Proper planning is step one for a profitable on-premises Exchange Server to Microsoft 365 migration. In this text, we’ll talk about plan simply such a Microsoft 365 migration venture. We will even point out an EDB converter software that may assist easy the transition from on-premises to Microsoft 365.
On-premises Exchange Server to Microsoft 365 migration ought to be seamless for the enterprise, directors, and technical workers tasked with the migration, in addition to the customers of the e-mail, calendaring, messaging, and workplace process software program. The course of ought to be sure that all info is migrated with full information integrity.
Inventory and preparation
Take inventory of all of the sources that are on the on-premises server. These embrace mailboxes, distribution teams, shared mailboxes, archives, and public folders. Filter out the mailboxes which you wish to omit from the migration or convert to shared mailboxes.
Go by way of the licence assignments in accordance with customers’ wants. The following Microsoft 365 licences can be found:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: 50 GB mailbox and 75 GB archive, 1 TB OneDrive.
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: All the Basic plan’s options, plus the Office bundle.
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3: 100 GB mailbox, with limitless archive and the Office bundle, which can be used through Remote Desktop.
Migration technique
Users ought to be knowledgeable in regards to the venture beforehand and at each stage.
Ensure that the enterprise shouldn’t be disrupted when the cut-off is carried out. Ideally, that is executed on a weekend or when the enterprise shouldn’t be working. This ensures the required time for migration and entry to sources for fallback if one thing goes unsuitable. Once the date is about, inform the customers and the venture sponsors.
User coaching: It’s essential to have the customers on board and be snug with the brand new system’s options. Microsoft 365 brings a number of new instruments which might improve productiveness and supply a larger variety of companies on customers’ mobiles.
It’s essential that the customers have coaching on the brand new platform. Close to the migration date, have some customers check the functions to make sure that the instruments and dealing setting are sensible of their respective work settings.
During the migration course of, directors ought to be sure that all e mail addresses, domains, sources, and DNS modifications have been accomplished to make sure the movement of emails – inner and exterior – through the Microsoft 365 tenant. Any multifunction units, like scanners, ought to be reconfigured in order that their emails can be despatched and acquired by way of the Exchange Online occasion.
After migration, customers ought to be onboarded with up to date authentication strategies, together with on their cell units, and have entry to help ought to any points come up.
Post migration, decommission the on-premises servers and clear up the Active Directory database. Check the weblog put up, How to Decommission Exchange Server after Migration to Office 365, for assist with the method, which covers the decommissioning of a single Exchange Server.
Migration of information
When migrating from Exchange Server to Office 365, you’ll be able to select from the next migration strategies:
- Cutover migration
- Staged migration
- Hybrid migration
Cutover migration is finest for small organisations with few mailboxes, and the strategy entails transferring all mailboxes directly. Users can proceed utilizing their mailboxes throughout the course of, however some downtime could happen. Note, any Public folders can’t be migrated instantly utilizing this technique.
The staged migration technique is finest for organisations utilizing older Exchange Server variations (2003 and 2007). This technique permits migration in batches, making it extra systematic than a cutover migration. However, it’s not advisable for newer variations of on-premise Exchange.
The hybrid migration technique is finest for big organisations that want a gradual migration or a interval of coexistence, utilizing on-premises Exchange and Office 365 concurrently. However, this technique could be prolonged and complicated, and Public folders would require separate migration scripts.
Alternative: Third-party migration instruments
You can use functions like Stellar Converter for EDB to make the transition to the cloud smoother. The utility can open stay or orphaned databases and granularly export EDB information on to Microsoft 365 or one other Exchange Server, routinely mapping from supply to vacation spot.
Post migration duties
After migration, contemplate the cleanup of information on the unique Exchange Server and an export of current information for archiving. You could must extract information from a backup if any info was missed throughout the migration. Stellar Converter for EDB may help extract such information.
Conclusion
As you will have seen, there are various technical and non-technical steps concerned to make sure a easy Microsoft 365 migration. It’s essential that every one the events concerned are up to date and on board with the venture. As Microsoft 365 gives a number of new enhancements and collaboration instruments, migrating holds worth for the enterprise. The course of is complicated and requires technical experience, however software program like Stellar Converter for EDB can migrate information with fewer issues and keep the integrity of your enterprise’s info.
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