Copying and Moving SharePoint Objects (Version 8.0 and Earlier)
If ControlPoint was first installed prior to version 8.1, you can use Copy and Move actions as one-time, self-contained operations for copying or moving a single SharePoint object, either within the same farm or to a different farm. You can choose whether or not to copy/move:
·descendants (site only, site with lists and libraries, entire siteincluding subsites)
·permissions
·if you are copying subsites, navigation and navigation inheritance.
In addition, you can
·"promote" a site so that it become a site collection in the destination location
·"demote" a site collection so that it becomes a site in the destination location
·in the case of a move, create a backup (.CAB file) of the object before it is deleted from the source location
·overwrite an object at the destination (and optionally, create a backup .CAB file of the destination site collection/site before it is overwritten).
You can also copy an object to multiple locations within the same destination farm. (You can only move an object to a single destination).
A separate action, Move Site Collection to a Different Content Database, lets you move a site collection to another content database associated with the Web application, while preserving the url of the site collection.
In a multi-farm environment, you can initiate a copy/move action for a site collection or site in the home farm only. (You can, however, specify a different farm as the destination as part of the operation).
IMPORTANT: Copy/Move actions are not available if ControlPoint was first installed with version 8.1 or later. However, Quest offers other tools to help you migrate SharePoint content. Contact Quest for details.
Copy/Move Process Overview
ControlPoint Copy/Move vs. stsadm
ControlPoint Copy and Move actions are based on the same underlying API that supports the stsadm command line tool's export and import operations. However, ControlPoint copy and move offers several advantages over stsadm:
·the interactive GUI allows you to:
§select source and destination urls without having to look them up and re-type them
§promote a site to a site collection or demote a site collection to a site more easily
§copy or move across farms without manually performing multiple steps
·you have the option of overwriting a destination site or list and backing up the site being overwritten
·for a move operation you can have the source site automatically deleted, either immediately or after a specified number of days, and have source backed up before deletion
·other ControlPoint value-added features include:
§the ability to run the copy or move operation on a schedule basis
§having a record of the copy/move operation in the ControlPoint Task Audit
Summary of the Copy/Move Process
ControlPoint performs the following copy/move operations:
A.Exports the selected object (site collection, site, list, or library) to one or more .CAB files using the API that underlies the stsadm -o export command.
B.Optionally, uses the export to .CAB file operation to make a backup copy of:
§objects being copied/moved at the source location
and/or
§if applicable, objects being overwritten at the destination location.
A.If you requested that the destination site be overwritten, deletes that site and all of its children.
B.Creates the destination object (in the case of a site collection, a destination root site) using either a blank template or the same template and creation language as the source site). Default lists, content, groups, and permissions consistent with the template are created.
C.Imports content from the Temporary Location to the destination using the API that underlies the stsadm -o import command.
NOTE: ControlPoint carries out some steps associated with the creation of a new site (such as granting permissions to the account taking the action, and recording an event "announcing" the new site).
D.If the operation is a move, deletes the object from the source location either immediately or after a specified number of days.
Moving a Site Collection to Another Content Database
The Move Site Collection to Another Content Database action enables you to move a site collection to a different content database within the same Web application while preserving the site collection's url.
You can use this action in conjunction with the Content Database Storage analysis to help you effectively monitor and manage content storage among databases.
Once a site collection is deleted from the source content database, any activity and audit log data associated with it remains but becomes "orphaned." If ControlPoint audit log archiving has been set up for the farm, audit log data can be archivedand purged from the database before the site collection is deleted. See Archiving Audit Log Data Before Moving or Deleting a Site Collection. The site collection in the source content database will display as a deleted site collection in Site Collection Activity results only if it was active during the period covered by the analysis.
To move a site collection to another content database:
1From the SharePoint Hierarchy, select the site collection that you want to move to another content database.
(Note that you can only move one site collection at a time.)
2Right-click and choose Content > Move to Another Content DB.
3From the Pick from Available Content Databases drop-down, select the database to which you want to move the site collection.
NOTE: The drop-down lists all other content databases associated with the Web application that are currently online and for which the Maximum Number of Sites has not been reached.
