Legacy SharePoint Modernization: Challenges, Benefits, and Best Practices

This can reduce the amount of content that needs to be processed while creating a cleaner destination environment.

Define the Target Architecture

Organizations should decide what the modern environment should look like before moving large volumes of content.

Consider:

• Site architecture
• Hub sites
• Microsoft 365 groups
• Teams integration
• Navigation
• Naming conventions
• Permissions
• Metadata
• Search
• Governance
• Content ownership

A clear target architecture helps prevent the modern environment from becoming another collection of disconnected sites.

Modernize in Waves

Large SharePoint environments are rarely best handled as one large migration event.

A phased approach allows organizations to group sites into manageable migration waves based on business priority, complexity, dependencies, or department.

Microsoft's guidance specifically recommends using assessment results to identify sites and structure modernization into waves.

This also makes it easier to identify issues early and apply lessons to later phases.

Test Before Going Live