SharePoint migrations might be complex, especially if you're not an IT expert or a professional user. Whether migrating from SharePoint to SharePoint Online or simply restructuring site collections between tenants, the process involves detailed planning and precision.
Without a proper plan, migration might be confusing, so you must thoroughly understand what you're working with. You don’t need to worry about the hassle in SharePoint to SharePoint migration. This guide will provide a detailed strategy for stress-free migration from start to finish. Let’s get started now!!!
The Importance of Zero-Downtime in SharePoint Migrations
The zero downtime minimizes disruption, maintains productivity, and business operations during the migration process. Here are some points that indicate how downtime in SharePoint migration affects:
Disrupts team productivity.
Puts business operations at risk.
Increases the risk of data issues.
Disturbs user confidence and adoption.
Detailed Step-by-Step Plan for SharePoint to SharePoint Migration
Here is an effective strategy that will help you to avoid mistakes for a safe and smooth SharePoint migration:
Step 1. Understand Why You're Migrating
You must first understand its purpose while thinking about the SharePoint to SharePoint Online migration. Whether you’re managing old SharePoint or seeking to utilize Microsoft 365 features, understanding “why” will help you decide what is needed to migrate.
Step 2. Evaluate Your Current Environment
After understanding the purpose of the migration, you need to analyze the current SharePoint structure. It includes site collections, subsites, lists, libraries, workflows, custom permissions, and orphaned content or outdated pages. This analysis will visualize your SharePoint data, helping you identify what things you don't need in the new SharePoint environment.
Step 3. Choose Ideal SharePoint Migration Tools
Whether you’re a small business or a large firm, you should opt for a reliable SharePoint migration tool that fits your needs. You can use native tools like ShareGate, SPMT, or any trustworthy professional third-party SharePoint to SharePoint migration tool for a smooth and effective transition.
Step 4. Inform the users and partners
Communication is one of the most underrated parts of SharePoint migration. You should inform all your organization and department heads before the migration. For this, organize a few live sessions and Q&A so that they avoid panic when their file temporarily disappears.
Step 5. Do a pilot migration
Doing the trial SharePoint migration is the most critical part. So, don't jump straight to migrating everything. First, run a demo migration with low-risk data. After completion, test the tool’s efficiency, observe file structure and permissions, and collect feedback to ensure the effectiveness of data integrity.
Step 6. Schedule the entire SharePoint migration
Thoughtful planning for the entire SharePoint to SharePoint migration is also essential. For the same, you should choose migration during low-activity days. Moreover, migrate specific data and do incremental migration to maintain zero downtime.
Step 7. Do a post-migration cleanup
After migration, run validation reports to confirm everything migrated and collect feedback from each member and partner of the organization. Moreover, you should also clean up the old SharePoint environment accordingly.
Parameters to Choose an Ideal SharePoint Migration Tool
Opting for the best SharePoint migration is crucial because there are many, but you need a reliable one. So, below are a few features that you should look into in a migration tool for SharePoint:
Migrate SharePoint incrementally.
View and track real-time migration progress.
Supports bulk data migration without file size limitations.
Migrate data from SharePoint to SharePoint between tenants.
Allows migration from Teams to Teams and Planner to Planner.
Migrate selective data from SharePoint and other sources using multiple filters.
Migrate SharePoint site content & metadata, including documents, site assets, etc.
Summing Up
Now you know all the information about SharePoint to SharePoint Online migration, from the importance of zero downtime, a detailed migration plan, to the parameters of the ideal tool for SharePoint migration.
However, choosing a perfect SharePoint migration tool isn’t easy. In my opinion, I recommend the Kernel Migration for SharePoint tool. It has all the functionality and features that helped me migrate SharePoint to SharePoint Online smoothly, securely, and effortlessly.
Conveniently, it has a free trial version to test your SharePoint migration for free. Download today!!!
