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A SharePoint site collection includes all your sites, lists, content, and templates, which makes it the most crucial component of SharePoint environment. However, there are circumstances when you might need to migrate your site collection from one content database to another. For instance, if a site collection outgrows the content database on which it resides, then you’ll need to move it to a larger content database. Also, you can move small site collections located in different content databases to a single content database for ease of management.
Things to know before migrating site collection
Before beginning the migration, make sure that the following conditions are true:
- A content database should already exist as a destination.
- Perform thorough analysis of current SharePoint environment.
- Get site collection administrator permissions on both source and destination sites.
- The source and destination content database must be located on the same instance of the SQL server.
- The source and destination content database must be attached to the same web application.
Also, it is necessary to analyze the size of the source site collection because the auditing data is also copied while moving the site collection. If the auditing data is large, you can archive and trim the audit data using PowerShell.
To find the size of a site collection, run the below command in SharePoint Management Shell:
Also, make sure that the destination content database has enough space to accommodate the source site collection. It is recommended to have a free space three times the size of the site collection.
Moving site collection between content databases
To move the site collection, you need to use the Move-SPSite command in PowerShell. Using this command, you can move a single site collection as well as multiple site collections to a new content database.
Moving a single-site collection
To move a single SharePoint site collection, you need to have the following memberships – security admin fixed server role, db_owner fixed database role, and the administrator group.
Open SharePoint Management Shell and type the below command in PowerShell command prompt:
Here, http://ServerName/Sites/SiteName is the name of a site collection, DestinationContentDb is the name of the destination content database.
Moving multiple site collections
You need to have the same membership as mentioned above to move multiple site collections from one content database to another.
Open SharePoint Management Shell and type the below command in PowerShell command prompt:
Here, SourceContentDb is the name of the original content database and DestinationContentDb is the name of the destination content database.
Using these commands, you can easily migrate site collection from one content database to another. However, another method to migrate site collection from one server to another is using the backup and restore of the SharePoint site collection.
With the backup & restore method, you need to backup SharePoint Site collection using PowerShell, and then restore the Site Collection to the SharePoint Server with the same technique. However, the method Move-SPSite, as described above, is the easiest manual way to move site collections from one content database to another.
Alternate solution to migrate site collections
Kernel Migration for SharePoint is an advanced utility that makes it easy for users to migrate between SharePoint versions. It is packed with smart features that allow you to migrate site collections between content databases. The tool allows migrating single or multiple site collections at a time without any glitches. Permission migration, selective migration, migration scheduling, etc. are some of the special features of the tool that are designed to serve your requirements.
Using this utility, you can also migrate data from File System to SharePoint Server and OneDrive. Also, SharePoint Migration software offers a simple working process, which makes it easier for non-technical users to migrate their data.
Tool process to migrate site collection
Follow the step-by-step process given below carefully to migrate site collection between content databases without affecting the data.
- Download and configure the software on your system.
- Launch the tool, and the home screen will appear on your screen. Click Add New Source and then select SharePoint Server from the drop-down.
- The Add Sharepoint Site wizard will appear on your screen. In this section, give a name to the project, provide the Site Address, select Connection type user credentials, and then click Find/Add Multiple Sites.
- In the Find Site Collection wizard, provide the required details for SharePoint Site according to Connection Type and click Next.
- The Site Collection URLs will appear on the screen, select the required Site Collection, URL, and then click Check Accessibility. Once you have the accessibility status, and click Finish. The source site will be added to the tool.
Note: Make sure you don’t add the same site as both Source and Destination. The tool prompts a message to add the same Server as both Source and Destination while adding SharePoint Server. Select No and continue. - Now, go to Add New Destination, click Add New SharePoint Site(s) and follow the same procedure as above to add another SharePoint Server as a destination in the tool.
- Once both source and destination SharePoint Server are added. Right-click on the Source Site Collection and select Copy.
- Now, in the Destination section, right-click on the SharePoint Server and click Paste.
- The migration dialogue box will appear on the screen. Here, you can add another SharePoint Site for Migration, else click Next.
- You can edit the source selection of items by clicking on Edit Source Selection or remove selected or all items using Remove or Remove All button respectively. Select source type in the new wizard and click Next to proceed.
- In the next step, select Migrate as New Active site / site collection and provide the details for the destination SharePoint Server, and then click Next.
- In the next step, give a Title to the migration process with a description, provide a Site Collection URL, enter Destination Site Collection Administrator and then click Next.
- Select the required Site Copy Options and click Next.
- Select Site subsites from the list, click OK, and then select List/Library Copy Options and hit Next button.
- Select the desired filters to save files and other items as you like and tap on Next.
- You can select whether you want to migrate permissions or not and then click Next.
- You can schedule the migration process or perform it immediately using Execute Immediate option and then click Next.
- The summary of the migration process will appear on the screen, verify the details, and click Next.
- The tool will start migrating Site Collection from the source to the destination.
- Once the process is complete, a migration summary will appear on the screen, click Finish to end the process.
That’s how you can easily migrate SharePoint Site Collection from one server to another with the help of our SharePoint Migration tool.
Conclusion
When site collections grow in size or you want to combine multiple site collections, it becomes necessary to migrate site collections from one database to another. Here, we have discussed how to do this using PowerShell commands and a professional tool. Use the recommended Kernel Migration for SharePoint to simplify the process of moving SharePoint site collections from one content database to another.
The content database for my collection of sites is currently large. A previous administrator had created all of the sites in this site collection by himself. I was struggling for a resolution but the manual method above helped me solve all my existing migration problems.