Introduction to SharePoint On-Prem
Architecture & Setup
Site Management
Lists & Libraries
Pages & Content
Permissions & Security
Search & Navigation
Automation & Workflows
Integration & Extensibility
Development & Customization
Administration & Governance
Migration & Upgrades
Compliance & Records Management
Pre-Migration Cleanup
Before SharePoint migration, one of the most important and often overlooked steps is pre-migration cleanup. A clean source environment results in a faster, more efficient, and more successful migration. Taking the time to prepare your data will save you a great deal of effort and time later.
The Importance of Cleanup
Migrating to a new SharePoint environment, whether on-premises or online, is an opportunity to start fresh. Simply moving every file, list, and site, including old, unused, and duplicate content, can lead to a messy and inefficient new environment. Cleaning up helps to:
- Reduce Migration Time: Less data to migrate means the process will be faster and less prone to errors.
- Lower Storage Costs: For migration to the cloud, removing unnecessary content directly reduces ongoing storage expenses.
- Improve User Experience: A cleaner, more organized site with relevant content is easier for users to navigate and use.
Key Cleanup Activities
There are several essential steps in a pre-migration cleanup. First, an organization should perform a detailed content audit to identify what content exists. Next, a company should implement a “ROT” content policy. This involves removing Redundant, Obsolete, and Trivial data, such as duplicate documents or old projects that are no longer needed. You should also check for any files with unsupported characters or file paths that are too long for the destination environment. Finally, it’s a good practice to reorganize sites and libraries to reflect a new, optimized information architecture.
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