Using Move-SPSite in SharePoint 2016 (4281767)

Symptom

Files appear to be inaccessible after using the Move-SPSite cmdlet to move a site collection in SharePoint 2016.

SharePoint 2016 has some changes in its PowerShell cmdlets and underlying SQL processes, that differ from those in previous versions of the platform. One in particular is the Move-SPsite, where the source site collection content has been externalized via the Remote BLOB Storage (RBS) technology, which is also utilized by StoragePoint.

Using the Move-SPSite cmdlet to move a site collection between content databases that do not have the same RBS presence status is currently not in a supported state for SharePoint 2016. The cmdlet will perform as expected for SharePoint 2010/2013 environments. In a worst case scenario, the use of this cmdlet can cause data loss when moving sites between an RBS content database and a non-RBS content database.

Currently, the Move-SPSite cmdlet on SharePoint 2016 will work in the following scenarios:

• From non-RBS content database to non-RBS content database
• From "non-RBS CDB to RBS CDB" or "RBS CDB to non-RBS CDB"

From RBS content database to RBS content database is not currently supported. 

Microsoft is aware of the issue and is in the process of investigating and addressing it as it pertains to the RBS activity in SharePoint 2016. As a workaround, please refer to the steps below to utilize the Move-SPSite cmdlet in SharePoint 2016 for a move from RBS content database to non-RBS content database:

• Recall all BLOBs within the Move-SPSite scope from EndPoints to SQL content databases
• Utilize Move-SPSite cmdlet

Alternatively, it is also possible to move site collections between content databases by using Content Matrix.