Website owners changing file hosts
When a new web host is being set up to replace an existing one, move all of your images, downloaded files, and other supported media to the new host.
Bring existing media into your workspace
Media migration for bulk URL and cloud file imports
Moving some files is a simple task. When you have hundreds of images, videos, and/or documents to move from your previous host, that's when the process can become very tedious.
Media2URL Migration enables you to move supported files to your working area from outside URLs and through cloud import options available with your account. Rather than having to download all source files prior to moving them to your working area, you can organize the migration, select which folder the new assets will be moved to and allow the migration process to take place from your dashboard.
The workflow
How bulk migration works
When you make a plan for where your files will be stored before you begin to move them, you are likely to find that your migration goes smoother. This can be particularly true if the source of your files contains data from multiple websites, clients or projects.
The basic flow is source → destination → import → review.
1. Add the source files
You should add the source URL(s), or import from a cloud method supported by your account. When performing a URL migration, each source must remain accessible until Media2URL finishes downloading the file.
2. Decide where they should go
Select the workspace and organizational settings for the files being imported prior to starting the process. This selection may also be done if applicable, including selecting which folders, collections, tags and the initial permissions for the new assets.
3. Let the import run
The Media2URL tool is responsible for downloading all of the compatible files and then processing these files in the specified workspace. When a duplicate check is required during the migration process, the file hash can be utilized to identify content that has already been imported.
4. Review the new files and mapping
After the migration has completed, check out the imported assets as well as the existing mapping from source to destination. If there is a need to replace a previous URL within your site, CMS or database, then exporting a mapping file may help you.
Target workflows
Who media migration is useful for
Agencies managing several client libraries
Keep all existing media within the proper workspace rather than having every client's media combined in a single account.
Developers moving CMS assets
Import files used in the site or DB, and use the migration mapping when you have to update old media URLs.
Teams consolidating scattered media
When the existing configuration becomes too difficult to maintain, move files from previous storage areas into a single Media2URL library.
Efficiency
Bulk migration removes the most repetitive part
The greatest benefit of using a mass migration process is that you don't have to manually save each file to your computer and then manually upload each file to the new location. You create the source list for the migration once; you select where you want the files to go; and you look at what was migrated and what needs help.
This becomes increasingly valuable as your library grows. Ten files can easily be handled individually. A catalog containing hundreds of thousands of image products is a completely different story.
Import many file URLs in one job
A URL migration may begin with a list of current media URLs rather than requiring all files to be individually uploaded.
The migration dashboard will keep all the files in the single batch to allow you to review which files have been successfully migrated, check the status of converted links, and identify those files that require further review.
A source URL has to be reachable before it can be imported
Media2URL can not get a file from a URL that the migration service can not connect to. Therefore, the source will need to remain accessible throughout the import process.
Links which require a private login to work, or which block server requests can be tested by opening the link in your browser. However, a small number of URLs should be tested prior to migrating a large number of links.
Cloud imports are useful when files already live in object storage
If the files are stored in a supported S3-compatible source, transferring them to your local machine before uploading to Media2URL is an additional step. Cloud migration can use the import feature that exists within your existing Media2URL account to upload those files directly into the workspace.
Check your source permission prior to beginning. Having visibility of a bucket within your own cloud account does not guarantee Media2URL will have access to all objects contained therein.
Duplicate checking looks at the file content
When migrating content from one system to another, content-based hashing can help locate duplicates (files with the same byte-level contents) based on content, not just file name.
Where Media2URL uses SHA-256 duplicate checking, files that produce the same hash value have the same data (i.e., files with the same data produce the same hash) and can be identified as being the same file prior to creating a copy of the same file. However, files with the same name but different content will produce different hashes (i.e., files with different content produce different hashes). This means that if you create a resized version of an image, it will be considered a new file by Media2URL since its content (binary data) has changed. Therefore, Media2URL will create a new copy of the image.
Do not migrate old clutter into a new library unchanged
Migration can be an opportunity for you to assess if your current organizational structure is effective. If you copy all those years of poorly organized files into a new workspace, it will likely just create the same issues in a different location.
Use folders to clearly define projects or clients within your Media Library. Also use Team Workspaces to establish and maintain separate boundaries for different clients with Team Workspaces.
