How to Migrate Exchange to Office 365: Step by Step

 When planning an Exchange to Office 365 Migration, it can be quite confusing to understand what steps to take and in what order.

This article describes the steps and decisions you must make when migrating to Exchange Online. In Part 1 we will consider the first two most important steps: deciding on a migration approach and taking the central steps for identity. We do the hybrid configuration of Exchange and we do the mailbox migration.

Although we will cover a lot of information in no time, you will find detailed instructions at all times.

Prepare to migrate from Exchange to Office 365

Before starting the migration, you must ensure that the source environment you are migrating from is in good condition.

If the Exchange environment you're running today is unhealthy, this can often serve as a motivator for getting around. What could be an easier solution for Exchange's low daily performance than switching to Office 365?

If you have everyday problems with Exchange, p. For example, user issues with remote access to Exchange, error messages, and slow mailbox access times, or worse, database corruption, switching to Office 365 is most likely another problem; Not only for people accessing the environment you want to migrate from, but also during migration, as errors are likely to occur along the way.

The first step before starting a migration should be to make sure that the environment is reasonably error-free and fix any underlying issues before migrating.

Hybrid migration or tool-based migration?

If you are considering moving your Exchange environment to Office 365, you probably know that there are many options available.

From Microsoft, you have options for staged migration and transition migration, as well as hybrid migration, and third-party providers have a variety of different tools in the mailbox and email file migration market.

If you have a Microsoft-compatible version of Exchange Server (Exchange Server 2010 and later) and it's part of your Active Directory, your default should generally be an Exchange hybrid migration.

An Exchange hybrid builds on a minimal or full Exchange hybrid and creates a relationship between your on-premises Exchange servers and Exchange Online. This allows movements of native mailboxes, similar to those made between local Exchange servers, with Outlook clients that switch natively without having to download copies of emails offline again. With Full Hybrid, this also extends to the secure flow of messages between the two environments and to coexistence features such as free / busy and free calendar.

Azure AD

Azure AD Connect complements Exchange Hybrid. You must use hybrid if you want to sync your identity with the cloud. Azure AD Connect synchronizes your on-premises Active Directory domain with Office 365 and creates a copy of the on-premises AD accounts in Azure Active Directory that are linked to the master copies. Azure AD Connect is also the part of the puzzle that maintains a consistent global address list between installations and the cloud.

Because AD and Azure AD Connect understand when an existing Exchange organization exists, existing mailboxes on the site do not create Office 365 mailboxes. You are expected to use Exchange Hybrid to move mailboxes.

The same rules do not apply to tool-based migration. A fully hybrid-compatible Exchange hybrid migration provides an excellent experience. However, the correct configuration can be complex, particularly in environments with multiple forests. Azure AD Connect or Exchange Hybrid often cannot be configured in hosted environments. If you have earlier versions of Exchange, you can install additional Exchange 2010 or later servers that contain the hybrid components. Therefore, there are valid uses for an Office 365 custom migration tool. However, this article assumes that you have chosen Exchange Hybrid.

Understand the requirements and dependencies.

If you have decided that migrating to Office 365 with Exchange Hybrid is right for your business and you have a healthy migration environment, you need to make sure that you have completed the necessary planning activities.

Many organizations beginning this journey at this point will ensure that they have a design that supports the changes that will take place. However, since you are not designing Office 365 or Exchange Online and instead are designing the bridge to Office 365, the design is often not as detailed as a full Exchange migration.

Instead, focus on the changes that are required in your existing environment to make sure you are ready for the changes. We won't see that in this article, but it's worth noting that most large and small organizations don't just go into the unknown without making advance plans.

The most important prerequisite for migration to Exchange is that the correct identity model is available. There are several options available when choosing an identity. However, the most common use is Azure AD Connect with synchronized identities and password hash synchronization.

Before that, we performed a number of key tasks.

How to Migrate Exchange to Office 365: Step by Step

 When planning an Exchange to Office 365 Migration, it can be quite confusing to understand what steps to take and in what order.

This article describes the steps and decisions you must make when migrating to Exchange Online. In Part 1 we will consider the first two most important steps: deciding on a migration approach and taking the central steps for identity. We do the hybrid configuration of Exchange and we do the mailbox migration.

Although we will cover a lot of information in no time, you will find detailed instructions at all times.

Prepare to migrate from Exchange to Office 365

Before starting the migration, you must ensure that the source environment you are migrating from is in good condition.

If the Exchange environment you're running today is unhealthy, this can often serve as a motivator for getting around. What could be an easier solution for Exchange's low daily performance than switching to Office 365?

If you have everyday problems with Exchange, p. For example, user issues with remote access to Exchange, error messages, and slow mailbox access times, or worse, database corruption, switching to Office 365 is most likely another problem; Not only for people accessing the environment you want to migrate from, but also during migration, as errors are likely to occur along the way.

The first step before starting a migration should be to make sure that the environment is reasonably error-free and fix any underlying issues before migrating.

Hybrid migration or tool-based migration?

If you are considering moving your Exchange environment to Office 365, you probably know that there are many options available.

From Microsoft, you have options for staged migration and transition migration, as well as hybrid migration, and third-party providers have a variety of different tools in the mailbox and email file migration market.

If you have a Microsoft-compatible version of Exchange Server (Exchange Server 2010 and later) and it's part of your Active Directory, your default should generally be an Exchange hybrid migration.

An Exchange hybrid builds on a minimal or full Exchange hybrid and creates a relationship between your on-premises Exchange servers and Exchange Online. This allows movements of native mailboxes, similar to those made between local Exchange servers, with Outlook clients that switch natively without having to download copies of emails offline again. With Full Hybrid, this also extends to the secure flow of messages between the two environments and to coexistence features such as free / busy and free calendar.

