This document
will discuss the
Windows
SharePoint
Services v.3
upgrade path for
existing
SharePoint v.2 users.
Windows
SharePoint
Services v.3 was
released on
11/16/06. We
already have a
few new
servers with V.3
up and running
for new clients.
We have not yet
begun upgrading
existing v.2
clients to v.3.
Because of the
nature of the
new SharePoint
v.3, and based
on our
SharePoint v.2
configuration
being in
Scalable Hosting
and Active
Directory mode,
there is no
simple direct
upgrade
available.
This does not
mean you cannot
upgrade. It
only means that
there is no
simple install
the new software
and click a
button and it's
done approach.
Our plan is to
first deploy
several new
SharePoint 2003
servers which
will allow us to
immediately
offer the new
service to new
users which we
have already
completed. We will
then be
installing SharePoint v.3
side by side on
our existing
SharePoint v.2
servers which is
the first step
in upgrading
existing users
to SharePoint
v.3. Our
existing servers
will then be
capable of
running both
SharePoint v.2
and SharePoint
v.3 at the same
time.
Once SharePoint
v.3 is deployed
to our existing
SharePoint v.2
servers, we'll
begin migrating
existing users
sites on a
"request only"
basis.
For the most
part, we'll be
creating new
sites for
existing users
and then
attaching the
old sharepoint
v.2 database to
the new sharepoint
v.3
application site
which will
automatically
update the
database to the
new SharePoint
v.3 database.
It's a bit more
complicated than
this as there
are several
steps to take, but this
is the general
idea.
Update
to migration
testing:
(12/7/06)
We have
successfully
migrated a test
site from ver.2
to ver.3.
There are a few
things to be
aware of in
upgrading which
we have
discovered in
our own test
site.
1. Current
themes may not
be valid, so you
may have to
re-apply a new
theme to your sharepoint
ver.3 site
after migration.
2. FrontPage
2003 will not
work to edit
ver.3 sites.
You'll need the
new version of
FrontPage which
has been renamed
to SharePoint
Designer 2007 in
order to edit
your site beyond
what is allowed
in the web
tools. We have
been informed
that SharePoint
Designer 2007
will be
available in
early January
2007.
3. The homepage
of your
sharepoint ver.3 site
is not changed
to the new ver.3
layout style by
default during
the migration
process. It will
retain the old
ver.2 layout and
style. You'll
need to use SharePoint
Designer 2007 to
edit your
homepage layout
to add any new
ver.3 features
to your homepage,
such as logout,
the new site
actions menu and
to change the
look of the
header and
navigation links
on your
homepage.
4. Many ver.2
custom webparts
will not
run in ver.3. If
you have any of
these custom webparts, then
you'll have to
obtain ver.3 webparts and add
them to your
WSS3 site after
the update. You
will have to
remove the
non-supported
webparts from
your WSS2 site
entirely before
we can migrate
your site to
WSS3. The
migration
process will not
allow an upgrade
if there are
errors in your
current site or
if there are
unsupported
webparts in use
at the time of
the migration.
5. We have
noticed that
some of the
navigation
structure,
especially font
size has changed
during the
migration. You
may need to edit
the font sizes
if they have
changed not to
your liking.
We will be doing
some more
testing to
discover any
other problems
and find
solutions to
those problems
before we begin
migrating
customer sites
to ver.3.
1/7/07 -
Migration
testing is
complete.
Because of the
complexity of
migration, we
will not be
migrating
customers
automatically.
Version 2
customers will
need to request
an upgrade to
version 3 and
manually move
their data from
the old site to
the new site..
Here is the
upgrade plan we
have decided to
implement.
Upon
request, we will set you
up on an empty SharePoint ver3
site side by
side with your
ver2 site free
for 30 days. You
will need to
manually copy
your data from
version 2 to
version 3. We
apologize there
is no direct
migration tool.
Microsoft has
not included a
migration tool
in SharePoint
version 3.
The manual
migration is
pretty simple
and straight
forward, but you
will need a copy
of the new
SharePoint
Designer 2007
which is
available for
purchase from
Microsoft.
To manually copy
your data,
follow these
steps.
1. Open both
your old site
and new site,
side by side in
SharePoint
Designer 2007.
2. Once both
windows are
open, you simply
need to drag
your files from
the old site to
the new site.
Depending on the
size of your
site, this could
take some time
as some
customers have 3
or 4 GB of data
they will need
to move.
3. Once all
files have been
moved, you will
need to
re-create all
your user
accounts using
the sharepoint
web tools. You
will also need
to re-apply any
theme you may
have on your
site.
To request an
upgrade, please
e-mail
support@724hosting.com.
Questions?
Call us toll
free in the
U.S.:
866-740-6163
International:+1.805-740-6163
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