Avoid Compliance Risks During SharePoint Data Migrations

SharePoint stores crucial documents and files related to the business operations, which means you need to be extra cautious when handling this data. One wrong move and you might have to lose everything you’ve accumulated over the years. When performing SharePoint migration, you need to be mindful of adhering to the compliance and security policies set by the industry.

Compliance risk is the result of not following the industry standards during SharePoint to SharePoint migration. Common risks include data loss, governance failures, and gaps in data security. This can lead to disturbances in regular operations, audit concerns, etc. However, this is often a result of inefficient planning, improper permission mapping between users. Explore the common compliance risks during SharePoint data migration that can lead to process failure. Moreover, you will also learn about tips to avoid these compliance risks effectively.

Common compliance risks throughout SharePoint migration

Here are a few risks that you might face during and after data migration in SharePoint, which requires you take measures to safeguard your SharePoint data.

• Loss of data and its integrity

There is always a risk of losing the data and its integrity throughout SharePoint migration. The migrated data in the destination will have important files missing, damaged metadata, and broken links, which can even interrupt the processes.

• Metadata and version history

Due to ineffective migration, there are often complications in handling metadata and version history. This affects compliance and audits, disturbing the data inheritance.

• Ruptured workflow

When complex workflows are not migrated carefully, there occurs breakdowns in the business processes. It eventually impacts the compliance and legal regulations.

• Access control issues

Due to incorrect mapping of permissions between current and new SharePoint environment, there emerges out accessibility issues. This issue leads to loss of confidentiality as data is shared with unintended users and creates compliance risks.

How to mitigate compliance risks during SharePoint site migration?

Here is how you can avoid these risks for a better data control in SharePoint environment:

• Detailed pre-migration analysis

Before you begin with the migration, perform a thorough analysis on the existing SharePoint environment. Take ample amount of time to review existing data protection and compliance policies, permissions, and data hierarchy before migrating the entire tenant.

• Select the appropriate tool

For an effective and error-free migration, you need a reliable and effective tool that migrates data with full consistency. Find a SharePoint data migration tool that assures no loopholes in the permission, data, or metadata migration. Losing any bit of data can result in data loss and can even compromise security.

• Use Microsoft Purview

Create new labels to retain data within your organization and implement them to integrate advanced security against threats. Use sensitivity labels on data and craft data loss prevention policies within Microsoft Purview in the new environment.

• Go for phased migration

One of the best strategies for a successful and legally compliant migration is to perform a phased migration approach rather than lift-shift or big bang process. With the incremental migrations, you can reduce potential business downtime, avoid data redundancy, and manage huge data volumes effortlessly.

• Monitor regularly post migration

Regular monitoring is an efficient practice that no business performing SharePoint data migration should skip. Consistently track the new environment to detect and resolve threats in real-time before it effects the whole organization.

• Ask for feedback

Another key practice is to ask the users about their experience with the new environment after moving the data and operations. They can provide you real experiences and help identify the scope of improvements to optimize it for maximum performance.

• Gain compliance understanding

Make yourself familiar with the compliance requirements and legal regulations, such as HIPAA and GDPR to avoid risking the data security and penalty from the regulated industry.

Conclusion

Paying clear attention to compliance management during SharePoint migration will prevent you from falling into the trap of getting penalized. Security and governance of data is something that should be on the top in your priority list. It is an ongoing task that requires you to be consistent in your approach. With the right SharePoint site migration tool, you can avoid compliance and other risks to make your SharePoint environment compliant and secure.