharePoint folder in the attachments. We would like a NAS to replace the SharePoint location, but still have a link on the individual task card which goes to the individual folder on the NAS - can this be done?

The company will not entertain the idea of purchasing more SharePoint storage, so any help in this would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

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11manish 1,953 on at

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Yes, you can link NAS folders to Planner tasks, but only if the NAS is exposed via a web-accessible URL (HTTPS).

Planner does not support traditional network paths like \NAS\folder.

The best approach is to configure your NAS with web access (e.g., via reverse proxy or built-in file portal) so each folder has a clickable URL.

Alternatively, a hybrid approach (SharePoint for active work, NAS for storage) or using Azure Files or a cloud-backed NAS solution provides a more scalable and integration-friendly architecture.

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Sphynx2120 39 on at

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Do you have any suggestions of an example of a cloud-based NAS that can replicate SharePoint at all?

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Valantis 4,814 on at

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Hi @Sphynx2120,

For large media and print production files specifically, a few options worth looking at:
Azure Blob Storage + Azure Files is the closest Microsoft-native path. Azure Files gives you proper folder structure, SMB access so your team can map it like a network drive, and each folder gets a URL you can paste into Planner tasks. Storage costs are significantly cheaper than SharePoint at scale for large binary files. The trade-off is it needs a bit of IT setup to configure access and permissions.

If you want something more turnkey without Azure expertise, Backblaze B2 paired with a tool like Mountain Duck or Cyberduck lets you mount cloud storage as a local drive, costs around $6/TB/month, and any file or folder gets a shareable URL. Not Microsoft-native but very common for creative/production teams with large file volumes.

OneDrive for Business is also worth checking before going outside Microsoft. If your organisation already has Microsoft 365 licences, OneDrive storage is separate from SharePoint storage quotas and you may have capacity there that isn't being used.
The key question for any of these is whether your team needs browser-based access to the files or just a link in the Planner task that opens a folder. If it's just the link, Azure Files or even a simple HTTPS-exposed NAS as 11manish suggested would do the job at a fraction of the SharePoint storage cost.

Best regards,

Valantis

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Sphynx2120 39 on at

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@Valantis thank you for your options, really insightful.

All of our internal teams that use tasks by planner enjoy the experience (even when Microsoft update it out of the blue) and we have automated due dates to each task based on our central database, so I need to keep as much as it is, including a link to a central place where all the files pertaining to that individual item are held.

Couple of questions:

Backblaze B2 - can the folders within this be created by Power Automate? I have a flow that managers create tasks using an excel file, where power automate takes each row and creates a SharePoint list entry and a Planner task, with the folder (currently in SharePoint) has a link on the List entry and on the planner task.

I have given the option of reducing down the SharePoint size overall and just upping the OneDrive size of a central service account we have (that runs all Power Automate flows from), am I right in thinking this would give the same output as creating a folder structure in SharePoint?

Do you have any examples of HTTPS NAS drives like 11manish suggested?

Cheers

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Valantis 4,814 on at

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Hi @Sphynx2120,

Backblaze B2 has no native Power Automate connector so folder creation from your flow isn't straightforward. That rules it out for your use case without custom HTTP development.

OneDrive via your service account is the easiest path by far. Storage is separate from SharePoint quotas, Power Automate has full native support for creating folders and generating shareable links, and your existing flow logic barely changes. Just confirm with IT how much storage the account has and whether it can be expanded.

For HTTPS NAS options, Synology and QNAP both have built-in web portals that expose folders via HTTPS out of the box. But neither has a Power Automate connector, so automated folder creation would need HTTP API calls, which means IT involvement.
Honestly the OneDrive route is what I'd go with in your situation. Least disruption, stays inside Microsoft, and the flow changes are minimal.

Best regards,

Valantis

✅ If this helped solve your issue, please Accept as Solution so others can find it quickly.

❤️ If it didn’t fully solve it but was still useful, please click “Yes” on “Was this reply helpful?” or leave a Like :).

🏷️ For follow-ups @Valantis.

📝 https://valantisond365.com/

💼 LinkedIn

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