SharePoint Migration Tools Comparison
Disclaimer: By writing this article, I’m not promoting or demoting any SharePoint migration product. This analysis was done in early 2012. Product features may get improved meanwhile. Products are compared in the perspective of the features required for my business scenarios.
I’ve conducted these tests by migrating from our live SPS-2003 and SharePoint 2007 into SharePoint 2010 with all of the tools. We have compared the features/issues/license cost
SharePoint Migration Products Compared
I’ve evaluated below products and methods for my SharePoint migration tools comparison.
- Metalogix – Migration Manager for SharePoint https://www.metalogix.com/Products/Migration-Manager-for-SharePoint/SharePoint-Upgrade.aspx
- Quest – DELL – Migration Manager for SharePoint https://software.dell.com/products/migration-suite-for-sharepoint/
- MetaVis – Migrator https://www.metavistech.com/product/sharepoint-migration
- Avepoint – DocAve Migrator https://www.avepoint.com/sharepoint-to-sharepoint-migration-docave/
- Idera – SharePoint migration suite https://www.idera.com/Products/SharePoint/SharePoint-migration-suite/
- Database Attachment Method!
What Extra values do these Tools add?
Why do we need a separate product for migration? What can’t be done in out-of-the-box migration or upgrade methods, such as Database attachment/In-place upgrade? Well, it speeds up the migration process and provides these additional functionalities.
- Migrate directly from SPS 2003 to SharePoint 2010
- Template Re-Mapping
- Sub-site to Site collection Promotion and vice versa
- List Merging/Splitting
- Incremental Migration
- Content From DB
- Link Verification and Correction
- Migrate Specific Element like users
- User Re-mapping/Clean-up
- Compare Sites/Lists
What Features are compared?
I’ve tested these major features during this evaluation:
- SharePoint 2003/2007 Team sites
- Wiki Libraries
- Web part pages
- Custom web parts
- Users, Permissions and security
- Site Templates/List Templates
- InfoPath Forms
- Content Types
- SPD/Nintex workflows
- Data view web parts
List of items that need manual intervention
- Site template/List Templates
- Site definition/List definitions
- Custom web parts/Third-party solutions
- Features/Solutions/Event handlers/ User controls
- Content types/InfoPath Form Libraries
- Master pages/Themes and style sheets
- SharePoint Central Administration settings
- Code or pages in _layouts
- Un-ghosted pages (Custom List views built with SPD)
- Workflows(Including SPD workflows, Nintex)
- Web.config changes
Comparison Table:
| Feature | Metalogix | Metavis | Quest | Avepoint | Idera | Axceler | DB Attach Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metadata, Versions Migration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, Partially | Yes |
| Users and Groups | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, Partially | Yes |
| Security | Yes | Yes. But replaces with “System” in some places | Yes. But replaces with “System” in some places | Yes | Yes. But replaces with “System” in some places | Yes | Yes |
| Infopath Forms Migration | Yes – Only files, Not template | Yes – Only files, Not template | Yes – Only files, Not template | No | Yes – Only files, Not template | Yes – Only files, Not template | Yes |
| Custom web parts migration | Yes – Custom solution must be deployed in target first! | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes – Custom solution must be deployed in target first! |
| Custom list views | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes, Partially | Yes |
| SPD workflows | No | Yes- But Doesn’t work! | Yes- But Doesn’t work! | No | Yes- But Doesn’t work! | No | No |
| Content Types | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes, Partially | Yes |
| Re-Templating | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Re-Architecturing(Moving sub-site as site collection and vice versa) | No (but has a workaround) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No (but has a workaround) |
| split and merge sites, lists; change list locations and site hierarchies | No (but has a workaround) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No (but has a workaround) |
| Comparing Sites | Yes -Limited | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Interface | Windows Application. Need to install on Source, Destination. | Windows Application | Windows Application | Web Application | Windows Application | Web Application | N/A |
| Wiki-Pages | Yes | Yes -Not updated content | Yes -Not updated content | No | No | No | Yes |
| Web Part Pages/Basic pages | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Public Folders/Files | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Show/Find SharePoint Objects(Web part pages,webparts, Themes, etc) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Incremental Migration, Content From DB, Link Verification and Correction, Migrate Specific Element like users | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| License Cost | $9595 for 300 GB Additional content – $36 per GB | $12960 for 50 GB $7,600.00 for Additional 100 GB $17994 for Unlimited | $8424 per Web Front End | Not considered | $10,194 for 300 GB | Not considered | Not applicable |
Conclusion? Compare the features you need, compare the cost, decide the one that fits you.
HOw is the Avepoint compared to others?
Have you performed this test more recently as there has been significant improvements on all of these products?
Yes! ShareGate become indispensable product in this comparison!
Thanks very useful!