Migrate Exchange 2010 to 2016

Migrating to Exchange Server 2016 is a critical step for businesses looking to enhance email functionality, strengthen security, and ensure compatibility with modern applications. Following the end of Microsoft’s support for Exchange Server 2010 on October 13, 2020, vital updates, security patches, and bug fixes are no longer provided. This leaves your system exposed to security vulnerabilities, risking data integrity and overall performance.

Upgrading to Exchange Server 2016 not only mitigates these risks but also brings advanced features, improved reliability, and an enhanced user experience. Organizations making the transition can take advantage of increased functionality and strengthened security measures, ensuring alignment with modern technological requirements.

Migrating from Exchange 2010 to 2016 can be complex, but EdbMails Exchange migration software simplifies this transition. Its intuitive interface allows even novice users to easily navigate the migration process, ensuring a smooth experience.

Key features include incremental migration, which allows you to migrate only the new or modified data since the last migration, minimizing the volume of data transferred during consecutive migration operations. Concurrent mailbox migration enables multiple mailboxes to be migrated simultaneously, significantly reducing overall migration time. Automatic throttling management optimizes resource usage, maintaining consistent data transfer even during peak server hours and achieving zero downtime throughout the migration process.

EdbMails automatically creates mailboxes on the target server, which eliminates manual effort and streamlines the process. With automatic mailbox mapping, it further reduces the need for manual configuration, simplifying the transfer of mailboxes and data. Advanced filtering options allow you to selectively migrate specific data, providing greater control over the migration process.

The following sections cover the reasons for migration, the best methods, migration prerequisites, the migration process, post-migration activities, and the benefits of using EdbMails for Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration.

1. Reasons to migrate from Exchange 2010 to 2016

   Exchange 2016 brings a host of advanced features that significantly enhance its functionality compared to Exchange 2010. Notably, it introduces a centralized Exchange Admin Center (EAC) that streamlines server management and administration. In a notable departure from previous iterations, Exchange 2016 consolidates server roles into two primary categories: Mailbox and Edge Transport. This version also incorporates critical updates such as data loss prevention, refined mail flow rules, In-Place archiving, retention policies, eDiscovery capabilities, and strengthened anti-malware protection.

   To maximize the benefits of these enhancements, it is crucial to understand the new features introduced in Exchange server 2016, as well as any elements that have been replaced or discontinued 2016. With these advancements in mind, now presents an opportune moment to strategize and initiate the Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration, ensuring your organization remains secure and efficient in its email management.

2. Exchange 2010 and 2016 coexistence scenario

   Exchange 2010 and 2016 can coexist together within a single Active Directory (AD) environment, enabling a smooth migration from the source server directly to the target. It’s important to confirm that you have installed update rollup 11 for Exchange 2010 SP3 or a later version. Additionally, Exchange 2016 supports coexistence with Exchange 2013 and facilitates Exchange 2010 and 2016 coexistence, allowing for Hybrid deployments with Microsoft 365. This setup offers organizations enhanced flexibility during the migration process.

3. Best method to upgrade Exchange 2010 to 2016

   When upgrading from Exchange 2010 to 2016, there are several migration methods available, including manual migrations, native Exchange tools, or third-party software solutions. Manual migrations can be intricate and time-consuming, requiring extensive technical expertise and meticulous planning to prevent data loss and reduce downtime. While native Exchange tools can also be utilized, they often rely on complex PowerShell scripts, which may lead to errors, particularly in larger environments.

   Among third-party tools, EdbMails is a standout choice for migrating from Exchange 2010 to 2016. It supports direct migration, ensuring the seamless transfer of all data, including mailboxes, public folders, archive mailboxes, shared mailboxes, emails, contacts, calendars, and more.

   What sets EdbMails apart is its cost-effectiveness, providing a comprehensive solution for businesses of all sizes without compromising on functionality. By automating the migration process, EdbMails removes the need for manual intervention or complex scripting, enabling a quicker, more efficient upgrade.

4. Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration checklist

   When migrating from Exchange 2010 to 2016, careful planning and preparation are crucial for ensuring compatibility and a smooth transition. To help you with this process, here’s a simple checklist of important steps to ensure a successful migration:

   1. Create a comprehensive inventory of all items to be migrated while identifying the necessary resources, including hardware, software, network specifications, and available bandwidth.
   2. Ensure that all email clients are updated to their latest versions and cumulative updates are installed.
   3. Prepare end users for the migration by informing stakeholders about the upcoming changes.
   4. Clarify the data to be migrated, such as mailboxes, public folders, archive mailboxes and shared mailboxes.
   5. Document the configurations at both the Active Directory forest and domain levels.
   6. Familiarize yourself with the enhancements in Exchange 2016 and Office 365, particularly if planning for a hybrid deployment.
   7. Configure the required mailboxes and public folders on the target server, and conduct a test migration to verify functionality.
   8. Execute the actual migration to Exchange 2016 and confirm the accuracy of the transferred data.
   9. Update MX records and set up Outlook for all users across the organization.
   10. Decommission the Exchange 2010 servers only after ensuring that mail flow is functioning correctly in the new environment.

5. Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration prerequisites

   • Step 1: Check that your system meets the Exchange 2016 setup requirements.

     Before you migrate your mailbox data to Exchange 2019, ensure that your current environment and hardware is compatible for the migration. The following links will help you to know about the network, hardware,.NET framework and operating system requirements for installing Exchange server 2016.

     1. Network and directory requirement for Exchange 2016
     2. Hardware Requirements for Exchange 2016
     3. Supported operating systems for Exchange 2016
     4. Supported .NET Framework in Exchange 2016
     5. Supported Outlook clients in Exchange 2016

     Note: Exchange 2016 requires Active Directory forest functional level of Windows Server 2008 R2 or higher and a .NET Framework 4.8 on a Cumulative Update (CU) of 15. The Mailbox and Edge Transport servers require Windows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter and higher. See the Exchange 2016 server supportability matrix for more information.

   • Step 2: Prepare your system with the following prerequisites for Exchange 2016

     Ensure that you meet the following prerequisites for Active Directory, Windows 2016 Mailbox server and Windows 2016 Edge Transport servers for installing Exchange 2016.

     1. Windows Server prerequisites for Exchange 2016
     2. Prerequisites for preparing Active Directory (AD)
   • Step 3: Decide how you want to migrate 2010 to 2016 Exchange

     Consider if you want to migrate email using the Exchange cutover method, staged or with the Hybrid deployment. EdbMails can help you with the 2010 to 2016 Exchange migration without downtime or data loss. The advantage with it is that you can keep using your mailboxes during the migration without disconnecting your Exchange server.

     Current environment and requirement	Ideal migration approach	How does the migration take place?
     You want to perform a complete Exchange 2016 migration in a single event and in a limited time frame.	Exchange 2010 to 2016 cutover migration	Set up the target Exchange server and migrate everything in a single sitting. Suitable for large mailbox migration
     You have little time and want to migrate mailboxes from Exchange 2010 to 2016 in phases or over the weekends	Staged Exchange migration	Migrate your mailboxes and mail data in stages and migrate the most recent data first, followed by the others.
     You want to migrate from Exchange 2010 to a Hybrid 2016 and Office 365 environment	Exchange Hybrid migration to Office 365	Migrate from the source server to a Hybrid Exchange and Office 365 environment. See the prerequisites for a Hybrid deployment

   • Step 4: Setup the target Exchange server 2016 for migration

     Given below is a list of key points for installing and preparing the Exchange 2016 server for migration.

     1. Prepare AD and domains
        1. Before installing Exchange Server 2016, prepare your Active Directory forest and its domains for the new version of Exchange.
        2. If you have a separate team to manage the Active Directory schema, you must extend the active directory schema, else proceed to the next step to prepare the Active Directory.
        3. If you have multiple domains you need to additionally prepare the Active Directory domains.
     2. Install Exchange server 2016

        Ensure that you meet the server system requirements and prerequisites outlined in the preceding sections. Next, install Exchange 2016 mailbox server and edge transport server using the setup wizard.

     3. Prepare a clean Exchange 2016 target environment
        1. Create and configure a Send connector to send mail outside the Exchange organization.
        2. By default, Exchange automatically creates receive connectors for inbound mail flow when the mailbox server is installed. However, if you want to configure custom receive connectors for certain mail flow scenarios, follow the steps in the link.
        3. Add accepted domains to allow recipients to send and receive email from another domain.
        4. Configure the default email address policy to add the accepted domain to every recipient in the organization.
        5. Configure external URLs (domains) on the virtual directories in the Client Access (frontend) services on the Mailbox server to allow clients to connect to your server from the internet (outside the organization’s network).
        6. Configure internal URLs on the virtual directories in the Client Access (frontend) services on the Mailbox server to allow clients to connect to your server from the internal network.
        7. Configure SSL certificates from a third-party certificate authority for services such as Outlook Anywhere and Exchange ActiveSync.
        8. Verify the Exchange server installation by running the command Get-ExchangeServer on the Exchange Management Shell (EMS)
     4. Create mailboxes target Exchange 2016 server

        Make sure to create mailboxes on the target server for the migration and assign appropriate licenses to each one. You can use EdbMails to automatically create mailboxes on your target server. If you prefer to create the mailboxes manually, follow the link below:

         Steps to create mailboxes in Exchange server

        If you are planning to migrate public folders ensure to create public folder on the target server and assign the admin permissions

     5. Install cumulative updates (CU) on Exchange server 2010

        For migrating Exchange server 2010 to Exchange 2016, it is required that you have installed the latest cumulative updates (CU) on the source server (2010).

     6. Create trust relationship between forests (Optional)

        A forest trust is an authentication between two domains within the same Active Directory forest which creates a trust between two root domains for exchanging information. By creating a trust in advance, it is possible to address the trust issues during or after the migration. See steps if you want to perform cross forest migration from Exchange 2010 to 2016.

