This document provides information on different migration options for moving mailboxes and users from an on-premises environment to Microsoft 365. It describes IMAP, cutover, and staged migrations. IMAP migrations can support a wide range of email platforms but only migrate email. Cutover migrations are best for fast migrations of all mailbox content. Staged migrations allow moving content in batches over multiple weeks while keeping identity management on-premises. Each option has different requirements, limitations, and migration processes.
This document provides information on different migration options for moving mailboxes and users from an on-premises environment to Microsoft 365. It describes IMAP, cutover, and staged migrations. IMAP migrations can support a wide range of email platforms but only migrate email. Cutover migrations are best for fast migrations of all mailbox content. Staged migrations allow moving content in batches over multiple weeks while keeping identity management on-premises. Each option has different requirements, limitations, and migration processes.
This document provides information on different migration options for moving mailboxes and users from an on-premises environment to Microsoft 365. It describes IMAP, cutover, and staged migrations. IMAP migrations can support a wide range of email platforms but only migrate email. Cutover migrations are best for fast migrations of all mailbox content. Staged migrations allow moving content in batches over multiple weeks while keeping identity management on-premises. Each option has different requirements, limitations, and migration processes.
This document provides information on different migration options for moving mailboxes and users from an on-premises environment to Microsoft 365. It describes IMAP, cutover, and staged migrations. IMAP migrations can support a wide range of email platforms but only migrate email. Cutover migrations are best for fast migrations of all mailbox content. Staged migrations allow moving content in batches over multiple weeks while keeping identity management on-premises. Each option has different requirements, limitations, and migration processes.
Additional options available with tools from migration partners
2013 hybrid
Outlook-based
Outlook/client-based
Migration batches in Exchange Online
The Migration dashboard:
In EAC, select recipients | migration
Start migration wizard Choose migration type and follow prompts
Set of Migration Cmdlets
New-MigrationBatch
Start-MigrationBatch
Get-MigrationBatch
Get-MigrationStatus
Complete-Migration
Test-MigrationServerAvailability
Cloud Identity
Cloud Identity With
On-Premises AD
Federated Identity with On-Premises
AD
Users, groups, objects, identities mastered in
the cloud
Users, groups, objects mastered On-Premises
and identities mastered in the cloud
Users, groups, objects, identities mastered
On-Premises
IMAP features and benefits
Works with a large number of source mail systems Works with on-premises or hosted systems Users can be migrated in batches
On-premises migration tool is not required.
IMAP requirements and limitations
Access to IMAP ports (TCP/143/993)
SMTP domains configured in O365
tenant
Prepare a CSV file with list of users
Users + mailboxes must be
provisioned prior to migration
Max of 50,000 rows
Max message size 35 MB
Gather user credentials or setup admin credentials
Email address, user name, password
Bulk provisioning, CSV parser, manual, etc. Very limited data migration scope
IMAP migration scope
Migrated Mail messages (Inbox and other folders) Maximum of 500,000 items Possible to exclude specific folders from migration (e.g. Deleted Items, Junk E-Mail)
Not migrated Contacts, Calendars, Tasks, etc. Excluded folders Folders with a forward slash ( / ) in the folder name Messages larger than 35 MB
IMAP migration flow
Initial sync Provision users + mailboxes in O365 (license assigned)
Gather IMAP creds and prepare CSV
EAC Wizard: Enter server settings and upload CSV
Change MX record Delta sync every 24 hours
Mark migration as complete
Final sync and cleanup
Cutover Features and benefits
Simple and quick migration solution High-fidelity solution all mailbox content is migrated
Typically best suited to small and medium organizations
Users are provisioned automatically during migration
Works with Exchange 2003 and newer / hosted exchange system
Identity management in the cloud (at least initially)
Cutover Requirements and limitations
Outlook Anywhere service on source system (must have SSL certificate issued by a public CA)
Migration Account with Full Access or Receive-As
permissions to all mailboxes that will be migrated SMTP domains configured in O365 tenant Directory Sync tool disabled in O365 tenant
Up to 2000 mailboxes in source system
Cutover Exchange Migration architecture
On-premises Exchange org
Users, Groups, Contacts via
Outlook Anywhere (NSPI)
Exchange 2003 or later
Mailbox Data via Outlook
Anywhere (RPC over HTTP)
Cutover Accounts and passwords
Accounts provisioning a.
