Migrate SharePoint On-Premise to Online [Top 2 Solution]
Microsoft’s SharePoint has a huge user base and it keeps on increasing regularly. As you may already be aware the division of SharePoint users across both on-premise and cloud versions of SharePoint. While SharePoint on-premise is also enhancing organizational collaboration, it has various limitations that make it incomparable to SharePoint Online. As a result, most organizations have already moved to the cloud, with only a few left behind. If you are still using the SharePoint on-premise and want to move to the cloud, this write-up is for you. Here you will find the different methods to migrate SharePoint on-premise to Online.
Table of Content
Here we will discuss PowerShell commands and the SPMT tool to perform SharePoint on-premise to Online migration. So, let’s get started.
Difference Between SharePoint On-Premise and Online
Explore the key differences between SharePoint on-premise and Online.
| Aspect | SharePoint On-Premise | SharePoint Online |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Hosted on the organization’s local servers. | Hosted on Microsoft’s cloud server. |
| Cost Structure | High expenses while managing the hardware and licenses. | Offers the subscription-based pricing according to M365 plans. |
| Maintenance | Hosted Organization need to appoint their own IT staff for updates and troubleshooting. | SharePoint Online is managed by Microsoft’s IT team. |
| Storage | It can be scaled as per requirement by adding manual storage. | Need to pay extra amount for subscribing other storage plans. |
| Accessibility | Limited to the organization’s internal network (VPN required). | Accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. |
| Features and Updates | IT Team needs to send updates. | Automatic and regular updates with new features. |
| Customization | Offers complete control to customize the SharePoint. | Limited control over the SharePoint Online customizations. |
Reasons for Moving from SharePoint On-Premise Server to Online
There are multiple reasons posted on the Internet in search of the best solution to migrate SharePoint on-premise to SharePoint Online. Let’s go through the reasons.
- One main reason to migrate is accessibility; on-premise SharePoint, you can access it only in the environment where all servers are installed. However, online, you can access it from any system at any time.
- Another reason to migrate is the limited collaboration functionality available on-premise. While in Online SharePoint, you can collaborate effectively and integrate with third-party tools easily.
- Many users posted that they needed to migrate because of their low investment. Whereas to set up on-premise SharePoint, you need a high investment for server installation.
- One more reason to migrate to an online environment is automatic updates, while on-premise SharePoint requires you to set up a particular team to check and perform updates.
- Online SharePoint also provides features like physical security, data mining protection, multi-factor authentication, and regular backups.
Best Methods for Migrating SharePoint On-Premise to Online
There are different methods for migrating SharePoint from on-premise to online, such as the manual method using PowerShell and the SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) provided by Microsoft. Although both methods can help you to perform SharePoint on-premise to Online migration. But after getting a clear picture of both methods, you can decide which method will be more suitable for you. So, let’s discuss each one in detail.
What are the Prerequisites for SharePoint Migration?
Before performing any method for SharePoint migration, it is necessary to understand and check the pre-requirements for a smooth and error-free process. Let’s check everything you need to perform a SharePoint migration.
- Make a list of all users who are ready to migrate to the SharePoint Online version.
- Collect and maintain all types of data, such as sites, libraries, lists, documents, workflows, and other essential files, and their sizes.
- Check if any file is corrupted and check all the permissions, roles, and security settings in an existing environment to grant permission once they have migrated.
- Check the Microsoft plan and its compatibility with your existing on-premise SharePoint data.
- Most importantly, backup your on-premise SharePoint data before migration to prevent data loss issues.
- You’ll also need to check on any customizations or third-party integrations in your current system.
Migrate SharePoint On-Premise to Online Using PowerShell Cmdlet
- Step 1: Download and install SharePoint Online Management Shell. Once it is installed, select Run as Administrator.
- Step 2: To set up your working directory, you need to create two empty folders: Temporary Package Folder and Final Package Folder.
- Step 3: Open the SharePoint Online Management Shell. Run the following commands and fill in all the required details in ‘’.