        Note: This step applies to Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012. Creating a trust relationship is not required for SBS based environments.

          Steps to create Public folder in Exchange server

     7. Assign management roles to the admin account

        Ensure that you have set the following permissions to the admin account on the source (2010) and target server (2016)

        1. On the source server:
           1. ApplicationImpersonation
           2. View-Only Configuration - Run the cmdlet New-ManagementRoleAssignment using the Exchange Management Shell to assign the View-Only Configuration role to the admin.
           3. Organization Management role group. It is an elevated permission that is required to migrate Public folders.
        2. On the target server:
           1. ApplicationImpersonation
           2. View-Only Recipients
           3. View-Only Configuration
     8. Verify the mailbox of the admin account

        Check to see if the admin account that has been assigned management roles has a valid and non-hidden mailbox on the Exchange 2010 server. This property also applies to all the other user mailboxes.

     9. Configure the throttling and message-size limits

        You can manually change the EWS throttling and message size limits on the target Exchange 2016 server by following the steps outlined in the links below.

        1. Change the EWS throttling settings on Exchange server
        2. Change message size limits on target Exchange 2016

6. Steps to migrate Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016

   After you have finished the pre-migration preparations, proceed with the migration using EdbMails.

    Refer to the recommended best practices for Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration.

   • Step 1: Download and install EdbMails Exchange migration software

     • Download EdbMails and install the application on your computer running on Windows OS that can connect to both the source and target Exchange servers.

         System requirements for Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration

       

     • Launch the application and click either ‘Login’ by entering the email address and password or click ‘Start Your Free Trial’.

       

     • Select 'Live Exchange Migration’ option.

       

     • Choose ‘Live Exchange to Live Exchange Migration’ option.

       

     • You can go with the default job name or click ‘New Job’ to enter a custom name.

       

   • Step 2: Connect to source Exchange server 2010

     • Click ‘Add New Connection’ to configure a new connection to the source Exchange server. If a connection has already been set up, select it from the list and click ‘Connect to Existing’.

       

         Different options to connect to Exchange servering EdbMails.

     • Select the required connection options and click the ‘Next’ button.

       

     • Provide the source Exchange server credentials and click ‘Login’ to authenticate

       

     • After successfully logging into your source server, you have the option to load the mailboxes. EdbMails can automatically load the mailboxes. Alternatively, you can manually load the mailboxes using a CSV file.

       

   • Step 3: Choose the mailboxes for migration

     • Choose the mailboxes from your Exchange 2010 server that you wish to migrate to Exchange 2016. Make sure to select all the necessary mailboxes before moving forward.
     • Click the ‘Next’ button.

       

   • Step 4: Connect to target Exchange 2016 server

     • To set up a new connection to the target Exchange server, click ‘Add New Connection’. If you wish to use a previously configured connection, select it from the list and click ‘Connect to Existing’ to continue the migration process.

       

     • Choose the required options to connect to your target Exchange server and click the ‘Next’ button.

       

     • Enter the target Exchange 2016 server details and click the ‘Login’ button

       

     • After successfully login to your target Exchange 2016 server, select the option to load the mailboxes, you can manually load the mailboxes using a CSV file.

       

   • Step 5: Map the source and target Exchange server mailboxes

     • Select the appropriate mapping option.

       

     • EdbMails automatically maps mailboxes between the source and the target Exchange servers. This feature is especially useful when migrating a large number of mailboxes, as it reduces manual effort and saves time during the overall migration process.

       

   • Step 6: Start Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016 migration

     • Once the mailbox mapping is complete, click ‘Start Migration’ to begin transferring mailboxes to the target Exchange server.

       

     • Now that the migration has been initiated, you can see the migration status in the progress bar. Once the migration is complete, EdbMails will prompt you to review the migration status with logs.

       

     • Click the 'View Logs' button to view the migration report. Also, log in to your target Exchange server and verify the items

7. Exchange 2010 to 2016: post-migration tasks

   • Step 1: Update the MX records and test the email routing

     To receive messages on the Exchange server 2016, update 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. Test email routing to make sure that email is being delivered to the correct mailboxes on the Exchange 2016 server.

   • Step 2: Create a new Outlook profile for users in the new domain

     Ensure you have the latest version of Outlook client installed on your computer to avoid compatibility issues. 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 2010

     Allow a few days to confirm proper email reception and ensure that all systems are functioning as anticipated. Once confirmed, proceed with decommissioning the source Exchange server. Follow the instructions provided on Microsoft's website to learn how to uninstall Exchange Server 2010 after completing the migration to Exchange 2016.

8. Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration troubleshooting

    Check the Exchange migration troubleshooting guide for effective solutions to typical migration challenges you might face.

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Additional resources:

• EdbMails Exchange migration software
• Exchange 2010 to 2019 migration
• Exchange 2013 to 2019 migration
• Exchange 2016 to 2019 migration
• Exchange 2010 to Office 365 migration
• Exchange 2013 to Office 365 migration
• Exchange 2016 to Office 365 migration
• Exchange 2019 to Office 365 migration