Althought Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online is having its huge impact these days, some organizations are, believe it or not, still using SharePoint Server.
If you decide to keep using the on-prem version of SharePoint, you should absolutely consider moving to the latest version of SharePoint (currently SharePoint Server2019). Not only because of the support of new features like the Modern UI, but also because of the ending support of legacy versions of SharePoint.
The below table shows the current support lifecycle of the latest versions of SharePoint (for more details visit: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/search)
| Version | Mainstream support end date | Extended support end date |
|---|---|---|
| SharePoint Server 2010 Service Pack 2 | 10/13/2015 | 4/13/2021 |
| SharePoint Server 2013 Service Pack 1 | 4/10/2018 | 4/11/2023 |
| SharePoint Server 2016 | 7/13/2021 | 7/14/2026 |
| SharePoint Server 2019 | 1/9/2024 | 7/14/2026 |
As you can see from the table above, the support of SharePoint 2010 is very close to its due date (by the time of writing of this article). That’s why many companies are in a hurry of either upgrading their versions of SharePoint Server or switching to SharePoint Online.
Upgrading SharePoint Server
If you decide to upgrade your on-prem version of SharePoint, you need to be aware of the upgrade methods available. There are two overall methods you can select from in order to move from one version to another:
- Database migration
- Content migration
Database migration
Using a database migration strategy is the 1:1 migration strategy where you actually backup SharePoint SQL databases in your source version and restore and upgrade them in the next available version of SharePoint. This approach is fine if you want to keep content and permissions as is, but using this strategy can also create more unexpected issues on its way.
Here are some key elements that you should be aware of:
- You can only upgrade databases from one major version of SharePoint Server to the next major version available. So if you want to upgrade from 2010 to 2019, you have to follow this database upgrade path: 2010->2013->2016->2019.
- If your current version of SharePoint Server has custom applications (e.g. WSP packages) installed. These customizations probably need to be upgraded to support the new version as well.
- Older versions may use older versions of authentication. Thus, your databases probably need to be upgraded from Classic Mode (Windows) authentication to Claims Based Authentication which is standard from SP 2013.
Content migration
By using the content migration strategy you simply copy the content from one version of SharePoint Server to another either by manual copy/paste or by using a content migration tool or custom script.
Using a 3rd party migration tool can help you automate the process of moving large number of files, and some tools even copy file versions and permissions for you. Some tools also support migrating from SharePoint On-Premises to SharePoint Online.
The benefit of using this strategy is that you can migrate directly from one version of SharePoint server to another without having to go through each version of SharePoint.
The downside though, is that you need a more thorough migration plan. Below are some key subjects to consider:
- Should you perform a clean up of data before migration?
- Do you want to copy the exact information architecture from your current version to the new version? If not, you need to create a mapping strategy.
- How will you handle permissions and data for users that are no longer in the organization? Some migration tools provides the ability to replace orphaned users with active users.
Migration strategy
No matter which of the above migration approaches you select, make sure to always have a migration strategy in place where you explain details about how content and permissions will be handled.
Available tools
You can find several 3rd party tools available on the market to help you with your content migration. Some of them are free or can be downloaded with a trial license and some requires a paid license.
Examples:
- Microsoft Migration Tool – Link (Free)
- ShareGate – https://sharegate.com (Paid)
- AvePoint – https://www.avepoint.com (Paid)