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Data Migration

So you need to move data from one Mac to another?

There are a few different tools that can be used to migrate data. This article will give you some best practices, tips, and info on what you can and cannot do in the data migration process.

Important info to consider before you begin

You (as a JH employee) are responsible for the storage, backup, and transfer of all data on your company computer.

As a general rule do not save files to your computer’s internal storage. All data required for your work should be stored and/or backed up in your Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and/or GitHub. This way if a machine fails there is no need to recover data from an encrypted drive. Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive both have options that support symlinks and offline versions of files. Consider symlinks to dotfiles in the cloud, but be aware it may require changing file locking behavior; setopt HIST_FCNTL_LOCK. Restrictions around data classifications and where it can be stored may apply. For more clarity check with #org-security in Slack or the Corporate Policy Center.

Note: JH Policy forbids uploading any company data to personal cloud storage accounts. JH maintains enterprise agreements with Google and Microsoft to ensure secure data storage within our tenant. These agreements do not apply to your personal accounts.

JH is never responsible for your personal files (pictures, music, etc…).

Google Drive

All JH employees have access to Google Drive. For JH Digital associates, the recommended way to save your files is through Google Drive.

  1. Install Google Drive
  2. Sign in to your Google account
  3. Move all of your existing documents under My Drive
  4. On your new Mac, open Google Drive and sign in
  5. Wait for everything to download

Microsoft OneDrive

All JH employees have Microsoft 365 accounts. You may use OneDrive to save your files.

  1. Install Microsoft OneDrive
  2. Sign in to your JH Corp account
  3. Move all of your existing documents under OneDrive
  4. On your new Mac, open OneDrive and sign in
  5. Wait for everything to download

Data Shift

Data Shift is an application that can migrate your data for you. It is still recommended that you save and backup files in the cloud, but if you did not do that, Data Shift can transfer any files over as well as any apps that you have installed. Install it from Self Service+ on both your old Mac and your new Mac. For help with using Data Shift, take a look at the detailed instructions.

SSH Keys, Bash/Zsh config, etc…

These can be a pain to set up on a new machine, but the good news is that most of that work can be eliminated simply by copying a few hidden folders. You can even copy them using your Google Drive, just make sure to copy them, not move, and to put them back into your home folder on the new machine.

Note: If you don’t know what this section is referring to (or you’ve never touched your bash/zsh profiles or ssh keys previously) then it is fine to skip this step.

  1. In the Finder menu bar, click Go and select Home
  2. Press ⌘ + shift + . to toggle hidden file view
  3. Copy the hidden folders pertaining to your bash or zsh profile to your backup location. These files will likely be named .bash_profile, .bashrc, .zprofile or .zshrc
  4. Copy the .ssh folder to your backup location to move your SSH keys. Note: It is best practice to rotate SSH keys periodically, so why not use this as an opportunity! Consider not moving this directory and creating new keypairs on the new computer.

Migration Assistant

The built-in Migration Assistant app is great for individual personal Macs; it is horrible for any sort of managed Mac. Which is why it’s blocked from running. Seriously, no one wants to deal with that mess. Trust us on this one.