$cred = (Get-Credential ‘admin_username’)
$sourceFiles = ‘enter the directory location of the package’s source content files’’
$sourcePackage = ‘enter your temporary package folder’
$targetPackage = ‘enter your final package folder’
$targetWeb = ‘enter the URL of your destination Web’
$targetDocLib = ‘Path to your destination library’
- Step 4: Create a new migration package from a file share, follow the below command for this step, and fill in all the details according to your system.
New-SPOMigrationPackage -SourceFilesPath $sourceFiles -OutputPackagePath $sourcePackage -TargetWebUrl $targetWeb -TargetDocumentLibraryPath $targetDocLib
- Step 5: Convert the SML-generated content package for your target site.
$finalPackages = ConvertTo-SPOMigrationTargetedPackage -ParallelImport -SourceFilesPath $sourceFiles -SourcePackagePath $sourcePackage -OutputPackagePath $targetPackage -Credentials $cred -TargetWebUrl $targetWeb -TargetDocumentLibraryPath $targetDocLib
- Step 6: Submit package data to create a new migration job.
$jobs = $finalPackages | % {Invoke-SPOMigrationEncryptUploadSubmit -SourceFilesPath $_.FilesDirectory.FullName -SourcePackagePath $_.PackageDirectory.FullName -Credentials $cred -TargetWebUrl $targetWeb}
After completing all six steps, the migration of your SharePoint on-premise data to Online will start. Performing the migration with the above method required technical knowledge as well as command-line skills. If you feel the above steps are daunting to perform, then check out the next method, which is the SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT).
Microsoft SPMT for Transferring SharePoint from On-premise to Cloud
Follow the below steps of SPMT to perform SharePoint on-premise to Online migration.
- Step 1: Download and install the SharePoint Migration Tool and ensure you have global or SharePoint admin credentials.
- Step 2: Create a new Migration project; for that, select the “New” option and specify the source and destination.
- Step 3: Choose any one type from the list of four different types of migration that are available for SharePoint migration with the tool.
-
- SharePoint site with or without subsites
- List and document-type libraries
- SharePoint workflows
- Bulk migration using a JSON or CSV file
- Step 4: Enter the location of the SharePoint file stored in your system. Also, review and adjust settings such as permissions, custom scripts, and proxy connections.
- Step 5: Click “Add new migration” in SPMT. Follow the prompts to select the source and destination.
- Step 6: Monitor the migration progress and verify the results.
WalkAround
All these methods are used based on your data and your existing environment. Using a manual method for migration gives you full control but it takes time according to the size of the data. SPMT is free to use and excellent for small and simple file migration with easy steps but for complex migration, SPMT is not suitable.
These are all the methods and reasons to migrate SharePoint from on-premise to online, which can be used by the administrator as per the requirements. But what if the organization is already working on SharePoint Online and needs to shift to another tenant because of merging and acquiring with the other organization?
Do not worry! The Migrator Wizard SharePoint Online Migration Tool is one of the best tools for performing SharePoint tenant to tenant migration. This tool is recommended by the SharePoint administrators for an efficient process. This tool can migrate the list and document libraries without affecting the folder hierarchy. Moreover, a smart date-based filter is also incorporated into the tool to specify the data.
Let’s Conclude
There are different methods available on the market for SharePoint migration. Due to this, most of the time the user migrates SharePoint data with unsuitable methods and later faces data loss risks. That’s why this blog contains all the details required for migrating SharePoint on-premise to Online. Now you can pick the right one as per the organization’s requirements.
FAQ
Q Is SharePoint List and Document Library different?
Yes, both are different in SharePoint. The list contains data such as dates, numbers, and text to manage contacts, events, and inventory. The Document Library contains documents, PDFs, PPTs, and attachments.
Q What are the steps in SharePoint tenant-to-tenant migration?
- Launch the software and choose Office 365 as the source and destination.
- Under the Workload section, select all the data fields you want to migrate and apply date filters according to your preference.
- Login with valid Office 365 admin credentials and validate the credentials at the source and destination.
- Map your source to the destination site by using three options: fetch site, import site, and download template.
- Click the Migration button by choosing the type of migration.
Q What are the operating system requirements to set up on-premise SharePoint?
To setup SharePoint on-premise, you need to install Windows Server 2012 R2, .NET Framework 4.5.2 or higher, and SQL Server 2014 or higher.