Cutover Exchange migration
Cutover migration is a method for migrating an entire on-premises Exchange server environment in a single operation. This type of migration is used when all mailbox data needs to be migrated simultaneously, rather than in stages. It is typically necessary when an organization plans to transition its entire workforce to Office 365 in a single phase, making it suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have manageable data volumes and want to avoid prolonged migration timelines. A cutover migration is often chosen when there is a need to decommission the on-premises Exchange server entirely or when rapid migration is required to avoid long-term coexistence between environments. EdbMails Exchange migration software provides comprehensive support for cutover migration, making it easier to manage and execute.
With EdbMails, users can migrate data from Exchange 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, or 2019 to Office 365, handling the entire operation with minimal configuration. The software is designed to migrate complete mailboxes, public folders, archive mailboxes, shared mailboxes etc. ensuring a complete data transfer
Strategic scenarios for Exchange cutover migration
In cutover migration, EdbMails simplifies the process by allowing users to select the mailboxes for migration and leave other settings at default, unless certain data types need to be excluded. Key scenarios where cutover migration becomes necessary include:
- Decommissioning on-premises servers: When an organization plans to completely move away from on-premises Exchange infrastructure and needs to transition all data at once.
- Small to medium data volume: For SMEs that do not have a large amount of data or users, cutover migration ensures a fast and effective transition without the need for complex staging or co-existence.
- Minimizing complexity: Organizations looking for a migration process that requires minimal technical overhead, particularly those that don’t have dedicated IT teams to manage extensive, phased migrations.
Steps to perform Exchange cutover migration using EdbMails
Step 1: Install EdbMails Exchange migration software setup
- Download EdbMails and install the application on a computer running the Windows operating system that can be connected to your target Exchange servers.
- Launch the application and click either ‘Login’ using the appropriate details or ‘Start Your Free Trial’.
See the detailed list of EdbMails system requirements for Exchange migration.
Step 2: Select ‘Live Exchange migration’ as migration option
- Select the ‘Live Exchange Migration’ option from the products lists.
- Choose the option 'Live Exchange to Live Exchange Migration' from the dropdown list and proceed
- You can use the default job name or click 'New Job' to give it a different name.
Step 3: Connect to source Exchange server
- To set up a new connection with the source Exchange server, click ‘Add New Connection’. If you've connected before, just select it from the list and click ‘Connect to Existing’ to continue.
Set impersonation rights on both source and the target servers.
Click here for the details about different Exchange server connection methods supported by EdbMails.
With EdbMails, you can migrate mailboxes, public folders, and archive mailboxes from the source Exchange to the target server.
Choose the connection options you need, then click ‘Next’ to move forward.
- Enter the source Exchange server details and click the ‘Login’ button.
Tip: EdbMails supports ‘Default Connection’ where you specify the Exchange server name and Exchange version, or the ‘Autodiscover Email' option where you directly login with the user credentials.
- Once you successfully logged into your source server, choose the option to load the mailboxes. EdbMails can automatically load the mailboxes. Alternatively, you can manually load the mailboxes using a CSV file.
- To set up a new connection with the source Exchange server, click ‘Add New Connection’. If you've connected before, just select it from the list and click ‘Connect to Existing’ to continue.
Step 4: Select the mailboxes for migration
- Select the mailboxes from the source Exchange server that you want to migrate
- Click ‘Next’ and proceed to set up the connection with the target server.
Tip: If this is the first time you’re migrating with EdbMails, the migration is a full migration. On subsequent migrations from the same source to the target, the migration is incremental. If you have duplicate emails in your source server, you can remove them with the Exchange Duplicate remover tool before the migration.
Step 5: Connect to target Exchange server
- To connect to the target Exchange server, click ‘Add New Connection’. If you’ve used a connection before, select it from the list and click ‘Connect to Existing’.
- Choose the options to connect to your target Exchange server and click ‘Next’.
- Enter the target Exchange server details and click the ‘Login’ button.
Step 6: Map the source and target Exchange server mailboxes
- Select the required mapping option.
- If you have installed EdbMails on your Exchange server, you can choose to automatically create mailboxes on the target Exchange server.
Click here to know more about automatic mailbox creation.
- EdbMails automatically maps mailboxes between the source and the target Exchange servers. This functionality proves especially helpful when migrating a significant number of mailboxes, ultimately saving you time in the process.
- Select the required mapping option.
Step 7: Start Exchange cutover migration
- Once mailbox mapping is done, click ‘Start Migration’ to begin the process.
- After starting the migration, you can track its progress in the progress bar. When it’s finished, EdbMails will ask you to check the migration status and view the logs.
Post migration tasks
- Step 1: Update the MX records to point to Exchange server
To receive messages on the target Exchange server, change the DNS records known as MX records to enable email to work with the new server you have migrated to. In addition, configure the Autodiscover record to allow Outlook to connect to the migrated mailboxes.
- Step 2: Create a new Outlook profile for users in the new domain
Configure the Outlook profile for each user in your domain if Outlook has problems connecting to the new Exchange server.
- Step 3: Decommission and uninstall Exchange server
Uninstall and decommission the source Exchange server after you finish the migration.
- Step 1: Update the MX records to point to Exchange server
