Migrating t SharePint 2010 Dn t Upgrade Yur Mess by David Cleman Micrsft SharePint Server MVP April 2011 Phne: (610)-717-0413 Email: inf@metavistech.cm Website: www.metavistech.cm
Intrductin May 12 th 2011 marks the first anniversary f the release f SharePint 2010, but what has the uptake been fr the new platfrm? Mre imprtantly what are the best ptins fr migrating frm SharePint 2003 r SharePint 2007 t this latest versin? Glbal 360 carried ut a survey f 1700 individuals and rganizatins t find ut the depth f penetratin f the 2010 platfrm. As f January 2011, SharePint 2010 deplyments have caught up with its predecessr, SharePint 2007 (see Figure 1). January 2011 Glbal 360 Survey Results Cnsidering SharePint 4% Nt Cnsidering SharePint 1% Own SharePint 2003 and are using tday 4% Own SharePint 2007 and are using tday 43% Own SharePint 2010 and are using tday 44% Own SharePint but have nt deplyed 4% Figure 1 If yu are ne f the fur percent still using SharePint 2003 r ne f the 43 percent currently n 2007, what are yur ptins fr migratin? What are the lessns learned frm the 44 percent f cmpanies that already migrated? Befre migrating t SharePint 2010 there are a number f cnsideratins cmpanies need t take int accunt: SharePint 2010 is nly available in the 64 bit architecture 2010 requires Windws server 2008 SP2 r Server 2008 R2 A 64 bit versin f Micrsft SQL server is required, this includes: Micrsft SQL 2005 service pack 3; Micrsft SQL 2008 service pack 1; Micrsft SQL 2008 R2 In place upgrades require MOSS 2007 SP2 Organizatins need t check their 2007 envirnment (by ging t central admin Operatins Server in Farm) t cnfirm they are running at least versin 12.0.0.6421 Fr thse rganizatins running SharePint Prtal Server 2003 they will need t first upgrade t MOSS 2007 (Nte, yu will still be limited n upgrade ptins t SharePint 2010 because f the 64 bit perating system requirement) If running MOSS 2007 SP2, it is strngly recmmend that rganizatins run the stsadm preupgradecheck, this is a nne destructive check and will reprt back n prblems that yu will encunter with yur current 2007 envirnment during the upgrade prcess Run the preupgradecheck during ff peak hurs because it will place a lad n the servers Any custmizatins will need t be manually set up again Check any changes made t yur web.cnfig file 3 rd party webparts Custm clumns Any metadata changes yu have made Cntent types added Permissins
Migratin Optins Micrsft prvides limited ptins if yu are a SharePint 2003 user. Since 2003 des nt supprt 64 bit Windws, users have relied n third party migratin tls as the best way t mve t 2010. SharePint 2007 users can use the in place upgrade r database attached migratin strategies as lng as their SharePint 2007 was installed n a 64 bit versin f Windws server. Hwever, this may nt be the best (and mst viable) way t migrate. The biggest prblem with an in place upgrade and database attach migratin is the dwn time suffered. Fr an enterprise, this culd mean many hurs f dwntime. In additin, the in place upgrade is an all r nthing scenari all SharePint servers will need upgrading and nce started there is n way back! The database attach strategy is less risky fr enterprises as it allws rganizatins t set up a new 2010 SharePint farm and attach cntent databases. Hwever, all farm settings will need reapplying i.e. all permissins and any audiences will need setting and recreating as well as any previus custmizatins will als need re-setting up. With Office 365, cmpanies need t evaluate if they want t mve t an n-premise SharePint r a hsted SharePint r have bth n-premise sites and hsted sites. Office 365 includes a hsted versin f SharePint 2010 alng with Exchange 2010 and Lync making it an all in ne clud slutin fr many cmpanies. Fr rganizatins lking t mve t a hsted slutin, examining migratin ptins becmes a must. Bth the in place upgrade and database attach methds are nt supprted fr Office 365 and a third party migratin tl will be needed. Whether yur existing architecture supprts in-place upgrades r if yu have t mve t a new envirnment, SharePint 2010 prvides a gd pprtunity t rerganize stale cntent and take advantage f new SharePint 2010 features. Dn t just migrate yur SharePint mess t 2010 take the time t classify and rganize it by applying metadata tags r remving ld cntent, deleting multiple versins and archiving cntent. This will enhance yur use f SharePint 2010 by making cntent easier t search and gvern. Migratin Tls What Yu Need T Knw Fr many cmpanies, a SharePint migratin tl will be the best and mst cst effective way t migrate t SharePint 2010. Nt all migratin tls perfrm the same. When evaluating third party tls, rganizatins shuld cnsider: Is the migratin tl agentless r d yu need t install n yur SharePint servers? What are the supprt ptins? D yu have a size limit n what yu mve? Are yu migrating cntent t an nline SharePint ffering? Are yu mving cntent frm Exchange public flders? Are yu migrating cntent frm file shares? Can yu migrate cntent frm bth SharePint 2003 and 2007? D yu want t change the cntent type during the mve? D yu want a lng term tl t manage yur cntent r just a mve it nce?