Migration tool creates users, mailboxes, DLs and contacts
b.
Migration enables replies to migrated messages
(i.e. provision process brings over the Legacy DNs)
Passwords a.
No access to passwords from source directory
b. New passwords created for all users
c.
A link to download passwords is sent to admin
d.
Users must change password on their first login
Cutover Migration data migration scope
Migrated Mail messages and folders Rules and categories Calendar (normal, recurring) Out-of-Office settings Contacts Tasks Delegates and folder perms Outlook settings (e.g. favorites)
Not migrated Security Groups, DDLs System mailboxes Dumpster
Send-As permissions Messages larger than 25 MB
Cutover data migration scope notes
Partial migrations are not possible (no folder exclusion, no time range selection, etc.) Mailboxes enabled for Unified Messaging cannot be migrated Hidden mailboxes (not visible to tool) cannot be migrated New cloud mailbox is created (new GUID) and data is copied Existing cached-mode files (OST files) cannot be preserved
Cutover migration flow
Configure Outlook anywhere
EAC Wizard:
Migration tool Enter server provisions Test using users settings ExRCA and admin mailboxes DLs creds Assign contacts migration in O365 perms
Initial sync Change MX record Delta sync every 24 hours
Mark migration as complete
Final sync and cleanup
License users
Staged Migration features and benefits
Simple and flexible migration for medium and large organization solution to move all data. Users are provisioned with Directory Sync prior to migration, identity management remains on premises. No limit on the number of mailboxes and no tools required. Users can be migrated in batches (up to 1000 per batch) Works with Exchange 2003 and 2007 only, on-premises or hosted
Staged Migration requirements
Outlook Anywhere service on source system (must have SSL certificate issued by a public CA) Migration Account with Full Access or Receive-As permissions to all mailboxes that will be migrated SMTP domain(s) configured in O365 tenant
Directory Sync tool enabled in O365 tenant
Not possible with Exchange 2010 and Exchange 2013.
Simple co-existence. No Free / Busy or Calendar sharing.
Migration tool relies on AADSync to do provisioning
b.
For every on-premises mailbox to be migrated there needs
to be a MEU or Mailbox in Office 365
Passwords a.
Target mailbox passwords must be specified for all users
b.
Administrators can force users to change passwords
on first login
Staged Migration batch file format
CSV format a.
Email address, password, force change password
One user per line
Max of 1000 users in each CSV
Smart-check against the Office 365 directory
Staged Migration data migration scope
Migrated Mail messages and folders Rules and categories Calendar (normal, recurring) Out-of-Office settings Contacts Tasks Delegates and folder perms Outlook settings (e.g. favorites)
Not migrated Security Groups, DDLs System mailboxes Dumpster
Send-As permissions Messages larger than 25 MB
Staged Migration data migration scope
notes Partial migrations are not possible (no folder exclusion, no time range selection, etc.) Unified messaging has to be disabled prior to move. Hidden mailboxes cannot be migrated
New cloud mailbox is created and data is copied so
new Outlook profiles.
Staged Migration migration flow
Configure Outlook anywhere Test using ExRCA Assign migration perms
EAC Wizard: Configure Directory Sync
Migrate Batch
Enter server Convert onsettings,
prem admin mailboxes creds, batch to MEU CSV
Delete migration batch (optional)
License users
Change MX record
User experience In case of Staged / Cutover Exchange Migration: Admin needs to distribute new passwords to users Users create their new Outlook profile using O365 username and new
passwords (Autodiscover)
All mail is downloaded from the Office 365 mailbox
(i.e. the OST file must be recreated)
PST Capture Tool
Another method for migrating mailbox items to cloud mailboxes is Microsoft Exchange PST Capture
PST Capture lets you search for and collect PST files on computers in your on-premises organization and then import the PST files to cloud mailboxes a. You can also use PST Capture to import PST files to onpremises primary or archive mailboxes http://technet.microsoft.com/enus/library/hh781036(v=exchg.141).aspx
Third party tools
There are some third-party migration tools and partners that can assist with Exchange migrations from third-party platforms SkyKick
BitTitan Metalogix
Binary Tree Dell
TransVault
More Info: Exchange Online migration performance and best practices
Exchange Online Protection overview
Microsoft Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is a cloud-based email filtering service that helps protect your organization against spam and malware, and includes features to safeguard your organization from messaging-policy violations.
