unlock your Microsoft 365 migration potential
Concurrent migrations: Best practices and strategies
Facing a tight migration deadline? Save weeks on complex projects by accelerating the migration process. Learn how to increase data transfer throughput running multiple migrations in parallel and avoid Microsoft’s throttling.
How to speed up Microsoft 365 migration
Migrations are SO much more than just lift and shift. Things can get complicated fast. If your organization is like most, you’re dealing with a tangled web of data, lots of moving parts, and a deadline that’s closing in fast.
What if we told you there’s a way to speed up Microsoft 365 data transfer and keep things running smoothly? Instead of a one-machine approach that can drag your migration project on for ages, running concurrent migrations means you can recover lost time and hit those tight deadlines—helping you achieve accelerated outcomes.
Scroll on to dive into concurrent migration best practices and see how ShareGate’s got your back!
So, what’s the deal with concurrent migrations?
What they are
Concurrent migrations mean running multiple migrations at the same time across different workstations. This method increases data throughput for accelerated lift and shift—it segments workloads, making it easier to manage resources and maintain business continuity. Plus, if one migration stalls, the other keeps going.
We explain concurrent migrations in more depth in the video below:
Why concurrent migrations matter for Microsoft 365 migration projects
The benefits
Here’s how running concurrent migrations can transform your migration experience:
- Less downtime: By running multiple systems at once, you cut down on disruptions.
- Smooth moves: Fewer headaches = happier humans who are more likely to adopt the new environment.
- Save $: When the migration gets done quicker, it means less potential revenue loss from extended outages.
- Stay on schedule: Concurrent migrations help you meet tight deadlines—especially handy for mergers and acquisitions.
- Smarter resource use: Split the load among different machines and optimize resources, so the process moves quicker.
- Faster time to value: A fast migration means your users can start benefiting from your organization’s Microsoft 365 investment sooner.
Faster migrations mean less time spent on the migration process. Migration causes disruption, and a shorter window reduces this impact.
— Richard Harbridge
CTO at 2toLead and Microsoft MVP
But wait…what about throttling?
Microsoft 365 migration throttling: What it is and how to overcome it
If you’ve ever tried to binge-watch a show on bad WI-FI, you already know the pain of throttling.
Throttling is Microsoft saying “Whoa, you’re taking more than your fair share.” It’s a security mechanism Microsoft leverages to prevent your system from overloading. You’ll know you’re being throttled if you see error codes like 429 (Too Many Requests) or 503 (Service Unavailable), slowing down your migration.
PRO TIP
With the proper configuration, concurrent migrations can ease the burden on your tenant and prevent Microsoft migration throttling
Luckily, there are ways to mitigate throttling. Our guide covers the best practices for running concurrent migrations and how to tackle migration challenges with ShareGate. 🛠️
Truth bomb: migration timelines stretch out longer than planned. We get it, and we’ve been there. Estimating timelines can be tricky.
Our data shows that organizations spend about 21 months trying to complete their migrations.
IT admins often focus just on data transfer but lift and shift is only one part of the journey. With concurrent migrations, you have more control over this stage.
Top tips for running concurrent migrations with ShareGate
Ready to master concurrent migrations?
Here are five pro tips to set you up for success. Want more? We’ve got the full playbook in our guide and steps on how to use ShareGate to manage concurrent migrations, but here’s a sneak peek:
- Shift the load to off-peak hours to mitigate throttling. Schedule migration for nights or weekends when the system isn’t under pressure from regular workday traffic in addition to migration operations.
- Use distinct user credentials on each machine. Set up generic user accounts like “migration1@company.com”, migration2@company.com, etc. This doesn’t mean you need different people. One person can handle the concurrent migrations but use distinct login credentials to access the source and destination tenant on each machine, helping to sidestep throttling limits.
- Assign each migration machine to migrate to different workstations. This spreads out the workload and ensures your machines aren’t fighting over the same resources. More machines working in parallel increases the data throughput and accelerates migration.
- Optimize your network. Make sure your network can handle the load. Test and optimize your network settings to ensure smooth data flow, even outside business hours.
- Test your migration:
- Start with one migration on a single machine
- If successful, add another job every 30 minutes
- If issues arise, lower the speed settings when using ShareGate for concurrent migration and test again
- Once everything is running smoothly, gradually increase performance settings for more speed
Lift and shift is the easiest part to control by offloading the work to a tool and accelerating it with concurrent migrations. Use the time saved to focus on your strategy, collaborate with business stakeholders, and modernize and transform your environment during migration.
— Marc D. Anderson
Microsoft MVP, Co-Founder and President of Sympraxis Consulting
How ShareGate’s unique licensing model supercharges concurrent migrations
We’re here for you before, during, and after your migration—covering everything from planning and optimization to governance and Microsoft 365 end-user training.
With ShareGate, you get:
Easy activations
Each unique user gets access to ShareGate on any workstation—be it a server, laptop, or desktop. Easy peasy!
Flexible licensing
Our Migrate Pro and Enterprise plans come with 5+ activations for smooth concurrent migrations. Whether it’s five users or one IT pro, you’re all set!
Less spending
Why pay for separate licenses? Our 5-activation license costs less than two single ones.
Stay in control
Governance and security are a breeze with centralized reporting, permissions, workspace provisioning templates, and turnkey Microsoft 365 end-user training.
Our favorite thing? Saving you time.
The effort would quadruple if we had to do everything manually… it almost couldn’t be done without ShareGate.
— Doug Punchak
Application Development Manager, Avvenire Solutions
