| Dimension | Azure Files (SMB) | Azure Blob / ADLS Gen2 | Migrate to SharePoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protocol | SMB | HTTP(S) / REST | SharePoint APIs |
| Best for | Lift‑and‑shift file shares | Web‑scale storage & media | Collaboration + Microsoft 365 |
| Identity | AD DS/Azure AD for SMB | SAS / Azure AD | AAD + SharePoint permissions |
| Search indexing in SharePoint | No (unless copied) | No (unless copied) | Yes |
| Costs at TB‑scale | Medium | Low (hot/cool tiers) | High (SPO storage pricing) |
| SharePoint UX | Indirect | Direct via BlobBridge | Native |
| Duplication risk | Low | None (surfaced) | High (versions) |
If you need SharePoint’s interface without migrating data, use BlobBridge.