Now you can:
·run the operation immediately (by clicking the [Run Now] button)
OR
·schedule the operation to run at a later time or on a recurring basis.
OR
·save the operation as XML Instructions that can be run at a later time.
If you choose to run the action immediately, an Action Verification dialog displays with a summary of the options you chose. Review these options, then click [OK] to continue.
When the process has completed, one of the following messages displays on the Action Verification dialog:
§Process Completed -
ControlPoint completed the operation without errors.
§Process Completed with Some Errors -
ControlPoint completed the operation, but with some errors; for example, an orphaned user was found in a group that was copied.
§[error_message_text]
An error occurred that prevented ControlPoint from completing the operation.
NOTE: If you chose to overwrite an object and an error occurs during the backup (export) of the destination site, ControlPoint will stop processing the operation regardless of the nature of the error, to prevent the destination site from being deleted before the problem can be corrected.
Click [OK] to generate a ControlPoint Task Audit, which provides detail about the progress of the operation, including any errors that have occurred.
If you schedule the action, a link to the Task Audit is included in the scheduled action notification email.
NOTE: Only one copy/move operation can run at a time. Any additional copy/move operations either submitted via the Run Now option or scheduled to run within the same timeframe will begin processing after the previous operation has completed.
See also The ControlPoint Task Audit.
Deleting Sites
The ControlPoint Delete Sites action lets you delete one or more sites from your SharePoint farm. You also have the option of "backing up" the sites by exporting them to an external directory.
If you delete an entire site collection (by deleting its root site) from the source content database, any activity and audit log data associated with it remains but becomes "orphaned." If ControlPoint audit log archiving has been set up for the farm, audit log data can be archivedand purged from the database before the site collection is deleted. See Archiving Audit Log Data Before Moving or Deleting a Site Collection. The site collection in the source content database will display as a deleted site collection in Site Collection Activity results only if it was active during the period covered by the analysis. A deleted site will continue to be included in activity and storage analysis results if it was active during the period covered by the analysis.
About Exporting Site(s) Before Deletion:
The ControlPoint Export Before Delete option uses the same options and export format as the stsadm command for exporting site collections and sites.
ControlPoint allows you to specify:
·whether to include security
·whether to compress content into a CAB file
ControlPoint uses the following stsadm default options:
·includes all versions (current, last, major, last major, and minor)
·exports all content (not just changes)
Instead of auto-generating file names using stsadm parameters, ControlPoint generates a file name that consists of:
site_name (first 25 characters) site_guid time_stamp (dd_mm_yy_mm_ss format)
NOTE: If you are planning to export the site(s) before deleting them, make sure the directory to which you want to export has been created and that you know the path to it.
To delete one or more sites from your SharePoint farm:
1Select the site(s) that you want to delete.
NOTE: If you want to delete a an entire site collectionand have permissions to do so select the root site (which, by extension, includes all of its subsites).
2Choose Content > Delete Site.
3If you want to export the site(s) before deletion, complete the Parameters section as follows:
a)Make sure the Export Before Delete box is checked. (If you do not want to export the site(s), uncheck this box and continue with Step 4.)
NOTE: If you choose to Export Before Delete, the delete action will not be carried out unless the export is successful.
b)Specify whether you want to Include Security by selecting the appropriate option (All or None) from the drop-down.
NOTE: Security data includes time stamps, security information, and user data.
c)If you do not want the entire site to be compressed into a CAB file (with a .cmp extension), uncheck the Content Compression Using CAB box.
d)Enter the Export Path to the directory to which you want the content to be exported.
Now you can:
·run the operation immediately (by clicking the [Run Now] button)
OR
·schedule the operation to run at a later time or on a recurring basis.
OR
·save the operation as XML Instructions that can be run at a later time.
If you chose the Run Now, option, after the action has been processed:
·a confirmation message displays at the top of the page, and
·a ControlPoint Task Audit is generated for the action and displays in the Results section.
If you schedule the action, a link to the Task Audit is included in the scheduled action notification email.
See also The ControlPoint Task Audit.