Migrating from Dropbox to Box might feel like a monumental task due to the differences in how the two platforms handle data, not to mention proprietary filetypes like Dropbox Paper files. What if you have valuable information in that format? Will it still be useable? If you use Movebot, yes. Movebot makes Dropbox to Box migrations easy and handles all the difficult parts for you automatically.
Dropbox and Box have some differences in the way they store and handle data. Movebot can help sort most of these differences automatically, but it's helpful to know about them to be prepared, especially if you plan to make the required changes yourself.
Dropbox has a few different types of files that are only useable in Dropbox, such as Dropbox Paper. These .paper files allow for simultaneous editing and collaboration, but they can't be opened outside of Dropbox. Instead, they'll need to be converted to a different file type first.
There are several applications that can convert files, or you can let Movebot handle it as part of the migration. While the formatting won't be exactly the same, the files can still be opened and edited, with all of the essential information still there.
With one of the most generous file size uploads around, Dropbox users can upload files up to 2TB in a single file. This is significantly higher than the Box limit of 150GB on the Enterprise Plus plan.
Since Box doesn't allow for files larger than this, there isn't a way to get them into Box, so you'll need to find another place to store these particular files. However, where Movebot can help is by identifying them before the migration. Movebot's scan functionality will pick up files that are incompatible before attempting to move them, so you can decide what to do with them and make other arrangements ahead of time.
Movebot was built from the ground up to do data migrations and to do them well. This means everything is optimized to bring you the best performance with the minimal amount of effort on your part, and terabytes per day can be moved in a Dropbox to Box migration.
One of the biggest benefits of using Movebot is the simplicity. Not having to set up or manage any infrastructure is one reason why Movebot is the easiest data migration tool on the market today.
Movebot is a true SaaS tool, meaning that it's as simple as click and go. Everything is managed in the intuitive web interface, and all you have to do is connect your platforms, choose your settings and what data you want to move, and then hit go. Movebot does the rest for you, without the headache and extra costs of things like managing virtual machines.
Some data migrations focus on moving data one way or into a single platform. They can work well in this one scenario, but what about if you need to move to multiple platforms? Most of these also focus on the bigger players like migrating into SharePoint and ignore other storage platforms. And what if you need to work within two platforms and move data between them regularly? No chance.
Movebot supports over 30 storage platforms, including several mail providers. This means you can migrate from Dropbox to Box, but also do Box to Dropbox migrations or simply move a small group of files between the two. You can even move emails to cloud storage for backup or archival, with the option to restore them later. With Movebot, it doesn't matter what platforms you're moving between.
When working with a lot of migration tools, you're forced to do just that, a full migration. You take everything from the source and move it to the destination. All the files in Dropbox will have to be moved to Box, whether you need them or not (or want them).
Movebot works differently by putting you in control. You can still move everything at once if you like, but you aren't forced to. Instead, you can set up Dropbox to Box transfers down to the folder level. And you can use Movebot's filters to distill the data you actually need, or isolate what you want to leave behind.
For instance, if you have files that haven't been opened in 5 years, those could be left out of the migration or even moved to a different platform like a separate archival store. You have full control of your data and where it goes at all times.
Your data is never stored by Movebot either. Many migration tools store data at rest while the migration is running, meaning there's the potential for your data to be at risk if something goes wrong. Movebot takes a different approach by having you connect your own storage platforms and facilitating the transfer between them. The data is never stored by Movebot at any point, allowing for end-to-end encryption between your own storage platforms.
Migrating from Dropbox to Box is simple with Movebot. All you have to do is connect the platforms, choose what data to move, then grab anything else with delta migrations.
First, you'll need to connect the Dropbox and Box accounts. To connect to Dropbox, sign in to Movebot and choose to make a new storage connection. Pick Dropbox Business from the list. Include an email for an account Administrator and link to Dropbox via OAuth. You'll want to connect as an admin to make sure you have permission to access and move content.
Box connects in a similar manner. Make a new connection and choose Box from the list. We recommend connecting as the Admin if possible for the same reasons, to ensure you have all of the right permissions.
If you want to connect to a personal Dropbox account, follow the same process but choose Dropbox Personal instead. This connection is also done via OAuth.
When both the Box and Dropbox accounts are successfully connected, you can move on to setting up the migration project.
We built Movebot to be the fastest and most straightforward data migration tool around. This means we strive for project setup to be as simple as possible. All you have to do is choose to start a new project and go through the guided steps. And since Movebot handles all the infrastructure for you, all you have to do is choose your settings and start moving.
Movebot supports moving files and folders between Dropbox and Box, as well as permissions and versions, although we advise against doing this unless absolutely necessary. The default settings in Movebot will be ideal for many types of of migrations, but you can adjust these settings to fit the particular needs of your project.
Because Movebot lets you make transfers down to the folder level, it's common to prepare several transfers and have them run at the same time. If you're concerned about a particular transfer, you can run a scan to simulate how the data will arrive in the Box account. This will pick up any issues so you can make adjustments before attempting the move.
While transfers are running, you'll have access to the Performance Tracker, which gives live stats about the ongoing project such as the amount of data transferred and the number of files migrated. Once a transfer is finished, Movebot will generate a post-transfer report with information about your transfer, including if there were any failures and the reason why each file failed. You can retry failures directly from here, or make any required changes to make sure the files can be stored in the Box account.
With Movebot, users can continue working in the source Dropbox account even while a migration is in progress thanks to advanced delta migration functionality. Delta migrations scan the source and target destination folder and only move new and updated files to the destination. And since Movebot doesn't move files, but instead makes a copy, there isn't any chance for your data to be lost in the process. Users can keep working right on to final cutover for a simple, smooth transition to Box.
Migrating from Dropbox to Box doesn't have to be a challenge. With several features to simplify migrations like automatic doctype conversion, Movebot can handle moving from Dropbox to Box at lightning speeds. Move terabytes per day with a simple data migration tool that just works.
Want to see how easy Movebot is for yourself? Our dedication to simplicity extends to signing up as well. Every new account with Movebot gets 250GB free data to move. And there's no credit card or sales call required to get started, nothing like that. All you have to do is sign up and go. Ready to get started? Start your free trial now.