Upgrading to SharePoint 2016 UPSA is missing all mapped properties

Question

We're attempting to upgrade our existing SharePoint UPSA from 2013 to 2016, where we are using an AD import sync.

After the database are attached to 2016, the mapped properties for AD to the SharePoint profiles are no longer mapped.

Is there a way to preserve the mappings?

An example:

2013

2016

Method used to restore:

Restore these databases from 2013 to 2016 database server

SharePoint_Profile
SharePoint_Social
SharePoint_Sync

Then create the service like this

$ServiceApplication =  New-SPProfileServiceApplication -Name "User Profile Service Application" -ApplicationPool "User Profile Service Application App Pool" -ProfileDBName "SharePoint_Profile" -ProfileSyncDBName "SharePoint_Sync" -SocialDBName "SharePoint_Social" -MySiteHostLocation "http://mysite.example.com

New-SPProfileServiceApplicationProxy -Name "User Profile Service Application Proxy"  -ServiceApplication $ServiceApplication -DefaultProxyGroup      

Answer 1

We eventually upgraded from SharePoint 2013 to 2016 and upgraded our UPSA in the method described in the question. This is also officially supported per Upgrade the User Profile service application.

What ended up being the reason for the missing mapping is that these apparently are all considered default mappings as we had no custom mappings. Properties are updating without manually creating mappings. Others have come across this same confusion, here is a Technet blog entry on this https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/spjr/2018/04/18/sharepoint-2016-ad-import-profile-property-mappings-aka-my-profiles-are-missing-email-address/

Answer 2

The steps you followed are not the ideal steps for migrating a user profile service application .

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/SharePoint/administration/configure-profile-synchronization-by-using-sharepoint-active-directory-import

Using AD import , there are certain scenarios that are not supported. Mentioned in the link above.

Instead of Active Directory import , you can set up MIM . It will preserve all your mappings and keep a sync between Active directory and USPA.

Let me know if you want to understand more on MIM.