Strategies for SMBs to Plan Microsoft Tenant to Tenant Migrations
Since Microsoft 365 tenant to tenant migrations are multi-faceted, SMBs and their IT team must evaluate the comprehensiveness of the project, including migration of each drive and app under the source tenant, and plan accordingly. And when planning the migration of the drives and other apps of the source tenant, it is crucial to understand the intricacies of each, such as sharing structure, external collaboration, and more.
To help gain and consolidate insights into strategizing a Microsoft tenant to tenant migration of a small or medium scale, we have shared the approaches that have worked for our customers.
Choose a One-Stop Migration Solutions Partner for SMBs
Migrating from a source Microsoft 365 tenant often involves transferring data across multiple workloads, including OneDrive, SharePoint Online, Outlook, Teams, Calendar, and more. Managing each of these migrations separately can be time-consuming and risky. Instead, it’s best to partner with an end-to-end Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration solutions provider capable of handling all migration requirements under one roof.
With this approach, you can streamline the process of onboarding the migration vendor without facing the complexities of working with multiple vendors, such as reviewing and amending the migration and security policies of multiple migration service providers.
At CloudFuze, we deliver a all-in-one Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration solution for SMBs that enables full-fidelity data transfer for every app and service. This helps them to migrate seamlessly, securely, and without downtime.
Focus on Taking a Granular Approach During the Planning Stage
Taking a granular approach is key when it comes to planning Microsoft 365 tenant migrations. It can be easy to overlook the intricacies of sharing structure and file/folder properties when considering migrating the high-volume data of all apps across the source Microsoft 365 tenant.
Perform a comprehensive analysis of the source Microsoft 365 tenant’s drives and apps to plan the exact migration scope. Plan to retain all user account properties, permissions, and metadata to ensure data integrity in the target tenant.
- OneDrive in the source Microsoft 365 tenant – Assess and finalize the files and folders of the user’s accounts to migrate.
- SharePoint Online in the source Microsoft 365 tenant – Replicate the Team and Communication Sites in the target tenant with custom CSV mapping to preserve site structures and permissions.
- Microsoft Teams in the source Microsoft 365 tenant – Retain memberships and finalize the migration of group and direct messages between individual users and their teams.
- Outlook in the source Microsoft 365 tenant – Evaluate the mailboxes to migrate and take decisions which emails, attachments, and properties (e.g., timestamps, read/unread status) should be migrated to the target environment.
Check for the Scope of Partnerships with Microsoft
In almost all types of cloud office migrations, including Microsoft tenant to tenant migrations, working with the adoption enablers of the target cloud helps SMBs get additional assistance. But in many cases, developing strategic partnerships with the Microsoft 365 teams within a short timeframe may not be feasible. An efficient alternative to this is to leverage the migration provider’s Microsoft partnership.
At CloudFuze, we are a Microsoft Gold Partner. With our strategic partnership, SMBs can benefit from priority technical support and resources through our close collaboration with Microsoft.
This partnership allows us to streamline the migration process, quickly resolve technical roadblocks, and ensure a smoother, faster transition between tenants with zero downtime. You can learn about one such case study here.
How Does CloudFuze Simplify Tenant-To-Tenant Migration for SMBs
For SMBs planning Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migrations, we at CloudFuze offer a custom, enterprise-grade migration solution that addresses the unique needs and challenges SMBs face:
- Migrates all Microsoft 365 content types important to SMBs including OneDrive files, SharePoint Online sites, Teams chat and channels and more so no data is lost during migration.
- Preserves file and folder permissions, sharing settings, timestamps, version history and external sharing links which is critical for SMBs to maintain secure and functional collaboration post-migration.
- Handles API throttling, long folder paths, unsupported characters and 100% data replication.
- Migrate your tenants in batches or workloads to reduce risk and avoid API throttling, perfect for limited IT resources.
- Supports enterprise-grade security like RSA-2048 encryption, ISO 27001 and GDPR compliance to protect your data. It is especially important for SMBs with sensitive data.
- Get access to migration experts and a dedicated migration manager to help through planning, execution, validation and post-migration phases to help SMBs with limited IT staff to overcome technical challenges.
- Auto or manual user mapping (CSV options) for accuracy and customizations to fit your organization needs.
- Centralized dashboard with real-time tracking, pre- and post-migration reporting and dedicated migration managers for support.
- Delta migration allows continuous syncing of incremental changes after the initial one-time migration.
- Fully managed migration services covering planning, execution, validation and compliance reporting for a smooth migration experience.
We offer SMBs a secure, efficient and manageable tenant-to-tenant migration experience with features to eliminate disruptions and preserve data integrity during migration.
