Preparing for SharePoint 2010 End of Life
With end of life support for SharePoint Server 2021 fast approaching, Modern Workplace Practice Director, Joao Freitas discusses what this means for organisations and the options available for those yet to migrate.
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While the end of mainstream SharePoint support happened in 2015, extended support is scheduled to end on April 13th 2021. From this date onwards, organisations still using SharePoint 2010 as the platform for their intranet, knowledge sharing, collaboration, or other critical business functions will no longer receive updates or security patches.
This does not mean you will be unsupported, there will still be options, but they will just cost you more, potentially a lot more. With critical security patches no longer received, any vulnerabilities found after this date can be exploited, increasing the level of business risk.
But for organisations that have yet to take action, the first stage requires a review of your existing IT strategy and any operational or regulatory considerations. Is a cloud-first approach required to IT, or is there a business case to retain certain content on-premise?
On-Premise - SharePoint 2016 or SharePoint 2019
Need to stay on-premise? Consider migrating to SharePoint 2016 or SharePoint 2019, the latest on-premise offerings from Microsoft. Designed for the modern workplace, SharePoint 2016 and 2019 are designed to support hybrid data models storing some data in the cloud through Microsoft 365 and some on-premise, making it an ideal solution for those organisations with future cloud ambition who are not yet ready to migrate to a fully cloud-based environment.
It is important to note; migration from SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint 2016 or 2019 requires a multi-phased approach. Essentially you must do two migrations, first, from SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint 2013 before migrating to SharePoint 2016 and, if required, SharePoint 2019.
Finally, organisations seeking to move to SharePoint 2016 or 2019 should also be aware that they will need a new server, and unfortunately, as the Microsoft products before will have end of life dates in line with Microsoft's standard product release cycle (2026 for SharePoint 2016 and 2029 for SharePoint 2019).
With these limitations in mind, we recommend where possible that clients investing in a SharePoint migration project seriously consider moving to the cloud.
Migration to SharePoint Online
With many organisations already using or considering using Microsoft 365 in light of the rapid adoption of remote working triggered by Covid-19, migration to SharePoint Online is the ideal choice for those organisations seeking to harness the power of the cloud. A future-proof solution, migrating to SharePoint Online means that you won't ever need to worry about major version upgrades because it is an evergreen platform that continuously updates itself.
Whatever route you choose, getting your SharePoint ready for migration can often prove complex in nature, requiring careful attention across multiple facets, including a content inventory, catalogue of customisations, business impact and a review of legacy features required.
With over 25 years of experience, Storm Technology can help you pinpoint potential roadblocks before they become an issue while building a migration roadmap that aligns with your current and future business goals.
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