We have a client that currently uses NAV 2017 and wants to move Business Central on the cloud. The thing that worries us the most about this process is the data migration part. Our client has almost 100 companies in their database and migrating data through rapidstart will create a serious downtime that client will understandably be reluctant to accept.
I know there is an issue (https://github.com/Microsoft/AL/issues/2476) about this on Github and Microsoft is still working on a tool but I wonder if anyone here came up with a solution for such case especially for a multi-company environment?
Interesting question. From the issue on Github, and other sources, then the only thing that we currently can do is to use RapidStart. They are working on some form of extension which would support data migration from NAV to BC.
And to me it seems like the wrong path. A migration extension, if made like the other migration extenion’s is basically a re-implementation of NAV. That means no history, except open entries. So even if it took a weekend or three, then that would not be my main concern in this regard. I would be more concerned about having to re-implement,. Everything what normally is part of a new implementation has to repeated, incl. setup, testing etc. For 100 companies.
If I had a client on NAV 2017, then my suggestion to them would be to get them upgraded to Business Central On-Prem as the first step. Without any C/Side-C/AL changes of course. That would give you 2-3 months (if you work fast), and by then you can switch on the Intelligent Cloud, which will synchronize your database to a full SaaS BC.
Spend time in doing a an upgrade to NAV 365 bc onPrem and then when microsoft releases the tool to syncronize everything - then do it. Rapidstart will simply take a century to complete
You also have to remember:
In the cloud you cannot control the updates that Microsoft do
In the cloud you cannot do a SQL-backup if you need it
In the cloud you have to write every change as extensions - and you have to make a plan on how to do it (1 Extension pr customer?, Function area? group of customers?