Content Database to large

Question

Good day, I'm hoping someone can help me with my issue. My client has on premises SharePoint 2016 and they are using one collection site as an intranet with a subsite for document and records management (EDRMS).

One particular subsite contains client information, a folder with the clients' name and account and then subfolders with all the scanned documents related to the client. This subsite, in the EDRMS is growing much larger and quicker than what they anticipated, in such a way that their Content DB is now actually way larger than what MS advices.

Since you can not have 2 content DB's for one site collection, I suggested that we create another site collection on their SharePoint with it's own content DB, keeping the active clients in the current EDRMS subsite and moving the inactive clients (which is much larger) to the new site collection. Then we move that big subsite in the current EDRMS to a new EDRMS on the newly created site collection.

My question is:

1. Is this the best solution or is there other options we can explore?

2. How do we move the content (each client has a folder with sub folders) from the current site collection to the new site collection? (Unfortunately, it can not be done via a PowerShell script, since the client needs to identify each folder that needs to be moved and then prefer to move it manually)

Answer 1

My personal opinion is that you are just pushing the problem further ahead of you as eventually you will end up in the same situation.

You should consider creating separate site collections for each client and distribute those site across multiple content databases. At least try to identify the biggest folders/clients and set up dedicated site collections/content databases for those.

By using PowerShell you could just create an inventory containing information about all the folders/clients in the current site and let your client point out which should be moved and then use that information to create a script that moves/copies only a selected set of folders?

If you can't do it with PowerShell at all, maybe you can use file explorer to copy specific folders to a new location (but you will loose metadata such as Created by, Modified by, Created and Modified). Or even better, teach your client how they can map a network drive and move/copy the folders by themselves.

Robocopy maybe might be an option as well?

I'm sure there are dozens of way of solving this including software from third party vendors but I would say when it all comes around you should use the technologies/methods you are familiar and feel comfortable using.