Overview
Cross Catholic needed to migrate approximately 40TB of data from traditional file shares into SharePoint Online. The project required more than moving files from one location to another. The migration also involved rebuilding permissions, organizing content into a modern SharePoint structure, resolving storage limitations, and creating a functional intranet with connected departmental sites.
Challenge
- Migrate ~40TB from traditional file shares to SharePoint Online without data loss or disruption.
- Microsoft 365 storage was running low, putting the entire migration at risk.
- Departments needed a usable post-migration SharePoint structure, not just relocated files.
Solution
MSPowerhouse reviewed the client's Microsoft 365 environment and identified that the organization was eligible for education-related licensing benefits. Rather than recommending unnecessary paid storage immediately, MSPowerhouse helped the client obtain additional complimentary eligible licenses, which increased the available storage and gave the organization enough capacity to complete the migration.
Once the storage challenge was resolved, MSPowerhouse migrated approximately 40TB of file share data into SharePoint Online with no data loss. Because the original permissions could not be carried over as-is, MSPowerhouse also designed and implemented a new permission structure. Unique permissions were configured across the appropriate SharePoint sites, document libraries, and departmental areas to ensure users had the correct level of access.
After the migration and permission work, MSPowerhouse built a modern SharePoint intranet along with numerous connected departmental sites. These sites gave the organization a better structure for collaboration, document access, departmental communication, and ongoing content management.
Technical Execution
- Reviewed the M365 environment and identified eligibility for additional complimentary licenses to expand storage.
- Avoided unnecessary paid storage spend by applying the right licensing path before migration.
- Executed the full 40TB file share to SharePoint Online migration with careful validation.
- Designed and built a modern SharePoint intranet plus connected departmental sites.
Outcome
Cross Catholic successfully migrated approximately 40TB of data into SharePoint Online with no data loss. MSPowerhouse helped resolve the storage limitation through licensing strategy, rebuilt the permission model across sites and libraries, and delivered a modern intranet with connected departmental sites.
Impact
This project became a full Microsoft 365 modernization effort. MSPowerhouse did not simply migrate data; the team identified storage risk, secured additional eligible storage through licensing, rebuilt the permission model where permissions were missing or could not be migrated as-is, and delivered a SharePoint environment that was more secure, organized, and functional for the client's departments.
