SharePoint Subscription Edition offers significant improvements over SharePoint 2013 Foundation, including compliance, security, and enhanced features. Upgrading from SharePoint 2013 Foundation to SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE) can seem like a daunting process, but with careful planning and an understanding of each step, it’s entirely manageable. While the process may seem daunting, with careful planning, it is entirely manageable. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the upgrade journey, providing a clear roadmap to move from SharePoint 2013 Foundation to the modern SharePoint SE platform. This SharePoint upgrade involves a multi-step process to ensure compatibility and data integrity, ultimately leading to SharePoint Subscription Edition.
Why Upgrade to SharePoint Subscription Edition?
Upgrading from SharePoint 2013 Foundation to SharePoint Subscription Edition is crucial to ensure your organisation remains compliant and takes advantage of the latest features. Upgrading from SharePoint 2013 Foundation to SharePoint Subscription Edition is crucial to ensure your organisation remains compliant and takes advantage of the latest features. SharePoint 2013 reached its end of support from Microsoft in April 2023. This means it no longer receives security updates, support, or bug fixes, which has significant licensing and security implications. Upgrading to a supported version, such as SharePoint Subscription Edition, ensures that your organisation remains compliant and secure.
SharePoint Subscription Edition offers numerous benefits, including better security, improved performance, and modern features that are essential for today’s collaboration needs. Upgrading to SharePoint Subscription Edition ensures your organisation is using a supported and secure version of SharePoint, enabling better integration with other Microsoft 365 services and future-proofing your infrastructure.
Step 1: Preparation and Environment Assessment
Every successful migration starts with thorough preparation:
- Back Up All Data: Before making any changes, back up your content databases. This step is critical to ensure the safety of your data throughout the entire upgrade process.
- Review Content & Customisations: Inventory all content, features, and customisations in your current SharePoint 2013 Foundation environment. Note third-party add-ins, workflows, and custom developments that may need reworking in newer versions.
Step 2: Upgrade to SharePoint Server 2016
The first intermediate step is to upgrade to SharePoint Server 2016:
- Set Up a New SharePoint 2016 Environment: Create a new SharePoint Server 2016 farm, ensuring that it is connected to a supported SQL Server version (such as SQL Server 2016 or 2017).
- Move Content Databases: Detach your content databases from SharePoint 2013 and attach them to the new SharePoint 2016 farm.
- Upgrade Content Databases: Use PowerShell (‘Mount-SPContentDatabase’) to upgrade the content databases. Verify the functionality of the farm, including custom solutions and service applications.
Step 3: Upgrade to SharePoint Server 2019
Next, you’ll upgrade from SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019:
- Provision a SharePoint 2019 Farm: Set up a new SharePoint Server 2019 farm. Again, ensure it is connected to a supported SQL Server version.
- Move and Upgrade Databases: Detach the databases from the SharePoint 2016 environment and attach them to the SharePoint 2019 farm using PowerShell to perform the upgrade.
Step 4: Upgrade to SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE)
Finally, it’s time to upgrade to SharePoint Subscription Edition:
- Set Up the SharePoint SE Farm: Provision a new SharePoint Subscription Edition farm. This environment can use SQL Server 2019, which is fully supported by SharePoint SE.
- Upgrade the Content Databases: Detach the content databases from the SharePoint 2019 environment and attach them to the SharePoint SE farm using ‘Mount-SPContentDatabase’ to complete the upgrade.
Step 5: Testing and Validation
Testing is crucial to ensure a smooth transition:
- Test the Environment: After each upgrade step, thoroughly test your environment. Ensure everything functions as expected, paying special attention to workflows, features, and custom solutions.
- Address Compatibility Issues: Identify and resolve any compatibility issues that arise from deprecated features or other incompatibilities.
Step 6: Finalisation and Migration
The final steps are about making sure everything is ready for production:
- Reconfigure Services and Solutions: Set up any required services, farm-level settings, and custom solutions in the new SharePoint SE environment.
- Migrate Users and Data: Ensure that all user permissions and related data are successfully migrated.
- Decommission Older Environments: Once everything has been validated and is functioning correctly, decommission the older SharePoint environments to avoid any unintended usage.
Key Considerations for a Successful Upgrade
- Sequential Upgrades Required: Each version must be upgraded sequentially—skipping versions is not supported and can lead to compatibility issues.
- SQL Server Compatibility: Ensure that each SharePoint version is paired with the correct SQL Server version. Using the right combination ensures that databases upgrade correctly without issues.
- Custom Solutions: Review all custom solutions and third-party add-ins. They may need modification or replacement to be compatible with newer SharePoint versions.
Conclusion
Upgrading SharePoint from SharePoint 2013 Foundation to SharePoint Subscription Edition is a detailed, multi-step process, but the rewards are significant. You’ll benefit from modern features, improved security, and seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 services. Following these steps carefully will help ensure a smooth upgrade path to SharePoint Subscription Edition with minimal risk.
If you need assistance planning your SharePoint upgrade or would like expert guidance throughout the process, our team is here to help. Feel free to contact us discuss your specific needs and how we can support you in achieving a successful migration.