Keep a record of where every old URL went
In most cases, transferring files to the new location is just part of a larger process. When you move files into Media2URL, there could still be old URLs within your website, database, or Content Management System (CMS).
The migration map links the previous address (the "source") to the updated Media2URL output. Although the mapping can assist you in updating older links, it will not generate automated redirects on external hosts that are outside of the control of Media2URL.
Comparison
Bulk migration and bulk upload solve different problems
| Workflow Attribute | Bulk Upload | Media Migration |
|---|---|---|
| Where the files start | On your local device | Existing URLs or supported cloud source |
| Main purpose | Upload several local files together | Move an existing hosted media library |
| Old URL mapping | Usually not needed | Often important for updating references |
| Destination organisation | Choose upload settings | Plan workspace/folder/tag structure before transfer |
| Typical use | A new batch of local images | Moving away from another host or storage setup |
Bulk Image Upload is used for files that are stored locally (on your PC) and require only uploading. Media Migration is used for files that are located in another location and downloading those files prior to migrating would cause unnecessary work.
Practical use
When migration is better than starting again manually
Moving away from an old image host
A web site may have accumulated many years worth of products, images, and other forms of data on its current host. It is much easier to import all of the URLs that are already being hosted rather than go through every single page and download each item individually.
Moving CMS media
A CMS may contain hundreds of media references within each post as well as in database fields. Moving all media first, keeping track of the old to new URL mappings and then updating those references with the migration plan for that particular site.
Consolidating client media
Agencies frequently receive files that have been stored on multiple previous systems. You should migrate all of these files to the appropriate client directory in order to ensure that any future files, links and organization will be managed through a single location.
Moving cloud stored assets
When you have an object storage source that is supported by your cloud provider, do not pull all of those files onto your personal computer before importing them. Instead, utilize the cloud import process provided by your cloud provider.
Migration boundaries
Before starting a large migration
- Keep the source accessible. When you use Media2URL to fetch a URL-based import, the source file must remain available during the fetch process.
- Before starting a large batch, make sure you verify that you have chosen the appropriate workspace, folder and permission settings for each of those items.
- Leave space for the imported files. The migration will use your existing workspace's storage and upload limits.
- Do not immediately take the old host offline. Check for crucial files and URL routing before you consider the migration complete.
Questions about this workflow
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if your account allows for batch importing of URLs. You will be able to input all of the source URLs that you would like to import, and then set the import options for each of those sources prior to beginning the import process. The source files must remain accessible so that Media2URL may access them during the import process.
A file may fail if the source is unavailable, the content fails to meet the present upload requirements or some other migration condition is unfulfilled. Review the results displayed for each source and attempt to migrate again if possible using the migration process provided.
Migration is simply a file transfer process, and there are no guarantees that the transferred file will have better quality. The decision to transform the transferred file depends on the source and on the rules applied to the migration. After completing the file transfer, it is recommended to review a sample of the files if preserving the original quality of the files is important.
Yes, if you can route to a team workspace for the migration and your account has permission to access it. Prior to initiating the transfer process, please select the destination for the transferred files to prevent them from landing in an incorrect library.
The act of transferring all of your current files that are hosted/stored on a specific platform to a different platform is referred to as "Media Migration". The main objective of using Media2URL is so that you can transfer files from platforms where they are already hosted/stored into your workspace, without having to manually download and then re-upload every file individually.
A typical upload begins with a file located on your device. URL import begins with a file that can be accessed via the internet. Media2URL will then fetch the file from the given URL, and create a new asset in the chosen workspace.
No, Media2URL has the ability to map the source of a URL to the new URL if you have already completed the migration process, however; Media2URL does not have control over other hosts, so it will not be able to automatically redirect requests made to the old URL to the new URL. You should use the mapping results to update your website, CMS, etc., accordingly.
Media2URL checks for duplicates by comparing the content hashes of each file to see if they contain the same binary information. However, just because two files have similar visual appearances does not mean they are necessarily duplicate files. Resizing or re-encoding an image will typically result in a new set of underlying binary information, which means it will also have a different hash.
Next steps
Explore related management and upload tools
For organising the assets after migration.
For choosing client or project destinations.
When files are local rather than hosted elsewhere.
When migrated media is delivered under a verified domain.