Microsoft 365 Migration

A big question for IT departments

- Should we keep our IT infrastructure with on-premise servers, or should we move to a cloud-based platform like Office 365?

Your successful steps to 365 migration starts here.

Migrating your on-premise mailboxes, data, communications, and email management solutions in exchange for a cloud-based platform like Microsoft Office 365 is highly beneficial for several reasons. 

Office 365 can enhance your organisation’s capabilities. Businesses can gain deeper insight with analytics and reporting tools like PowerBI, Mile IQ and MyAnalytics. Boost enterprise collaboration with SharePoint and Microsoft Teams and get on top of your project management with Planner, To-Do and Project Online tools.

Here is a closer look at the 5 top benefits of Office 365 migration. 

1.  Improve workflow & capabilities - Users are able share and collaborate on documents with individuals inside and outside the organisations and access their content from a multitude of devices. No complex single tree deep folder hierarchy! Thanks to OneDrive and SharePoint. 
2.  Access - Imagine your users are no longer tied down to a single device, or a single network - No need, it’s 2021 and more than possible with O365 
3.  Built in security - The security of cloud often is questioned, but O365 has implemented a rigorous set of physical, logical, process and management controls defined by ISO 27001. See the NCSC Office 365 Security Review for more info. 
4. Save time on maintenance - Your team are now freed from manual backups, OS maintenance, SharePoint patches and even the long list of improvement requests from users to make the network share a more friendly experience. 
5. Only pay for what you need - Office 365 is based on a month-to-month subscription model allows you to manage users at-will, avoiding redundant lifetime licenses and preserving your IT budget. 

Now, how to ensure a successful Office 365 migration in just 3 steps? 

• Step 1: Data Analysis & Planning  To start, you will need a comprehensive analysis of the current source to determine what content and the amount of content to migrate, if there are any software anomalies and issues. If you choose a third party to help you, you will be required to provide direct access to the source to allow them to scan through for increased insight.  Some of the things you will need to think about at this stage are access restrictions, whether or not you want to migrate all data, and if you have any requirements to change the file structure alongside the migration. Any minor issues found in the analysis will be fixed, and based on your requirements, a phased plan will be created and shared with you for review and approval. 
• Step 2: Staged Migration Upon approval of the plan, migration is performed in multiple phases, as mentioned in the previous step. Each is completed and validated before taking moving on to the next. Working in this format ensures quality and compliance.  Typically, this takes place overnight so that no file changes happen during the migration. Confirmation of the migration completion will be communicated to users, allowing them in the new working environment the next day. 
• Step 3: Training & Support Issues can arise even with the most successful Microsoft Office 365 Migrations – that is why our team will always offer aftercare support.  Training and support are essential to help users have a smooth transition to O365. Expect an introduction to all the new tools and features, but most importantly, how to maintain security, performance and manage users. 

Conclusion

The migration to a cloud-based service with Microsoft 365, enables your workforce to seamlessly collaborate, manage processes and stay secure. Business communication networks and projects are much easier to manage even without professional IT skills or knowledge. 

That said, Microsoft 365 migration from one tenant to another is not achieved with a simple click of a button. It is a process, and there are specific procedures to be followed to ensure a successful transition. A company can migrate their data without engaging an external partner. The risk with this approach is that any hiccups or complexity can impact the move through delays and errors. So, it is important to find an accredited IT Partner with experience to make the transition for you.  

Primenet can take the stress away from your Microsoft 365 migration, with our cloud migration service.  

Our Microsoft-certified experts have over 15 years of experience designing and implementing robust migration plans with zero downtime or data loss for businesses of all sizes. So, you can trust that we have the necessary expertise, tools, and a dedicated team who will work with you and migrate your data to Office 365. Call us today to discuss the best migration method for your business. 
Ron Gilman