EOP plans and features:
EOP standalone: Where EOP protects your on-premises
mailboxes.
EOP features in Exchange Online: Where EOP protects your
Exchange Online cloud-hosted mailboxes.
EOP Inbound filtering
Spam analysts Email is routed to EOP DCs based on MX record resolution (mail.protection.outlook.com)
SPAM protection Safe Sender/Recipient Content scanning and Heuristics
Allows/Rejects SPF & Sender ID Filter
AV Engine 3
Bulk Mail filtering
*International Spam* Advanced SPAM management
Quarantine
Corporate network
Mail flow in EOP
Working with messages and message access options: EOP offers a lot of flexibility in how your messages are routed. Use Directory Based Edge Blocking to Reject Messages Sent to Invalid Recipients. Manage Accepted Domains in EOP
Configure custom mail flow by using connectors
Best practices for configuring EOP
Synchronize recipients
SPF record customization to help prevent spoofing
Set anti-spam options
Set anti-malware options
Create transport rules Phishing and Spoofing Prevention Extension Blocking Configure Bulk Mail Protection
Hybrid overview Delegated authentication for on-premises/cloud web services. Rich co-existence.
Online mailbox moves
Preserve the Outlook
profile and offline folders MRS is used.
Exchange Admin Centre
for Office 365 & On Premises environment.
Authenticated and encrypted mail
flow between on-premises and the cloud Preserves the internal Exchange messages headers, allowing a seamless end user experience
Hybrid server roles
On-premises Exchange organization Office 365 Active Directory synchronization Existing Exchange environment (Exchange 2007 or later)
User, contacts, & groups via AADSync
Secure mail flow
Exchange 2013 client access & mailbox server
Sharing (free/busy, Mail Tips, archive, etc.)
Mailbox data via Mailbox Replication Service (MRS)
Office 365
Hybrid deployment process
Sign up for Office 365
Register your domains with Office 365
Deploy Office 365 Directory Sync
General Office 365 deployment tasks
Install Exchange 2013 CAS & MBX Servers
(Edge opt)
Publish the CAS Server (Assign SSL certificate, firewall rules)
Exchange specific deployment
tasks (deep dive on next slide)
Run the Hybrid Wizard
Exchange Online Reporting
Mail Reporting Active and inactive mailboxes: Number of active and inactive mailboxes over time. A mailbox is considered inactive if a user has not logged in for more than 30 days. New and deleted groups Shows the number of groups created and deleted. Mailbox usage: Shows the number of total number of mailboxes exceeding their storage quota, and mailboxes using less than 25% of their storage limit.
Auditing Reports Mailbox litigation holds Shows the number of mailboxes which are under the litigation hold. Mailbox content search and hold Specify a date range and get the result for the mailboxes under the in-Place eDiscovery & Hold * In-Place Hold and Litigation Hold not included with the business plans. eDiscovery is included in the Business Plans.
Rules Reporting Top rule matches for mail Shows the number of rule matches for the received or sent mail. Rule matches for mail Shows the number if transport rule matches, grouped by rule severity.
Protection Reporting Top senders and recipients Shows the following depending on the type of report you select: Top mail recipients: top 10 Top mail senders: top 10 Top Spam Recipients: top 10 Top Malware Recipients: top 10
Top malware for mail
Shows top 10 malwares in sent and received emails.
Key Takeaways: Planning plays a very important role for a successful migration.
What needs to be migrated and what does not?
We have various options available to move to Office 365, what suits best for customer requires a careful study of the environment
Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Administration Guide: Administer and Manage End-to-End Enterprise Messaging, Business Communication, and Team Collaboration (English Edition)
Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Administration Guide: Administer and Manage End-to-End Enterprise Messaging, Business Communication, and Team Collaboration (English Edition)
