Migration to SharePoint hints

[jmak]

We're already using O365 widely and want to now want to move some data for some departments to SharePoint. Dinner is fine servers that weren't originally in scope and some is on Dropbox which we no longer need to pay for as we have SharePoint now. Other than the SharePoint migration tool, what have you found to be the best (reliability/completeness is the key measure) to bulk move data?

 

So far I have tried

1) Open SharePoint document library and use the Upload function

2) Open both locations in File Explorer and use copy and paste

3) RClone

 

In all three methods I am finding that it misses a significant number of files unless I break it down into small chunks (up to 5GB seems ok, 20GB upwards seems to have issues).

 

I also have limited admin rights on the tenancy.

 

I have also used Winmerge to try and compare source and destination contents, but that seems to have errors too - it lists files in the destination that aren't in the source and sometimes does files as missing when they aren't.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Fox]

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointmigration/introducing-the-sharepoint-migration-tool

Works really well.

[dezt]

I have to agree with Fox, SharePoint Migration Tool is the thing for the job. I have been involved in migrating departmental data to SharePoint libraries from multiple schools using it.

[chaplic]

If you've got a lot of stuff in dropbox, goodsync might be a good option to avoid manually pulling files down for SPMT to get them

[jmak]

Thanks all. I've used the SPMT before in a previous job, but don't have access to it here because of the way the tenancy is managed - mostly a relief that it's not all my responsibility, but sometimes frustrating when I know features are available.

 

I'll have a look at Goodsync - thanks for the suggestion.

[jmak]

I came back to this today as I found someone else in the organisation using it. Turns out you don't need to be an admin of any kind on the M365 tenancy to use SPMT.

 

I installed it on a Windows client (along with .NET and visual C++redistributable) and as long as you have effort rights on the SharePoint library you're using as a destination you can use SPMT.

 

Everyone commenting earlier in the thread was right - it's easily the best tool I've used for migrating data to SharePoint.

[EssentialRug]

Think you can migrate Dropbox to SharePoint using Mover.io

[Bankesy]

So is SPMT just for moving existing onsite SharePoint to cloud SharePoint?

 

It's not the thing to use for moving data from onsite file servers to cloud SharePoint?

 

Just curious as we aren't far away from starting that journey and just happened to see the thread.

 

Thanks

[EssentialRug]

So is SPMT just for moving existing onsite SharePoint to cloud SharePoint?

 

It's not the thing to use for moving data from onsite file servers to cloud SharePoint?

 

Just curious as we aren't far away from starting that journey and just happened to see the thread.

 

Thanks

 

I haven't used it, but I'm pretty sure it can be used to migrate on site file shares to SharePoint.

[DaveTheTech]

I have used it to move file from an on site file server to SharePoint.

It was effortless.

[broadld]

I am just wondering when people are migrating shared areas over to Sharepoint. Do you have an all staff site and then individual department sites? To make setting permissions easier?

Or do you have different folders for departments and edit the permissions for these?

[Rob_D]

I am just wondering when people are migrating shared areas over to Sharepoint. Do you have an all staff site and then individual department sites? To make setting permissions easier?

Or do you have different folders for departments and edit the permissions for these?

 

We've gone for sites for each department, which I do think works well for us now, but there was a lot of set-up and there have been times when I wish we'd just gone for a single "shared area on sharepoint" site with folders.

It would have taken way less time as we'd have just duplicated the old shared area up into SharePoint, used a 3rd party mapping tool to make it show up as a drive in My Computer and called it a day (if we did it over a holiday and used the same drive letter, I reckon most staff wouldn't even know we'd done it).

As it stands, it's taken about a year to cajole all the different departments across, and we're still doing some tweaking (especially to the drive mappings).

 

 

What I'd originally wanted to do was give staff access to both onsite and SharePoint areas and just have them spend a year or so moving things as they needed them. But this really doesn't work.

[jmak]

When you run the tool, at the point you choose the source it offers file share, SharePoint or local folder.

 

The only issue I've come across this time that I hadn't noticed before is that you can only go two levels into the destination, ie SharePoint library/Documents/folder

 

Not an issue for us, just needs a bit of planning.

 

I've used it before and knew it was a good tool, but I had global admin rights on the tenancy last time I used it and thought I needed to be at least a SharePoint admin to use it.

[Bankesy]

@broadld @Rob_D

 

We took the 'sites for each department' approach in my last place (MAT) and will likely do the same again here (single site).

 

Thanks to everyone who answered my query.