Azure AD

Azure AD Connect complements Exchange Hybrid. You must use hybrid if you want to sync your identity with the cloud. Azure AD Connect synchronizes your on-premises Active Directory domain with Office 365 and creates a copy of the on-premises AD accounts in Azure Active Directory that are linked to the master copies. Azure AD Connect is also the part of the puzzle that maintains a consistent global address list between installations and the cloud.

Because AD and Azure AD Connect understand when an existing Exchange organization exists, existing mailboxes on the site do not create Office 365 mailboxes. You are expected to use Exchange Hybrid to move mailboxes.

The same rules do not apply to tool-based migration. A fully hybrid-compatible Exchange hybrid migration provides an excellent experience. However, the correct configuration can be complex, particularly in environments with multiple forests. Azure AD Connect or Exchange Hybrid often cannot be configured in hosted environments. If you have earlier versions of Exchange, you can install additional Exchange 2010 or later servers that contain the hybrid components. Therefore, there are valid uses for an Office 365 custom migration tool. However, this article assumes that you have chosen Exchange Hybrid.

Understand the requirements and dependencies.

If you have decided that migrating to Office 365 with Exchange Hybrid is right for your business and you have a healthy migration environment, you need to make sure that you have completed the necessary planning activities.

Many organizations beginning this journey at this point will ensure that they have a design that supports the changes that will take place. However, since you are not designing Office 365 or Exchange Online and instead are designing the bridge to Office 365, the design is often not as detailed as a full Exchange migration.

Instead, focus on the changes that are required in your existing environment to make sure you are ready for the changes. We won't see that in this article, but it's worth noting that most large and small organizations don't just go into the unknown without making advance plans.

The most important prerequisite for migration to Exchange is that the correct identity model is available. There are several options available when choosing an identity. However, the most common use is Azure AD Connect with synchronized identities and password hash synchronization.

Before that, we performed a number of key tasks.

How Does Office 365 Migration Work?

 

GoDaddy offers email migration services for Office 365. We take care of the hard work of moving your email data and send you and your users a message every step of the way, along with all the necessary instructions to complete the transition. 

 

If you have configured your Outlook client with POP email settings, you and your users must download and install the Outlook Migration Wizard to migrate local data. The wizard copies your client's settings and prepares each desktop with the existing settings. Make sure all your computers / users meet the requirements.

 

Starting the Migration

 

To start your Office 365 Migration, you need to contact a GoDaddy guide to guide you through customizing your migration, which includes:

 

1. Which mailboxes are migrated to Office 365?
2. Set up plugins like advanced email security, email archiving or email backup
3. Add email aliases, distribution groups and / or forwarding addresses
4. Choose a date to use Office 365

 

Step 1: domain verification

 

To set up Office 365, proof that you are the owner of your domain is required by entering a TXT entry in the DNS domain. We will email you instructions for updating your DNS. It is important to do this as soon as possible, otherwise your migration may be delayed. This change does not interrupt your current email service.

 

 Note: If you have already set up your Office 365 accounts before contacting a guide, or if your domain and DNS are on the same GoDaddy account as the migration, we will do this for you. TXT for GoDaddy managed DNS is not normally required.

 

Step 2: collect passwords

1. In order for us to migrate email from your current email service to Office 365, we need to access your accounts to start data synchronization. To this end, our migration partner SkyKick (upgradees@skykick.com) sends each end user an email with a clear and secure link requesting you or your users to provide their email address and password. This is the current email address and password that you are using now.

 Note: If you migrate from GoDaddy Workspace email, you don't have to enter your current email passwords. We already have everything we need for this part and you don't need to provide additional details or passwords to continue.

 

2.               After entering your current information, the page will ask you to set a password for your new Office 365 account. This is the password you use to access your new account.

3.               Once you have created your new password, we will start migrating emails in the background as you continue to use your current email service.

 

Step 3: download the Outlook Migration Wizard

 

Necessary:

Make sure that you and your end users are qualified to use this program following the requirements. If you are not authorized, you may not receive all of your data.

 

To facilitate the migration process and allow us to move your data and settings even further, we recommend that you and your email users download and install the Outlook Migration Wizard before the scheduled update date. The wizard is only available to Windows PC users.

 

If qualified users download and install the program before the migration date, the Outlook Migration Wizard does the following for them:

 

1. Automatically create a new profile in Outlook using new Office 365 email
2. Migrate local .PST content from the old email to the new profile. This means things like:

·        POP email data

·        Contacts / calendar / tasks

·        Firms

·        Autofill cache

 

The account owner receives daily reports of Outlook Migration Assistant downloads from their email users. We recommend everyone (who can) download and install the wizard as soon as possible.

 

Anyone who cannot use the Outlook Migration Wizard must manually move local content and configure their client manually. We send instructions to these users on the migration date. Mac users and users without Outlook already configured cannot use the Outlook Migration Wizard.

 

Step 4: Migration day: DNS change

 

You can use Office 365 depending on the date and time you choose. You will need to change your DNS settings to point to Office 365 before using your new email.

 

These settings will be emailed to you 8 hours prior to migration. So if you need to take steps to prepare with your DNS provider, give them these DNS instructions. If your domain and DNS are with GoDaddy, we will make these changes for you.

 

If you downloaded the Outlook Migration Wizard, you must update DNS so that the wizard can complete the configuration of your Outlook client.

 

Step 5: finishing the touches

 

When you use your email, almost all of the data is there, but you may be missing some of your most recent emails. Once you use Office 365, you need to schedule up to 48 hours as we sync the final email from your old email server with your new Office 365 account.

 

We will monitor your old email accounts for up to 72 hours if emails are diverted during the transition.

 

Enjoy upgrading to Office 365!