Service · Microsoft 365 · Azure

Azure & SharePoint migration: out of end-of-support, into Microsoft 365

ICT 365 migrates on-premises systems to Microsoft 365 and Azure: SharePoint Server, file shares, Active Directory and custom applications. Support for SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 ended on 14 July 2026 – anyone still running on-premises does so without security updates. We move your content to the cloud in a structured way: from inventory through test migration to a cutover in waves.

Book your initial conversation How the migration runs

14 Jul 2026

end of support for SharePoint 2016 and 2019

100,000+

records migrated for Armacell

200+

satisfied clients

Illustration: migration from a local server along a structured path into the Microsoft cloud

When the server stays although support has gone

Migration projects rarely start too early – usually too late. Typical situations:

End of support 14 Jul 2026

SharePoint Server 2016/2019 keeps running – since 14 July 2026 without security updates.
Unknown inventory

Nobody knows exactly what sits on the old SharePoint: orphaned sites, duplicates, outdated documents.
Permission sprawl

File servers and network shares keep growing – nobody understands the permissions any more.
Legacy blockers

Custom developments and workflows cling to the old platform and block the move.

What our migration covers

From the first analysis to the care phase after the move:

Inventory and analysis: content, permissions, customisations, redundant data
Target information architecture for SharePoint Online and Teams
Migration of SharePoint, file servers and network shares to Microsoft 365
Replacing local Active Directory with Microsoft Entra ID
Rebuilding old workflows and customisations with Power Platform and SPFx
Tool-assisted with SharePoint Migration Tool, Migration Manager and the Microsoft 365 Assessment Tool – ShareGate where needed
Test migration, cutover in waves and hypercare after the move

Big bang or waves? Take everything or clean up?

The most important migration decisions are made before the first byte moves.

We migrate in waves rather than a big bang: pilot areas first, then department by department – keeping risk small and users working. Before anything moves, we clean up: redundant, outdated and trivial content stays behind, which shortens the migration and lets the new environment start clean.

Old workflows and customisations are not copied but rebuilt on Power Platform and SPFx – the old platform is the trigger, not the blueprint. For classic SharePoint add-ins there is no path to the cloud anyway: since 2 April 2026, add-ins and the underlying ACS authentication no longer run in SharePoint Online – replacements are built with SPFx and Entra ID app registrations (as of 08/2026).

Request a migration plan

Diagram: migration path from local server through analysis and test migration in waves to the Microsoft cloud

Three target paths: Online, Subscription Edition or hybrid

Not every migration ends in the same place – we justify the target path per workload (as of 08/2026):

SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365)

The standard route and Microsoft's recommendation: no more patching of your own, guest access instead of VPN, Teams integration – and Microsoft 365 Copilot exists only here.
SharePoint Server Subscription Edition

The on-premises option for workloads that must stay local: continuously updated under the Modern Lifecycle, but with a subscription or Software Assurance requirement – and without Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Hybrid

Both connected: the bulk in the cloud, justified exceptions on-premises – with a clear justification per workload instead of gut feeling.

After the migration, the benefits begin

The move pays off well beyond end-of-support – it opens the door to everything that follows.

In Microsoft 365, manual security patching disappears, collaboration with externals runs through guest accounts instead of VPN, and AI features such as Microsoft 365 Copilot build on cleanly migrated, correctly permissioned content. Personal file shares move to OneDrive, retention and classification are governed by policies in Microsoft Purview. That is exactly why every migration includes a permissions and governance concept – so the new environment does not inherit the old one's disorder.

How your migration with ICT 365 works

Five steps from inventory to hypercare – surprises happen in the test, not in the cutover.

Step 1

Initial conversation and goals

Which systems are affected, what end-of-support means for you and what comes first – openly and without migration romance.

Step 2

Inventory and analysis

Content, permissions, customisations and data clutter are captured – you receive a migration plan with a reliable effort estimate.

Step 3

Target architecture and test migration

Information architecture, permission model and a trial run with real content – surprises happen in the test, not in the cutover.

Step 4

Migration in waves

Pilot area first, then the rest in order – with clear communication to users and training where needed.

Step 5

Cutover and hypercare

The move is completed under control; afterwards we stay close until the new environment is everyday routine.

Proven in practice

Rockwell Automation: documents moved into the new QMS

Building the quality management system on SharePoint and Power Platform, we transferred documents from different sources into the new system.

Migration from several legacy systems into one structure
Rapid publication of thousands of documents
Fast document search with SPFx after the migration
Separate environments protect daily operation

Armacell: 100,000+ records into the new PLM application

For the worldwide PLM application on Dataverse we took over the historical data – the basis for reporting and the global rollout.

Migration of more than 100,000 historical records
A clean data model in Dataverse instead of a legacy copy
SAP synchronisation after the takeover
Multi-stage deployment for the worldwide rollout

Frequently asked questions about migration

Something still open? Ask us directly – in your initial conversation or by phone at +49 651 49364480.

How much does a SharePoint migration cost?

Data volume, the number of customisations and workflows, the quality of permissions – and how much is cleaned up beforehand – decide the effort. After the inventory you receive a reliable estimate. Cleaning up lowers the cost noticeably; dragging outdated data along is the most expensive mistake.

How long does the move take?

A manageable environment migrates in weeks, grown farms with custom developments take longer – a serious figure follows the analysis. Thanks to waves, first areas work in the new environment early instead of waiting for the overall finish.

Support for SharePoint 2016/2019 has ended – how urgent is this?

Since 14 July 2026 there are no more security updates; every newly discovered vulnerability stays open. That is no reason to panic, but it is a reason for a project with a clear timeline. Until the move, the risk can be contained – such measures cannot replace the migration.

What happens to our workflows and custom developments?

They are assessed: much of it Microsoft 365 now covers out of the box, the rest is rebuilt with Power Automate, Power Apps or SPFx – usually leaner than the original. A one-to-one copy of old customisations into the cloud is almost always the worst option.

What happens to classic SharePoint add-ins?

They no longer run in SharePoint Online: Microsoft finally retired SharePoint add-ins and the underlying ACS authentication there on 2 April 2026. Affected customisations are rebuilt with SPFx as part of the migration, and authentication moves to Entra ID app registrations – the inventory shows which add-ins are affected in your farm (as of 08/2026).

Do we have to move everything to the cloud?

No. Workloads that must stay local for compliance reasons can run on SharePoint Server Subscription Edition or in Azure – hybrid, with a clear justification per workload. Important for planning: Microsoft 365 Copilot exists only in the cloud, not for Subscription Edition. We recommend the cloud where it measurably takes work off your hands, not on principle.

Will our users notice the move?

Yes – and that is a good thing: modern interfaces, better search, Teams integration. To keep the change smooth, communication, pilot users and training are part of the project; migrating in waves keeps disruption to daily business small.