Content Migration

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Applies to: SharePoint Foundation 2010

SharePoint Foundation provides a highly flexible set of application programming interfaces (APIs) to support migrating content and dependencies into SharePoint Foundation Web sites. This content can originate from another SharePoint Web, or from an external source.

SharePoint content migration is designed on an export/import model. That is, you first export site data, dependencies, and site structure into data files that are rolled up into a content migration package (or multiple packages). Then, the content migration package is imported at the destination, its contents unpacked, and the data, dependencies, and structure are reconstituted on the migration target.

The content migration object model (that is, the APIs contained in the Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment namespace) is designed to be flexible. You can migrate an entire Web sites in a single large operation, or you can migrate highly granular incremental updates. The APIs allow you fine-grained control, so you can implement migration operations at the level of the list item or library item, for example.

Note

Writing custom code using the migration object model is the most flexible means for programmatically migrating content. However, in cases where only basic export/import tasks are required, you might be able to use Windows PowerShell commands or cmdlets, or else Web methods of the [Sites Web service] Web service. For more information, see Content Migration Overview.

In This Section

Content Migration Overview

Provides introductory and overview topics to help orient users in the area content migration using the SharePoint.Deployment APIs and the content migration XML schemas.

Content Migration Tasks

A set of "How To" and task topics that guide you through many of the important tasks required when migrating content.

Content Migration XML Schema Reference

Reference documentation for the eight XML schema (.xsd) files that support the export/import operations on SharePoint content migration packages.

Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment

Managed reference documentation for the application programming interfaces (APIs) in the Deployment namespace. Use these APIs to custom-code SharePoint migration and deployment tasks.