Why Now Is the Right Time to Migrate to IDABUS

For many companies, Microsoft SharePoint has formed the foundation of critical business processes for years — including the Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM) Portal, which is technically built on SharePoint.

However, this very foundation is reaching its end:

Microsoft will end support for SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 on July 14, 2026. From that date onward, no further security updates, bug fixes, or technical support will be provided.

Specifically, this means:

• Continued operation will be entirely at your own risk
• Security vulnerabilities will no longer be patched
• Compliance and data protection requirements will become more difficult to meet
• No vendor support will be available in case of incidents
  
  

Since the MIM Portal is directly based on SharePoint, the end of support affects not only the platform itself but your entire portal infrastructure. Any organization operating the MIM Portal in production beyond July 2026 will be running a central IAM component without vendor support — with corresponding risks to stability, security, and auditability.

Migrating to IDABUS is therefore not merely a technical modernization, but a strategically necessary decision to safeguard your IAM landscape.

Your Previous Investments Remain Protected

We understand that many organizations have invested significantly in the MIM Portal over the years, including in:

• Role and authorization concepts
• Approval workflows
• Data models and object structures
• Customizations and individual processes
  
  

However, moving to IDABUS does not mean losing these investments.

IDABUS has been designed to allow existing structures to be carried forward. With our specially developed migration tool, configurations, workflows, role models, and data can largely be transferred to IDABUS in an automated manner.

This means you retain:

• Your proven processes
• Your functional concepts
• Your organizational logic
  
  

While gaining:

• A modern, fully supported platform
• Technological independence from SharePoint
• A stable, long-term foundation for your Identity & Access Management
  
  

Important Clarification: MIM Sync Remains Supported for Now

A common misconception concerns the MIM synchronization service (MIM Sync).

It is not directly affected by the end of SharePoint support. Microsoft provides extended support for MIM 2016 until January 9, 2029.

This means:

The synchronization engine can continue to operate even if the portal is migrated. There is therefore no immediate need to replace everything in a single step.

Strategic Outlook: IDABUS Sync Available from the End of 2027

OCG is currently developing its own IDABUS Sync component, which will be available at the end of 2027. This will create the opportunity to gradually migrate the synchronization layer fully into the IDABUS ecosystem.

The goal is a fully integrated platform:

• Without Microsoft legacy dependencies
• Without SharePoint binding
• With a clear technological future perspective
  
  

Here as well, we rely on a structured, loss-free migration approach, enabling existing connectors, logic components (MA and MV Extensions), and synchronization rules to be transferred — ensuring that existing investments remain protected.

Our Recommended Approach: Step-by-Step Modernization

Based on our experience, a phased approach is the safest and most economically sound strategy:

Phase 1 (until July 2026):
Migration from the MIM Portal to IDABUS — to mitigate risks related to the SharePoint end of support.

Phase 2 (modernization):
Since IDABUS offers significantly more functionality than MIM, a consolidation and modernization phase is recommended.

Phase 3 (from end of 2027):
Planned migration from MIM Sync to IDABUS Sync.

This approach offers clear advantages:

• Minimized project risk
• Predictable budget allocation
• No “big bang” scenario
• Technical stability during transformation
• Protection of all prior investment
  
  

The result is a modern, future-proof IAM architecture — without unnecessary time pressure, but with a clear strategic direction.

More Information to Follow

Further details on the IDABUS Sync roadmap, technical architecture, and specific migration scenarios will be available:

• In our next newsletter
• On our social media channels
• And in the IDABUS User Group
  
  

Let’s take the next step together — toward a stable and secure IAM platform built for the long term.

Do you have any questions or would you like to discuss the next steps? Contact us by telephone or email – together we will find the right solution.