Transforming from Non-Microsoft Data Sources

Category

[ ] Bug
[X] Enhancement

Details

I'd like to start looking at designing/writing this. I have a large client with a old CMS Cold Fusion based, that hosts between 7-12 Intranets and various other sites. I am currently creating a series of modern intranets as a replacement. Most calls where the client asks if the content can be moved, I am faced with providing bad news. Id like to change that.

Outline features to include:

• (1) A extraction utility designed to connect to the various data sources, extensible (I'm guessing that overtime a series of these will be required for each data source etc, e.g. WordPress, Drupal, Custom) to produce the common file and extract the assets.
• (2) Common File Format as the input source, to contain everything the transformation tool needs to process the content
• Include Assets, Docs and Images
• Set of supported web parts e.g. Image, Text, Links as the common ones, much like the wiki is handled to start with and grow as requirements come in.
• Extraction Utility perhaps performs the HTML scrubbing, extensible, AngleSharp based
• New mode in the tool, so separate classes etc. for clean separation with support for XML based data sources e.g. no source SharePoint connection.

I will see if I am permitted to grab some HTML/Screenshot samples for test cases and analysis.
I saw a demo once of PowerBi Desktop can extract content from a site, there maybe some learnings here (or code to pinch ;-))

Just wondering what your thoughts are, or if you have a better approach.

Start by reviewing the PnP Provisioning engine and the linked design approach, then clarify the proposed extraction utility, common file format, asset handling, supported web parts, and separate XML-based mode. Done requires an agreed design and scope for extensible non-Microsoft data-source transformation, with representative HTML or screenshot samples identified for test cases.