Kirk Liemohn is a Principal Software Engineer at ThreeWill. He has spent nearly a decade helping clients transform and migrate their content from one platform to another (typically to Microsoft 365) with a focus on the more complex scenarios. Prior to his transformation focus, Kirk led several key SharePoint integrations at ThreeWill including Jive, Polycom, and Confluence.
Back in 2017, Aurea acquired Jive Software. Since then, many have noticed that Jive is no longer innovating. If you’re still holding onto Jive, you have seen a significant increase in annual license costs. We’ve heard from several clients that some (or all) renewals now require a 3-year contract—definitely not ideal!
We’ve been assisting clients with Jive migrations since 2014, and we know the ins and outs of moving from Jive to Microsoft 365. Here’s a brief overview of the high-level steps involved:
- Inventory: Assessing all content and places.
- Planning: Deciding what to migrate and where it goes.
- Communication & Change Management: Keeping your team informed and prepared.
- Migration: The actual transfer of content.
- Archive: Storing content that isn’t migrated.
Each of these steps takes time, especially the planning phase, where we help our clients determine what to migrate and how. This involves “Place and Content Rationalization” and creating a wave plan for migration timing, all of which guide your communication with current Jive users.
Shortcut Strategies for Quick Migrations
Sometimes, a full migration process isn’t feasible due to time constraints. Here are some shortcuts that can streamline the process:
Pattern-Based Migration
One approach is to skip detailed planning and create SharePoint site names based on Jive places, then migrate everything. This method is particularly useful if your organization has many Jive places but relatively little content.
Activity-Based Migration
Another strategy involves focusing on migrating only Jive places with recent activity, such as updates or comments within the last year or two. This approach can significantly reduce the amount of data migrated, saving time during the actual migration process.
Extract-Only Approach
The most drastic shortcut is to extract all Jive content into a Technical Archive, bypassing most of the planning and migration steps. This allows your Jive license to expire soon after extraction. While this method is fast, it means users won’t have direct access to their content initially, and the archive requires technical skills to access. However, we provide training to help you navigate this.
The advantage of the Extract-Only approach is that the archived content can be migrated to Microsoft 365 at a later date, even after your Jive license has expired.
Ready to Migrate?
Navigating the migration from Jive to Microsoft 365 can be challenging, especially with rising costs and contract complexities. However, by leveraging strategies like pattern-based migration, focusing on recent activity, or opting for an extract-only approach, you can streamline the process and manage your budget effectively.
At ThreeWill, we have extensive experience in helping organizations transition smoothly from Jive to Microsoft 365. Whether you need a comprehensive migration plan or a quick extract solution, our team is ready to assist you every step of the way.
Don’t let the expiration of your Jive license catch you off guard. Start your migration journey today with ThreeWill and ensure your content is secure and accessible. Contact us now to begin planning your Jive to Microsoft 365 migration. Let us help you make this transition seamless and successful.
Contact ThreeWill To Begin Your Jive Migration Today!
