Although SharePoint 2016 is not intended to break any new ground with its release, it does offer some significant benefits over the previous version. If you’re unsure as to whether your organization should upgrade to SharePoint 2016, read on to learn the benefits of the new SharePoint 2016 platform.
Scalability
SharePoint 2016 allows for easy scaling, without sacrificing performance. The maximum file size, list threshold and the maximum number of items that can be indexed have all been increased in this new version of SharePoint, allowing you to store and manage more data on your system. This is a huge benefit for large or growing organizations.
Easier Patching
Customers using previous versions SharePoint have endured a very inconvenient patching process, which involves taking down the system for several hours to apply a patch. Patches fix bugs and close up security holes, so it is important to apply them quickly after they are released.
However, many organizations have put off applying patches due to a large amount of downtime that the process requires. SharePoint 2016 provides customers with the ability to apply patches without downtime, which allows organizations to keep their systems current even if they can’t afford to take them offline. This is a direct result of Microsoft’s experience with SharePoint Online.
Durable Links
One of the most annoying challenges presented by previous versions of SharePoint was that moving a document to a different location broke links that previously pointed correctly to that document. In the 2016 version, those links are automatically updated to point to a file’s new location, reducing the amount of time users waste in dealing with broken links and searching for the content they need.
File Names
Customers of SharePoint have often struggled to understand why file names are very long and don’t allow special characters. SharePoint 2016 uses an improved naming system, which makes file names much simpler for users to understand.
Hybrid Environments
Microsoft has recognized the growing importance of the cloud by equipping SharePoint 2016 with the ability to handle hybrid environments, which mixes on-premises and cloud content. A new hybrid search function allows users to search for both on-premises content and content stored in the cloud at the same time. Documents stored in both locations appear just once in the search listings, making the process of finding the content you need much easier and simpler than it has been in previous versions of SharePoint.
Faster
Also, Microsoft has also improved the speed of SharePoint for the 2016 release. The search function works more quickly, and there are new rapid methods for creating sites and site collections. Time is money in business, and spending less time waiting for SharePoint could enable your employees to spend more time creating value for your business.
Final Thought
SharePoint 2016 performs faster and better than previous versions. The new release is not dramatically different from the 2013 version, but these and other benefits may be important for your organization.
When considering whether to upgrade to SharePoint 2016, consider these benefits, along with the costs of purchasing new licenses and migrating your existing content to the new platform. For many businesses, the Benefits of SharePoint 2016 are worth the investment of upgrading.
We offer SharePoint consulting and development services to making migrating to SharePoint 2016 or upgrading to the latest version as seamless as possible. Click here to learn about the SharePoint consulting services we offer.
