Switching to SharePoint entails more than simply transferring all of your data to a cloud server: it’s a completely new browser-based environment linked to your company’s Microsoft 365 account. While this offers many new features and capabilities, it also has an impact on every aspect of file use, and collaborative task and effort that relies on direct access to a network file.
As an end-user, you’ll most likely notice changes. The navigation system is designed differently because you’re accessing via the cloud, and load times are going to be somewhat impacted. These variances are less likely to pose serious issues, but they’re still worth thinking about: Does a lag time of even 1-2 seconds have an effect on your workflow? Before you migrate, you should consider all of these factors.
What is a file server? (And what are the drawbacks?)
SharePoint Online is a cloud-based file storage and collaboration platform that allows users to share, manage and collaborate on documents in real-time. SharePoint Online differs from an on-premises file server in that it saves your files in the Microsoft cloud, whereas a file server normally stores them on your onsite network or in an offsite data center for enhanced protection.
Businesses have traditionally utilized on-premises file servers to allow employees to store and access data on a shared drive rather than on their own hard disks. While this was a significant advancement in business technology at the time, there are various disadvantages to having a shared drive, including duplicate documents, limited metadata, no ability for end-users to adjust permissions, and a lack of search options. As a result, a solution to boost both efficiency and productivity was required — Microsoft SharePoint.
Traditional file servers have gaps in collaboration; the files are frequently copied and duplicated, outdated versions are mistaken for the most recent rendition, and so on. All of these things stymie teamwork; they produce communication snafus and can seriously jeopardize the efficiency of the company’s work processes, impacting the bottom line of key knowledge worker efficiency.
It’s critical to plan your migration result by doing an assessment of your present source environment before you begin. What you learn will have an impact on your entire strategy and timeline, including:
a) The mapping between source and target systems, as well as the architecture of the target environment.
b) The quantity of data you’re migrating. Determine if the material is outdated, redundant, or still relevant.
Make user onboarding a part of your initial planning. Inform your users about the move and how it will affect them as soon as possible. Don’t put off preparing them for the change until go live.
How to Migrate from File Server to SharePoint Online?
Step 1: Do Your Homework First
Yes, there is an appeal to just pushing the Migrate button and informing your employer that you’ve done it, but one can’t migrate content without considering the information architecture, among other things. We couldn’t possibly express all that needed to be accomplished in a single paragraph. We have written a great deal about this in the past. At a high level, one must ensure that there is an understanding of how the envisioned SharePoint Information Architecture will function. Lastly, the sites, document libraries, and metadata need to be realized and surfaced for end-user utilization.
Additional Read
Step 2: Select and Configure a Migration Tool
There is a range of commercial 3rd party tools available for content migration. Selection of the appropriate tool depends on the content source, the volume of content, permissions needs, reporting needs, metadata tagging requirements, and budget. Reality Tech can provide strategic guidance to ensure the right tool is selected.
There is then the server sizing and configuration and license management of the migration tool.
Read More: https://reality-tech.com/how-to-migrate-file-server-to-sharepoint-online/