Metalogix Content Matrix 9.3 - SharePoint Edition User Guide

Connecting to SharePoint

There are six  basic connection adapters that can be used to make connections to SharePoint from Metalogix Content Matrix Console:

·A local connection to a SharePoint site or server *

·A remote connection to a SharePoint site or server

·A connection through the SharePoint Client-Side Object Model (CSOM) for SharePoint 2013 or later, and for SharePoint Online at the site level

·An Office 365 Tenant connection (based on the CSOM connection type) `

·A read-only connection to a SharePoint Database (DB)

* As of version 9.3 the Metalogix Content Matrix Console client application requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 to run. Since this .NET requirement applies to the machine on which Metalogix Content Matrix is installed, Metalogix Content Matrix cannot make a local Object Model (OM) connection on a SharePoint 2007 or 2010 environment, because SharePoint 2007 and 2010 require an earlier version of the .NET Framework (v.3.5), which prohibits Metalogix Content Matrix from completing the connection.  Because of this, any migration ‘jobs’ configured to connect to SharePoint 2007 and 2010 environments using a Local OM connection type will cease to work, and these jobs will need to be recreated for use over a different adapter type such as MEWS or DB.

The following table describes the connection adapter types that can be made for each supported version of SharePoint:

** If Content Matrix Console is installed on a server where SharePoint is also installed, the appropriate version of the adapter will be configured automatically. If SharePoint is not installed on the same machine as the Content Matrix Console, the installer will prompt for the configuration of either a SharePoint 2013 or SharePoint 2016 database adapter, as both cannot exist on the same non-SharePoint machine at the same time. If you need to switch from one version of the database adapter to the other, you will need to first uninstall and then re-install the SharePoint edition using Modify operation.  If you are using Distributed Migration, you will also need to update the database adapter version on the agents

For each of the direct connections to SharePoint (local OM, remote OM, CSOM, and Tenant) there is a full connection and a read-only connection (with the exception of DB connections, which are read-only by default). The Write and Read-Only connection states are available under the Add Connection menu, and are differentiated in the Explorer View tab by different icons (the read-only icon has a lock over the system connection).

Adding a connection to Office 365 is essentially the same as connecting to any other SharePoint site or server, with a few minor differences. Users can make a site level connection to an O365 environment using the CSOM connection adapter, and they can also make a Site Collection level connection using the Tenant connection adapter.

Connection Type Functional Comparison

SharePoint Database Connection

The SharePoint Database connection is a read-only connection that accesses the  SharePoint data by reading the content databases directly from the SQL server used by an on premises SharePoint farm.

Local Object Model (OM) Connection

The local Object Model connection accesses the SharePoint on premises OM API locally on the machine, which allows it to preserve more existing metadata and grant deeper access for some Content Matrix features.

Remote Object Model Connection Using Metalogix Extensions Web Service

The Remote Object Model connection allows Content Matrix to have a remote connection to the SharePoint on premises OM API through a SharePoint solution, which grants all of the same access for features and metadata that is available from the Local OM connection.

Client Side Object Model (CSOM)

The Client Side Object Model connects through the SharePoint CSOM.  It can be used to connect to SharePoint on premises, but does not have the same level of fidelity that the Object Model connections have.  It is the only method for making site-level connections to SharePoint Online.  

Office 365 Tenant Connection

The Office 365 Tenant connection works the same as a CSOM connection to an Office 365 environment, but since it connects at the tenant level it can also be the migration target for site collections, MySites, and Managed Metadata.

Connecting to SharePoint On Premises

You can connect to SharePoint on premises by:

·making a read-only connection to a SharePoint database

OR

·by connecting to a SharePoint site or server at the farm, Web application, or site level.

Connecting to a SharePoint Database

This connection type is read only and can be used as a source connection for SharePoint 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016 content databases.   In case of performance concerns, this connection type can also help, as the source data would be read directly from the database, and does not have to go through the source SharePoint APIs.

See Connection Type Functional Comparison for required permissions as well as optimal use cases and unsupported migration actions.

SharePoint Version Connection Requirements

·When connecting from a server, the database must have the same version of SharePoint as the content being migrated.

·A client connection to a SharePoint 2013 or 2016 database is supported from a non-SharePoint 64-bit machine that has had the compatible version of the SharePoint Database Adapter configured. If you are using Distributed Migration, you will also need to update the database adapter version on the agents.)

IMPORTANT:  If you have installed Content Matrix on a client machine and have an existing SharePoint 2016 database connection, you may need to reconnect and accept the terms of the Microsoft third-party license agreement. Also remember that if you are running Content Matrix on a client machine, you cannot have both SharePoint 2013 and 2016 database adapters installed at the same time.  If you need to switch from one version of the database adapter to the other, uninstall and then re-install SharePoint Edition.

To connect to a SharePoint database:

1.From the ribbon toolbar, choose Connections > Connect to SharePoint Database to display the Connect to SharePoint SQL Server dialog.

2.For SQL Server, enter or browse to the SQL Server that hosts the SharePoint database you want to connect to.

NOTE:  You can enter the server's name or IP address.

3.For SQL Database, either:

§enter the name of the SharePoint database (the fastest way to make the connection)

OR

§browse to the SharePoint database.

NOTES:  

§Remote connections must be enabled in order for Metalogix Content Matrix to connect to any remote database.  

§The Database Browser lists all databases in SQL server, not just SharePoint databases.  This allows for faster retrieval of the database list, especially in large environments.  

§You will receive an error of you try to connect to anything but a SharePoint database.

4.If you want to use an encrypted connection to the database, check the Encrypt Connection box.

NOTE: If the certificate used for encryption is not trusted, you will also need to check the Trust Server Certificate box.

5.For Authentication User Current Windows user, either:

§ Accept the default (Use Current Windows user)

OR

§Select Use SQL Server login and enter the credentials used to authenticate with the selected SQL Server.

6.Click [Connect].

The Connect to SharePoint SQL Server dialog displays.

7.Select either the database (for a connection to all sites within the database) or a single site.

8.Click [OK].

The Set Host Name dialog displays.

9.Use the information in the following table to determine the appropriate action to take.

NOTE: It is possible to go back and set the Host name after a database connection has been made. To do this, select the DB connection, right-click, and choose Properties. In the Properties dialog click the [...] button at the end of the Host column, and this will open the Set Host Name dialog, allowing this value to be edited.

The selected node will now appear in Explorer View.

Troubleshooting Client-Side SharePoint Database Connections

If you encounter any issues when trying to deploy or connect to a SharePoint database from a client machine, refer to the Quest Support Knowledge Base article https://support.quest.com/metalogix-content-matrix/kb/317316.