Many organisations still have a file server, even though it has a number of disadvantages:
- Weak security (ransomware, risk to rights due to difficult administration)
- Very inefficient search
- No versioning
- Lack of metadata
- Presence of duplicates and unused files
Similarly, others have aging or expensive to maintain DMS systems.
The migration of these ‘old’ systems to GoFAST therefore offers many advantages.
CEO-Vision has assisted many migrations for its customers over the years:
- Migration of large file servers
- Migrations of Microsoft SharePoint used for file sharing or associated with Microsoft Teams
- Migrations of SharePoint with metadata used as a business DMS (Finance, etc.): in some cases with a change in the document ‘pointing’ of the finance application such as Berger Levrault SEDIT to GoFAST instead of Sharepoint
- A 1st migration of Teams
- Migrations of commercial or internally-developed DMS
These migrations, whether partial or total, require advanced skills, tools and methodology on CEO-Vision's side, and organisation on the customer's side.
Main stages
The main stages in migrating to GoFAST are as follows:
- Determining the recovery rules and the scope of the data to be migrated (analysis of existing data, etc.)
- Determining the metadata export method (in the case of DMS migration)
- Decide on batches (in increments of 1.5 to 2 TB) if the volume is very large
- Determine whether the classification scheme remains the same between the source system and GoFAST (as well as the members associated with each space): confirm whether the directories all become spaces/sub-spaces
As a reminder, on GoFAST a directory inherits all the rights/members of the parent collaborative space.
- Carry out a pre-production test
- Plan (quick) training sessions if users are not familiar with GoFAST
- Carry out the migration (may take several weeks if the volume is large)
- Performing a 2nd migration with the ‘delta’: For migrations lasting more than a weekend: the delta corresponds to the documents that have been modified by users between the start of the 1st migration and its end.
- Integrity check and report between the two systems
- If ‘business’ applications were pointing to the old system (DMS or file server), re-configuring these applications
- Switching the old system to ‘read-only’ mode
Migration strategy
The GoFAST migration strategy established by CEO-Vision comprises several elements:
- Scope
- Metadata
- Recovery rules
Scope
Before any migration, you need to define the scope of the migration, i.e. whether it concerns the entire file server or just part of it.
In the case of a partial migration :
- The choice of locations to be migrated
- The choice of files to be migrated (formats, type, date of last access, for example): the type of files corresponds to its use, for example as a repository (little or no change over time) or for collaborative work (live documents)
Example of a file server analysis showing the various dates that can be used for migration choices
PS: Tools such as Treesize can be used to perform these analyses (last access, size per location, etc.). Other tools can be used to find duplicates.
In the case of partial storage with a volume greater than 2TB :
- Determine the locations to be migrated in each batch. Note that 2 TB can generate a project lasting between one and a half and 2 months
A good practice is to have a mapping of the tree structure, also known as a classification plan.
Example of a classification plan structured by Excel file for automatic creation in GoFAST
Metadata
File servers
When a file server is transferred, only the creation date can be transferred automatically.
Example of a file server analysis showing the various dates that can be used for migration choices
However, it is also possible (but more complex because it is not automatic) to include :
- The file modification date
- The owner of the file
Trade-in rules
Dates
Transfer rules can potentially differ from one location to another.
For example, one department may wish to migrate all documents last accessed within the last 3 years, while another department may prefer to migrate all documents modified within the last 5 years.
Formats
It is possible to exclude certain formats, for example photos or videos, which are often heavy.
Once the rules have been established, it is possible to determine the size per location concerned by the migration and decide whether this can be done in one or more batches.
Target spaces or directories
By default, directories on the file server remain directories on GoFAST (and therefore inherit the rights of the parent collaborative space).
Note that it is perfectly possible to provide CEO-Vision with an Excel file containing the directories to be transformed into spaces, as well as the associated members (list or individual user).
Conclusion
Migrating from a file server or an inadequate DMS to GoFAST represents a major step forward for organisations wishing to modernise their information management. GoFAST offers a more powerful and collaborative solution, and overcomes the limitations faced by older document management systems.
Since its creation, CEO-Vision has undertaken numerous migration projects, acquiring expertise in their management. Whether it involves transferring large files from servers, Microsoft platforms, or business-specific DMS, CEO-Vision is a veteran. CEO-Vision knows the keys to an effective and successful migration, and therefore implements a well-defined strategy.
Amongst the migrations that CEO-Vision has carried out, we can mention that of the Department of Haute-Savoie, where more than 1 million documents were migrated from the file server to GoFAST.
CEO-Vision was also able to replace the tools used by the City of Nanterre, such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Office365, and the file server, with GoFAST. This is the first time that Microsoft Teams has been used in France by a public sector organisation.
These migrations to a sovereign, opensource collaborative solution not only enhance the experience of employees, thanks to advanced functionalities and an intuitive platform, but also guarantee complete control over their data.
If you're interested in GoFAST, contact an expert now!