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Regular updates to SharePoint ensure continuous improvements in this document storage and collaboration platform. The recent release of the SharePoint 2019 version, integrated with modern UI and site experience, is the latest development in this direction. It is a common practice to upgrade the previous version of SharePoint to the next, and the most trending one is the SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019 migration. This blog includes all important aspects of migration, including the detailed step-by-step migration process.
SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019 migration – Why?
Due to many new and improved features and functionalities in the latest SharePoint 2019 version, it has become compelling for existing SharePoint 2016 users to upgrade to the new version. The new version offers a modern site experience, better management features, improved security features, etc., unlike the classic site experience of SharePoint 2016. This difference can be best understood with a quick SharePoint 2016 vs. SharePoint 2019 comparison.
What is new in SharePoint 2019?
Before you start to plan SharePoint 2019 migration, let us have a look at the new updates in the SharePoint 2019 version.
- Modern Communication sites
- Modern experience for sites and pages.
- More file storage
- OneDrive.exe support for synchronization.
- More flexible character restrictions.
- Support to long URLs.
- Modern experiences to lists, libraries, team site, and web pages.
- Support for long URLs.
- Modern experiences for lists, libraries, team sites, and web pages.
Manual way to upgrade SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019
The native way to upgrade SharePoint Server allows to safely upgrade the platform without losing access to the site documents. However, the manual method is complex and must be performed by a SharePoint expert to prevent any data loss.
Basic idea of migration: We will be using the database-attach method, where a new SharePoint farm will be created in the destination SharePoint. Then, content and service applications of SharePoint Server 2016 will be copied to the destination; after that, you attach and upgrade the server. Next, site collections will be upgraded via site owners from source to destination.
Checklist to follow before the upgrade
Before you begin with the data transfer, you must tick off the following options from the checklist for SharePoint migration.
- Databases must be upgraded to version 16.0.4351.1000 or higher
- Must be a member of the Farm Administrators group of the Central Administration website.
- Have the content databases db_owner fixed database roles.
- Only the SharePoint 2016 RTM version is supported for the upgrade.
Upgrade procedure
After you are done with all the prerequisites for the migration process, start upgrading the server. Here we have given the complete SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019 upgrade process.
Note: If you don’t want users to lose access to SharePoint information during the upgrade, set the databases to read-only mode.
- Creating a new SharePoint Server 2019 farm
This is the first stage where the farm administrator needs to install SharePoint 2019 on the new farm (after confirming all prerequisites for web applications and servers), install database servers version 2016 or higher, and then configure farm settings.On the other hand, the farm administrator of a SharePoint 2016 farm needs to set the database, web, and application servers to read-only status.
- Copying SharePoint Server 2016 databases to the new environment
In this stage, the read-only content and service application databases are backed up by the SharePoint 2016 farm administrator using SQL Server Management Studio. This backup can be restored by the SharePoint 2019 farm administrator using the SQL Server instance of the farm. After restoring the databases to the new SharePoint Server 2019 farm, alter the status to read-write. - Upgrading databases and service applications from SharePoint 2016
Now, the farm administrator needs to upgrade databases of service applications such as- User Profile Service Application
- Secure Store Service
- Search Service
- PerformancePoint Services
- Business Data Connectivity
- Managed Metadata
Now create a web application in the new SharePoint 2019 farm for every web application in the SharePoint 2016 farm. Then install all the server-side customizations.
Once done, attach the new SharePoint 2019 farm to the source content databases. Run these commands in the SharePoint Server 2019 farm for testing and then mounting.
Run these commands in the SharePoint Server 2019 farm for testing and then mounting.
Test – SPContentDatabase
Mount – SPContentDatabase - Upgrading SharePoint Server 2016 site collections
In this final stage of the upgrade process, the server farm administrator upgrades the My Site host first. Then, inform the users to upgrade their My Sites progressively. Hence, these were the four stages of upgrading your SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019. You can give it a try.
Hence, these were the four stages of upgrading your SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019. You can give it a try.
How to Perform an Easy SharePoint Upgrade?
SharePoint 2016 to 2019 upgrade seems like a good choice when you want to move away from legacy servers. However, the best option would be to upgrade directly to SharePoint Online or SharePoint Server Subscription Edition. This is primarily because SharePoint 2016 and SharePoint 2019 have reached their end-of-life, which means Microsoft will no longer provide any feature or security updates.
To upgrade SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint Online, use Kernel Migration for SharePoint, which is a one-stop solution for all your SharePoint Migration needs. It migrates data from any SharePoint version to another version in a few simple steps. The tool efficiently migrates SharePoint site collections , pages, folders, and documents. Moreover, it also migrates SharePoint permissions with the data.
Conclusion
Upgrading to the SharePoint Server 2019 version is beneficial for SharePoint administrators due to its modern site experience and exclusive features. You can follow the native way for the upgrade if you’ve the required technical expertise, which is quite complex for non-tech users. This explains why Kernel Migration for SharePoint tool is amongst the top choices of SharePoint admins. Using this solution can easily execute SharePoint migration across different tenants .
Frequently Asked Questions
A. To upgrade SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019 or other recent versions, make sure you have prepared the SharePoint migration checklist:
1. Take inventory of all the data within the source SharePoint environment.
2. Get rid of old and outdated data that is no longer required.
3. Prepare the structure and architecture of the destination environment similar to the source.
4. Inform the end users about the upcoming change and its benefits.
5. Test the process and execute it after resolving all concerns.
A. Here are a few reasons to upgrade or migrate from SharePoint 2016:
1. Minimize the infrastructure costs.
2. Access fewer restrictions on files and folders.
3. Use the modern experience in the look and feel of lists, libraries, and team sites.