MetaVis Migratr fr SharePint The gd news is that MetaVis Migratr ffers a cmplete migratin tl that can easily handle all f the scenaris listed abve including migrating t Office 365. Fr example, MetaVis Migratr des all the tasks needed t rerganize existing data int an efficient SharePint 2010 envirnment. During this prcess MetaVis Migratr allws yu t: split and merge sites; split and merge lists; change list lcatins and site hierarchies; replace cntent types fr SharePint items; enhance items metadata by intrducing new field values; and replace existing lkup, chice and string fields with SharePint 2010 managed metadata fields. It can d all this frm ne tl using a single Windws Explrer like wizard driven interface. With MetaVis Migratr, yu can migrate t SharePint 2010 r Office 365 frm: SharePint 2003 SharePint 2007 File Shares Exchange public flders Exchange mail bx BPOS and Other Hsted SharePint As a SharePint administratr and cnsultant, ne f the things I always take int cnsideratin is d I need t install agents n the server? Or des the migratin prduct use web services t perfrm all the tasks? MetaVis is unique; it is agentless and des nt require cmpnents t be installed n the server making it ideal fr migrating t 2010 r the clud. Fr example, with MetaVis Migratr rganizatins can run the install straight frm a Windws wrkstatin with nthing installed n the server side. If yu are using SharePint in the clud, it becmes extremely difficult t use third party tls that require server side installs. MetaVis Migratr has a five minute install with very little cnfiguratin - nly cnnect t the server frm a wrkstatin and yu are gd t g. While the prduct is extremely simple t use, it is als very rbust nt nly migrating cntent (sites, lists, etc), it als allws yu t classify r reclassify cntent as yu mve. Mre imprtantly, when Migratr is used as part f the MetaVis Suite, it becmes a full SharePint infrmatin architecture platfrm enabling rganizatins t design taxnmies and manage cntent. Mst imprtantly, MetaVis becmes tl used n a daily basis t maintain well rganized SharePint sites. MetaVis Migratr can be used t help with task management and becmes a critical part managing yur SharePint envirnment. Hw t Use MetaVis Migratr The interface f MetaVis Migratr is very clean, easy t navigate and analgus t Windws Explrer in its functinality, as yu can see frm the illustratin belw (See Figure 2).
Figure 2 The ease f use f MetaVis is phenmenal. It is as simple as right clicking n an bject r even an entire site and selecting cpy t migrate the site. The example belw demnstrates hw quickly yu can migrate a site (See Figure 3): Figure 3
Once yu right click and chse paste yu will be presented with a dialgue bx with 3 ptins (See Figure 4): Cpy Site t existing site The surce site will be cpied t an existing target site Cpy site t new site The surce site will be cpied as a sub-site f the target site Cpy/Prmte t new site cllectin The surce site will be cpied prmted t a new site cllectin Figure 4 Fr this example, we chse t cpy t a new site. Next, yu will be presented with sme advanced ptins: These are brken dwn int 4 sectins (See Figure 5) Site cpy ptins Cpy Cntent Types Cpy Sub Sites Cpy Site Permissins
Cpy Site Grups Cpy Web Parts Cpy Site Cllectin Features Cpy Features Cpy SharePint Designer Features Cpy Master Page Gallery List cpy ptins Cpy Lists and Libraries Cpy Versins Cpy All Versins Cpy Mst Recent Versins Cpy Permissins Cpy Views Cpy InfPath Cpy SPD Wrkflws Advanced ptins Apply Filter Re-Map Users Re-Map Site And List Templates Lk and feel ptins Cpy Title, Descriptin, Icn Cpy Navigatin Cpy Tree View Cpy Site Theme Cpy Master Page Settings Cpy Tp Link Bar Cpy Quick Launch Figure 5
