Do I need to install software on my file server?

Yes. A lightweight Windows agent runs on the file server or a domain-joined machine with access to the share. It authenticates with NTLM or Kerberos and streams files directly to SharePoint.

MIGRATION GUIDE

Migrate Windows File Server to SharePoint

Q: What about long paths and special characters?

The Windows agent handles paths longer than 260 characters using the \\?\ prefix. Illegal SharePoint characters are sanitized automatically and logged for review.

Decommissioning an on-prem file server? MigrationFox moves SMB file shares directly into SharePoint Online document libraries — with NTFS permission mapping, long-path support, and full Windows domain authentication. No manual robocopy, no intermediate cloud staging.

Why Migrate File Shares to SharePoint?

Retiring legacy file servers is one of the last steps in a full Microsoft 365 consolidation. SharePoint gives you cloud-native access, mobile editing, version history, and tenant-wide compliance controls without the hardware, patching, or backup overhead of on-prem file servers.

Eliminate file server hardware and Windows Server licensing
Edit documents from any device via Teams, OneDrive, or the browser
Built-in versioning and recycle bin with 93-day retention
Unified search, DLP, and retention across all content

How It Works

File server migration requires a Windows agent running on-prem because SharePoint can't reach into a private SMB share on its own. The agent is a small executable that:

Authenticates to the share using NTLM or Kerberos as a domain user
Enumerates folders, files, NTFS ACLs, and file metadata
Streams files directly to SharePoint via Microsoft Graph — no local copy
Reports progress back to the MigrationFox dashboard in real time

What Gets Migrated

Files and folders — full directory tree including hidden files
NTFS permissions — ACLs mapped to SharePoint permission levels
File timestamps — created and modified dates preserved
Long paths — paths over 260 characters handled via \\?\ prefix
Large files — chunked upload for multi-GB CAD, video, and archive files
DFS namespaces — browse and migrate from a DFS root or specific link

Step-by-Step: How to Migrate

Step 1 — Sign up and download the agent

Create your MigrationFox account at app.migrationfox.com and download the Windows agent installer from the Connections → File Server screen.

Step 2 — Install the agent

Run the installer on the file server itself or any domain-joined Windows machine with SMB access to the share. Log in as a domain user that has at least read access to every folder you want to migrate. The agent registers itself with your MigrationFox tenant using a one-time pairing code.

Step 3 — Connect SharePoint

In MigrationFox, go to Connections → New → SharePoint and sign in with a Global Admin or SharePoint Admin account. Grant the Graph permissions so MigrationFox can create libraries and write files.

Step 4 — Browse the share

Create a new job, pick your file server connection as the source, and enter a UNC path like \\fileserver01\finance. The agent enumerates the root and lets you browse folders in the MigrationFox UI.

Step 5 — Pick a destination

Choose a SharePoint site and document library as the destination. MigrationFox can create a new library automatically if you prefer not to target an existing one.

Step 6 — Scan

Run a discovery scan. The agent walks the full folder tree and reports file count, total size, longest path, and any files that would hit SharePoint's 400-character URL limit or illegal character restrictions. Scans are free and unlimited.

Step 7 — Run the migration

Start the job. The agent streams files to SharePoint in parallel. NTFS ACLs are collected during the transfer and applied in a second pass once files are in place. Live progress, throughput, and per-file errors appear in the dashboard.

Step 8 — Delta sync before cutover

On cutover day, re-run the completed job. Only files that changed since the last run move across, so the final sync finishes in minutes even for terabyte-scale shares.

Pricing

File server to SharePoint migrations are billed at $0.50 per GB transferred. Every account starts with 2 GB free — no credit card required. The Windows agent and discovery scans are always free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install software on the file server?

Yes. A lightweight Windows agent runs on the file server or any domain-joined Windows machine that can reach the share over SMB. It authenticates with NTLM or Kerberos.

Are NTFS permissions migrated?

Yes. NTFS ACLs are read from each folder and mapped to SharePoint permission levels. AD users and groups are matched to Entra ID identities by UPN or email.

What about long paths and special characters?

The agent handles paths longer than 260 characters using the \\?\ Windows prefix. Characters that SharePoint rejects (*, :, ?, etc.) are sanitized automatically and logged.

Can I migrate a DFS namespace?

Yes. Point the agent at the DFS namespace root or a specific link target. MigrationFox walks it like any SMB share.