Nordson Moves 400 GB from SharePoint® 2007 to Office 365® with AvePoint Migration as a Service (MaaS)
Success Highlights
Customer Location Westlake, Ohio
Industry Manufacturing
Platform Microsoft 365
Critical Needs
- Migrate to Office 365 to update internal systems, avoid SharePoint 2007 end of life
- Support business justification and smooth transition to the Microsoft Cloud for end users
- Move content without needing to reconfigure customizations
The Challenge
Baby diapers. LEDs. Medical equipment. Alternative energy. These are just a few of the key applications of Nordson’s dispensing and fluid management products. Based in Westlake, Ohio, Nordson and its 7,500 users had relied on SharePoint 2007 for secure file storage, list management, collaboration, and project management. The organization could keep track of projects and process approvals—such as capital expenses and inventory write-offs—within SharePoint 2007 workflows.
However, SharePoint 2007 support will reach end of life on October 10, 2017. Given Nordson’s outdated hardware and internal systems, the time was right to begin considering a migration to SharePoint Online – Office 365.
Yet Nordson’s 400 GB of content was scattered across several locations. Executing a large-scale migration without outside support would not have been feasible. “We recognized the need to use a third-party tool to help move content to Office 365 without having to reconfigure customizations in the cloud,” said Jerry Berndobler, Senior Web Development Manager. Nordson began searching for the ideal solution or service for this critical project.
Senior Web Development Manager, Nordson
The AvePoint Solution
For SharePoint 2007, Nordson had used AvePoint’s DocAve Software—the enterprise-class infrastructure management platform that helps organizations use SharePoint in a more sustainable, secure, and productive way. DocAve Migrator assisted with relocating sites, while DocAve Content Manager ensured sites were properly archived.
Already familiar with these AvePoint solutions, Nordson chose Migration as a Service (MaaS)—AvePoint’s white glove approach that handles migration complexity for the customer—to move its 400 GB environment. “Unlike other vendors, AvePoint’s MaaS includes the best in current migration technologies, and did not require us to make additional purchases,” Berndobler said. “We could rest assured that AvePoint would implement a seamless transition to Office 365, hands-free.”
Nordson first migrated Microsoft Exchange and Skype for Business to make the organizational move to the cloud more transparent for end users. In this way, users could instantly experience the benefits of Office 365.
But migrating an outdated infrastructure while providing a business justification for the cloud is not easy. While the AvePoint team needed only 4 weeks to complete the project, Nordson understood the value in taking one’s time. “With an extended timeline of 3 months, we could systematically move 400 GB and ensure a smooth transition to the cloud,” Berndobler said. “The freedom and flexibility to move at our own pace with AvePoint MaaS was invaluable.”
In addition, implementing AvePoint MaaS meant that Nordson did not have to augment staff members to oversee migration tasks. “The AvePoint team took care of monitoring the workflow and validating that content was moved properly,” Berndobler said. “Since we did not have to allocate any staff, 240 hours of employee time was saved over the course of the project.”
The Road Ahead
With AvePoint at the helm of the company’s migration to the cloud, Nordson could concentrate on bringing new products to market to support both everyday consumers and cutting-edge technologies. Nordson’s plans for SharePoint Online are only beginning. “Thanks to AvePoint MaaS, we can take full advantage of the cloud as a content repository and a knowledge and information hub across the company,” Berndobler said.
The best part? “The ubiquitous nature of having access to resources from any device is essential,” said Berndobler. “Before, employees in the field could not access on-premises business content. Now, our SharePoint Online intranet serves as the front door for employees.”
In the next fiscal year, Nordson looks forward to evaluating AvePoint Online Services to provide self-service capabilities for users, as well as exploring tools for Microsoft Teams and Office 365 Groups governance like those found in AvePoint’s Office 365 Groups Playbook. “With Microsoft’s breakneck pace of rolling out new services for Office 365, new functionalities must be well-managed, usable, and sustainable as the business grows,” Berndobler said.
With MaaS, Nordson could rely on the AvePoint team to work internally to resolve technical issues, saving Nordson both time and headaches. “The major business benefit of working with AvePoint was that we experienced very few issues during the move,” Berndobler said. “The AvePoint team took care of any technical snags, resulting in a smooth migration from on premises to the cloud.”