[EssentialRug]

Just having a look at this again today. We previously used Mover to migrate SPO to SPO between tenants, but this option is no longer available. Found an article from Microsoft to say they are currently developing a SPO to SPO migration tool which is currently in preview. From what I read it looks as though you will have to purchase licenses for this.

 

Can anyone confirm this is the case, and there is currently no free method for migrating SPO to SPO?

[SenseiForlan]

While the SharePoint migration tool is a good option, there are also other third-party tools that you can consider and can be used also for migrating from SPO to SPO . Here are some suggestions:

- ShareGate is a popular third-party migration tool that can help you move your data to SharePoint Online. It has a user-friendly interface and offers a range of features, such as pre-migration analysis, bulk migration, and scheduling.

- Gs Richcopy 360 is as a migration tool for transferring data to SharePoint Online. It offers a wide range of features, including multi-threaded file transfer, real-time synchronization, and scheduling.

- Metalogix Content Matrix is another popular migration tool that can help you move data to SharePoint Online. It offers a range of features, such as content discovery, migration planning, and scheduling.

- AvePoint Migration Tool is a comprehensive migration tool that can help you move data from various sources to SharePoint Online. It offers a range of features, such as pre-migration analysis, scheduling, and reporting.

 

I hope my answer help you

[lewisburgess]

Seems Microsoft have shut out MATs/schools from using any tenant-to-tenant sharepoint migrations.

 

They've removed the ability to use Mover.io

Mover is now retired for all Admin led migrations. The ability to migrate from Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, and Egnyte has been fully integrated into Migration Manager. Tenant to tenant migration. Cross-tenant OneDrive migration is now available outside of Migration Manager. Learn more here: Cross-tenant OneDrive migration.

 

A cross tenant migration solution for SharePoint is currently being developed and in private preview. To learn more, see How to participate in the Cross-tenant SharePoint migration preview.

 

 

The Cross-tenant SharePoint migration page suggests a licence is now required, but having a chat with our Microsoft licensing provider, they are telling me that Microsoft will only provide this to enterprise, not education.

 

Therefore, I can only assume that the only way I've now got left to do a Sharepoint and OneDrive cross-tenant migration for a secondary school next week, is to purchase a 3rd party product/service.

 

Poor show from MS! Why remove the ability to use a cross-tenant tool before the new one is ready? Mover.io still allows from on-prem and 3rd party, it's just cross-tenant that is no longer possible for free (or even the ability to purchase a licence from MS).

Edited July 17, 2023 by lewisburgess

[EssentialRug]

Seems Microsoft have shut out MATs/schools from using any tenant-to-tenant sharepoint migrations.

 

They've removed the ability to use Mover.io

 

 

The Cross-tenant SharePoint migration page suggests a licence is now required, but having a chat with our Microsoft licensing provider, they are telling me that Microsoft will only provide this to enterprise, not education.

 

Therefore, I can only assume that the only way I've now got left to do a sharepoint and OneDrive cross-tenant migration for a secondary school next week, is to purchase a 3rd party product/service.

 

Poor show from MS!

 

That's really bad. We've relied on Mover to onboard new schools to our main tenant as and when they join us. Looks like we need to find extra funding for this now.

[lewisburgess]

It looks like OneDrive and SharePoint Tenant-to-Tenant migrations has been split out:

 

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/cross-tenant-onedrive-migration?view=o365-worldwide

 

But...

 

Licensing

Cross Tenant User Data Migration is available as an add-on to the following Microsoft 365 subscription plans for Enterprise Agreement customers. User licenses are per migration (onetime fee). Please contact your Microsoft account team for details.

 

Microsoft 365 Business Basic/Business Standard/Business Premium/F1/F3/E3/A3/E5/A5; Office 365 F3/E1/A1/E3/A3/E5/A5; Exchange Online; SharePoint Online; OneDrive for Business.

 

 

Double-but:

 

Our MS licensing provider says:

"We spoke with them about this on Friday, the cross tenant user data migration is only available for Enterprise Agreement customers now."

[Lil]

Thanks for providing this link, will make sure to check it out later. One other thing I have trouble dealing with are broken links during migrations, especially data migrations, that was one our biggest challenge. It would have taken ages to resolve, but thankfully, we discovered a tool called LinkFixer Advanced LinkFixer Advanced: Protects and Repairs File Links in Bulk! (linktek.com) , which helped us effectively safeguard our links

[Lilath]

Check possible Third-Party Options (Consider researching specific features and security), all can migrate between clouds directly :

Gs Richcopy 360

AvePoint

BitTitan

ShareGate