Proper planning is the first step for a successful on-premises Exchange Server to Microsoft 365 migration. In this article, we will discuss how to plan just such a Microsoft 365 migration project. We will also mention an EDB converter tool that can help smooth the transition from on-premises to Microsoft 365.
On-premises Exchange Server to Microsoft 365 migration should be seamless for the business, administrators, and technical staff tasked with the migration, as well as the users of the email, calendaring, messaging, and office task software. The process should ensure that all information is migrated with full data integrity.
Inventory and preparation
Take stock of all the resources which are on the on-premises server. These include mailboxes, distribution groups, shared mailboxes, archives, and public folders. Filter out the mailboxes which you want to omit from the migration or convert to shared mailboxes.
Go through the licence assignments according to users’ needs. The following Microsoft 365 licences are available:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: 50 GB mailbox and 75 GB archive, 1 TB OneDrive.
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: All the Basic plan’s features, plus the Office package.
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3: 100 GB mailbox, with unlimited archive and the Office package, which can also be used via Remote Desktop.
Migration strategy
Users should be informed about the project beforehand and at every stage.
Ensure that the business is not disrupted when the cut-off is performed. Ideally, this is done on a weekend or when the business is not operating. This ensures the necessary time for migration and access to resources for fallback if something goes wrong. Once the date is set, inform the users and the project sponsors.
User training: It’s important to have the users on board and be comfortable with the new system’s features. Microsoft 365 brings several new tools which can increase productivity and offer a greater number of services on users’ mobiles.
It’s important that the users have training on the new platform. Close to the migration date, have some users test the applications to ensure that the tools and working environment are practical in their respective work settings.
During the migration process, administrators should ensure that all email addresses, domains, resources, and DNS changes have been completed to ensure the flow of emails – internal and external – via the Microsoft 365 tenant. Any multifunction devices, like scanners, should be reconfigured so that their emails will be sent and received through the Exchange Online instance.
After migration, users should be onboarded with updated authentication methods, including on their mobile devices, and have access to support should any issues arise.
Post migration, decommission the on-premises servers and clean up the Active Directory database. Check the blog post, How to Decommission Exchange Server after Migration to Office 365, for help with the process, which covers the decommissioning of a single Exchange Server.
Migration of data
When migrating from Exchange Server to Office 365, you can choose from the following migration methods:
- Cutover migration
- Staged migration
- Hybrid migration
Cutover migration is best for small organisations with few mailboxes, and the method involves transferring all mailboxes at once. Users can continue using their mailboxes during the process, but some downtime may occur. Note, any Public folders cannot be migrated directly using this method.
The staged migration method is best for organisations using older Exchange Server versions (2003 and 2007). This method allows migration in batches, making it more systematic than a cutover migration. However, it’s not recommended for newer versions of on-premise Exchange.
The hybrid migration method is best for large organisations that need a gradual migration or a period of coexistence, using on-premises Exchange and Office 365 concurrently. However, this method can be lengthy and complex, and Public folders will require separate migration scripts.
Alternative: Third-party migration tools
You can use applications like Stellar Converter for EDB to make the transition to the cloud smoother. The application can open live or orphaned databases and granularly export EDB data directly to Microsoft 365 or another Exchange Server, automatically mapping from source to destination.
Post migration tasks
After migration, consider the cleanup of data on the original Exchange Server and an export of existing data for archiving. You may have to extract data from a backup if any information was missed during the migration. Stellar Converter for EDB can help extract such data.
Conclusion
As you have seen, there are many technical and non-technical steps involved to ensure a smooth Microsoft 365 migration. It’s important that all the parties involved are updated and on board with the project. As Microsoft 365 offers a lot of new improvements and collaboration tools, migrating holds value for the business. The process is complex and requires technical expertise, but software like Stellar Converter for EDB can migrate data with fewer problems and maintain the integrity of your business’s information.
(Image source: Unsplash)
