I’m working on a project that stores files in Azure Blob Storage. The problem is, Azure doesn’t have built-in tools for viewing, editing, or sharing these documents online. I was wondering if it’s possible to use a third-party service like Google Docs to work with the files stored in Azure.
Here’s what I’m trying to do:
- Upload files to Azure Blob Storage
- Open and edit these files using an online document editor
- Share the documents with others
Has anyone tried something like this before? What challenges might I face? Are there any alternatives to Google Docs that might work better with Azure?
I’m new to cloud storage and document collaboration, so any advice would be really helpful. Thanks!
hey luna, i’ve messed with this before. check out zoho docs - it integrates pretty well with azure blob storage. you can view/edit files directly and even collaborate. might be worth a shot if google docs isn’t working out. just watch out for api limits and make sure your security is tight!
I’ve tackled a similar challenge in the past, and it’s definitely doable to integrate Azure Blob Storage with third-party document editing services. One solution that worked well for me was using Microsoft’s own Office Online Server (OOS) in conjunction with Azure.
Here’s how it worked:
We set up OOS on our own servers, which allowed us to view and edit Office documents stored in Azure Blob Storage. The integration was smoother than trying to use Google Docs, especially given the Microsoft-to-Microsoft connection.
For sharing, we implemented a custom web interface that generated time-limited SAS tokens for Azure blobs. This allowed secure, temporary access to specific documents without exposing our entire storage.
The main challenges were initial setup complexity and ensuring proper security measures. It required some dev work, but the end result was a seamless experience for users.
If you’re set on using Google Docs, you might need to implement a syncing mechanism between Azure and Google Drive. This adds complexity but could work if your users are more familiar with Google’s ecosystem.
Hope this helps point you in the right direction!
Having worked on a similar project, I can recommend looking into Microsoft Power Apps for your needs. It offers seamless integration with Azure Blob Storage and provides built-in document viewing and editing capabilities. You can create a custom app that allows users to access, edit, and share documents stored in Azure.
Power Apps also supports collaborative features and version control. The learning curve can be steep initially, but it’s well-documented and has a strong community support. One potential drawback is cost, as it requires additional licensing.
For sharing, you can implement Azure AD B2C for secure authentication and access control. This ensures only authorized users can view or edit specific documents.
Remember to consider data residency and compliance requirements when choosing your solution, especially if dealing with sensitive information.