Hosted exchange to Office 365 migration

EdbMails Exchange migration software is a simple and cost-effective solution for moving mailbox data from the source Hosted Exchange server to the target Office 365 server. With its advanced features, the software transforms and simplifies the Hosted Exchange migration for administrators.

This unique approach makes the entire migration easy, reliable and ensures safe, effortless migration to Office 365. During the migration operation, the application ensures zero downtime and does not alter any of your data maintaining perfect consistency.

1. Pre Migration Activities for Hosted Exchange to Office 365 Migration

   • Step 1: Set the impersonation role to the admin user on the source

     If you are using global admin account to connect to source Hosted Exchange server, then set the ApplicationImpersonation permissions to migrate other user mailboxes

   • Step 2: Create mailboxes on the target Office 365 server

     Before you migrate to Office 365, ensure that you create mailboxes for users in your organization and assign suitable licenses to them.

      Add users and assign licenses to Office 365 users

      Assign Microsoft 365 licenses to user accounts

     If you plan to migrate Public folders to Office 365, ensure that you create and configure the Public folder mailboxes on the target server.

      Create Office 365 Public folder and assign mailbox user

   • Step 3: Set impersonation role to the admin user on the target

     Ensure that you have set the impersonation rights to the admin account on the target Office 365 server.

   • Step 4: Add a custom domain to Office 365 (Optional)

     If you have a custom email domain from your hosting provider to which you want to migrate and receive emails, you must add and verify the domain on Office 365.

      Steps to add custom domain to Office 365

2. Hosted Exchange to Office 365 Migration using EdbMails

   • Step 1: Download and install EdbMails Exchange server migration software setup
     1. Download EdbMails and install the application on any computer that is connected to the source and target environment. You can also perform the migration operation by installing EdbMails on a non-Exchange server computer.
     2. Launch the application and click 'Login' or 'Start Your Free Trial'.

        

     3. Select 'Live Exchange migration' from the drop down list.

        

      Refer to the link for a detailed list of EdbMails system requirements Hosted Exchange migration.

     Note: If your source server mailbox standard folders (such as Inbox, Calendar, Contacts) are initialized with a different language, like the French name 'Boîte de réception' for Inbox, direct migration to the destination server will not automatically map them to their corresponding folders. To ensure accurate folder mapping for cases involving different language names, refer to this link.

   • Step 2: Connect to the Source Hosted Exchange server

     In the 'Connect to Exchange server (Source)' window, select 'Connect Hosted Exchange Server' as 'Connection option' and select the required type of connection.

     With EdbMails, you can migrate mailboxes, public folders, and archive mailboxes from Hosted Exchange to Office 365.

     Refer to the link for the instructions on how to use the different Exchange server connection methods supported by EdbMails.

     After the successful login, select an option to load the mailboxes. You can also load the mailboxes by using a CSV file.

     

   • Step 3: Select the mailboxes and connect to Office 365

     Once the mailboxes are loaded into the migration window, select the mailboxes and folders from the Hosted Exchange server that you wish to migrate to Office 365.

     Click 'Migrate to Office 365' to proceed with the connection with the target server

     

     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.

   • Step 4: Customize the Hosted Exchange migration operation (Optional)

     EdbMails provides the following additional options to help you customize the migration task.

     1. Additional Include and Exclude Filter Options
     2. Filter emails by Date: Migrate to Exchange 2019 by applying the Date filter
     3. Filter emails by Size: Exclude emails from migration larger than a specified size.

     

   • Step 5: Connect to target Office 365 server

     Connect to the target Office 365 server by keeping the default Automatic registration method or opt for Manual registration and the required connection method among the Mailboxes, Public folder or Archive Mailbox.

     

      Connect to Office 365 server using secure modern authentication

   • Step 6: Map the mailboxes between the source and the target servers

     EdbMails automatically maps the mailboxes and folders between the source  and target server which saves time when you’re migrating a large number of mailboxes. You can also manually map the required mailboxes and folders with the target server.

     

   • Step 7: Start the migration from Hosted Exchange Office 365

     Start and monitor the migration operation after you complete the mailbox mapping. Finally, verify the count of migrated emails, folders and mailbox items with EdbMails text-based log report.

     

3. Post Migration Tasks

   • Step 1: Update Office 365 MX Records in your DNS

     Update your MX records in your DNS to start receiving messages on Office 365. This switch ensures smooth email operation with your newly migrated server. Additionally, set up the Autodiscover record for the Outlook connectivity to the migrated mailboxes.

   • Step 2: Create Outlook Profiles for the new domain users

     If Outlook encounters connectivity hiccups with Office 365, create fresh Outlook profiles for each user in your domain. This action will help troubleshoot and establish proper connections.

Exchange migration troubleshooting

  For potential solutions to migration errors, refer to the Exchange migration troubleshooting guide. If you need more information about EdbMails Exchange migration, check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section.

  If you're planning Hosted Exchange to Exchange 2019 or 2016 migration , be sure to review the prerequisites and migration steps."