Effective Strategies for SMBs to Plan Microsoft Tenant-to-Tenant Migrations
Planning and following these Microsoft tenant-to-tenant migration strategies will help SMBs to eliminate disruption and ensure a smooth transition.
1. Scoping and Assessment
First, understand the business drivers for the migration, whether it’s a merger, acquisition, compliance, or organizational restructuring.
Make an inventory of all assets, users, groups, mailboxes, SharePoint sites, Teams, applications, and integrations in the source tenant. Decide on the migration approach. Phased migrations are safer for SMBs. It is less disruptive and more manageable.
2. Pre-Migration
With pre-scan, SMBs need to identify the risks or security vulnerabilities and develop strategies to mitigate them.
For this, clean up unused accounts, outdated data, and unnecessary permissions to avoid transferring irrelevant content. Review and update security and sharing settings to ensure only valid permissions are carried forward.
At CloudFuze, we help SMBs with this stage by providing a migration platform that matches your data size and complexity, with secure, accurate, and fast transfers.
3. Prepare
Set up the target tenant by preparing configurations, domains, licenses, and policies in advance.
If moving custom domains, plan their removal and addition carefully, as domains can’t exist in two tenants at the same time. Migrate user identities first, map accounts accurately, and ensure authentication is set up and tested.
We guide SMBs through each of these steps. It keeps stakeholders and end-users informed of timelines, changes, and expected impact to minimize workflow disruption.
4. Execute
Execute the migration of mailboxes, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and other workloads using a trusted migration tool. This helps in accurate data mapping and batch migration to avoid API throttling or performance issues.
At CloudFuze, we do this with precision, using our advanced migration platform to maintain full data fidelity. We monitor migration logs and reports to verify the transfer is complete, validate user access, and ensure all files and permissions work as expected.
Once the migration is complete, we reconfigure applications, connectors, and third-party integrations so they work as expected in the new tenant.
5. Post-Migration
Help with user training, documentation, and support to get employees up and running quickly in the new tenant.
At CloudFuze, we provide post-migration guidance and resources, so users are comfortable and productive. We test thoroughly to identify and fix permission and data integrity issues, so everything is working.
Our team also provides ongoing monitoring and IT support to address post-migration issues, security, and keep the business running without disruption.
How can SMBs Eliminate Risk during SharePoint and OneDrive data migration
SMBs can eliminate risk during SharePoint and OneDrive migration by auditing and cleaning up content before migration, backing up all data, using reliable Microsoft 365 to Microsoft 365 migration tools with error-handling and reporting, and phasing the process, starting with non-critical data.
They should validate file integrity and permissions after each stage, address platform limitations like file path or size restrictions, and maintain clear user communication and training.
At CloudFuze, we help SMBs have a smooth, compliant, and secure transition by ensuring full-fidelity data transfer, access controls, retention policies, and leveraging Microsoft 365’s built-in DLP and encryption for maximum protection.
We ensure SMBs enjoy a flawless migration experience without risks or disruptions.
Quick Best Practices for SMB Microsoft 365 Tenant-to-Tenant Migration
Best Practice | Description | Benefit for SMBs |
---|---|---|
Break Migration into Phases | Divide by department, workload, or geography to manage complexity. | Reduces risk and makes validation easier. |
Prioritize Critical Data | Migrate essential mailboxes, project sites, and Teams channels first. | Ensures business continuity during migration. |
Involve Stakeholders Early | Engage IT teams, business owners, and end-users in planning. | Improves adoption and eliminates disruptions. |
Ensure Licensing Readiness | Verify required Microsoft 365 licenses are available in the target tenant. | Prevents migration delays and access issues. |
Leverage a Microsoft Partner | Work with a certified migration provider like CloudFuze. | Gains access to priority support and proven expertise. |
Use Reliable Migration Tools | Choose secure, full-fidelity tools for SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, and Outlook. | Maintains data integrity and security. |
Validate and Test at Every Stage | Check data accuracy, permissions, and functionality after each phase. | Prevents errors from carrying over to the next stage. |
Secure Post-Migration Data | Apply retention policies, compliance settings, and access controls. | Protects sensitive data and meets compliance requirements. |
Segregate the Project to Simplify Permissions Replication and Migration Validation
Lastly, dividing the entire Microsoft 365 tenant migration project into separate phases and stages is the way to go. Not only does this approach help lower the risk of API throttling, but it also simplifies the process of mapping user accounts and validating the migrated user batches. Learn more about performing migrations in a phased way.
At CloudFuze, we specialize in Microsoft 365 tenant to tenant migrations. With years of experience in enabling SMBs to successfully migrate between tenants, our migration team has deep insights into addressing the pain points of similar-sized businesses.
Discuss further with our team and learn how our solutions can help your SMB organization switch between Microsoft 365 tenants effortlessly.
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