Click next and finish. The cpy prcess will begin (See Figure 6) Figure 6 Once finished, yu will be able t view a lg file and brwse t yur migrated site. This has been an example f migrating sites frm SharePint 2007 t SharePint 2010 but as stated earlier it is just as easy t migrate yur dcuments t yur new site and als amend r add metadata during the prcess. MetaVis als allws yu t classify yur cntent as yu mve r cpy it int SharePint. This is a massive advantage allwing yu t change cntent types and tags as yu migrate cntent t SharePint 2010. This helps yu t rganize yur cntent. Yu can als bulk change after the migratin which yu cannt d with a vanilla SharePint install. Classify Cntent As Yu Migrate As yu migrate cntent t SharePint 2010, it is imprtant t remember why yu are implementing SharePint in the first place t imprve cllabratin and share and manage dcuments. If that is the case, rganizatins need t remember that rganizing cntent during migratin is just as imprtant as the migratin. 2010 ffers the pprtunity t include and add valuable metadata t yur cntent as yu mve. Nt all migratin strategies r third party tls preserve cntent integrity such as authrship, versin, etc. In many cases it requires ging back and manually entering the metadata tags which can be a time cnsuming prcess. MetaVis Migratr s pwerful features nt nly make it easy t migrate but it includes the MetaVis Classifier technlgy and allws users t maintain, change r add metadata tags as yu migrate. Belw is an illustratin f Classifier as yu start t migrate cntent with MetaVis (See Figure 7).
Figure 7 Yu can use predefined metadata frm yur SharePint farm as well use the NTFS flder structure as tags if yu are mving cntent frm file shares. MetaVis Infrmatin Architecture Platfrm MetaVis Migratr is part f the MetaVis Infrmatin Architecture Platfrm and makes it easy fr users t add the capabilities they need such file share, Exchange Public Flder r Outlk migratin as needed. This eliminates the need t multiple prducts. Migratr users can easily add the MetaVis Suite t prvide a cmplete set f tls fr designing, deplying, migrating and managing SharePint 2010, 2007, 2003, BPOS and Office 365 SharePint. The Suite includes metadata and migratin sftware t help design taxnmy structures, and mve and classify cntent in SharePint fr imprved site dcumentatin, search and navigatin. By leveraging the MetaVis Infrmatin Architecture Platfrm, the Suite prvides ne integrated user interface fr designing and managing SharePint. MetaVis supprts specific SharePint 2010 features such as Term Stres and Dcument Sets making it easier fr users t take full advantage f SharePint 2010 functinality and plan r execute a 2010 migratin strategy. The MetaVis Suite fr SharePint includes: MetaVis Architect a visual designer fr SharePint taxnmies t create, deply, cmpare, cpy and reuse SharePint site structures; MetaVis Classifier sftware t rganize SharePint cntent and its metadata thrugh bulk metadata tagging and placement; and
MetaVis Migratr an easy t use migratin tl fr SharePint t SharePint and File Share, Exchange r Outlk t SharePint migratins. MetaVis als understands that keeping SharePint cntent rganized can be a challenging prcess. Cntent and SharePint settings change frequently and are unavidable. Auditing, tracking and cntrlling these changes are essential in minimizing errrs and ensuring SharePint site cnsistency and gvernance. MetaVis ffers MetaVis Change Manager that prvides rganizatins with a cntrllable and repeatable way t autmate changes made between tw r mre SharePint envirnments. This gives rganizatins mre cntrl ver hw they administer changes t their SharePint envirnment. Mre imprtantly, Change Manager easily integrates with the Suite fr an integrated user interface. All f MetaVis prducts supprt SharePint 2010 and can be used ver and ver again helping yu t maintain and rganize/rerganize SharePint cntent as yur business requirements evlve. Abut the Authr: Dave Cleman is a Micrsft SharePint MVP and has spent 20 years wrking in the IT industry with the last 10 years fcusing n SharePint. He is a prlific blgger, writer and speaker n SharePint; yu can fllw him n Twitter @davecleman146. Abut MetaVis Technlgies: MetaVis (www.metavistech.cm) prvides sftware slutins t help rganize SharePint envirnments fr imprved search, findability and e-discvery. MetaVis takes the cmplexity ut f designing, deplying and managing cntent within SharePint by ffering reusable taxnmies, metadata management and migratin sftware and services. The benefit is an rganized SharePint envirnment that is easily understd and well dcumented. Dwnlad a free trial f MetaVis prducts at www.metavistech.cm/dwnlads.