Exchange 2010 to 2016 Public folder migration

1. 1: Prepare AD and domains
   1. Before installing Exchange Server 2016, you need to 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 need to first 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. 2: Install Exchange server 2016

   Before installing the Exchange server 2016, ensure that you meet the server system requirements and prerequisites as outlined above. Next, follow the link to install Exchange 2016 using the setup wizard.

3. 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. If you need to configure receive connectors, 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. 4: Install cumulative updates (CU) on Exchange server 2010

   For migrating Exchange server 2010 to Exchange 2016, it is required that you have the latest cumulative updates (CU) installed on the source server (2010). A minimum of Exchange 2010 SP3 RU8 or later is required to migrate Public folders.

5. 5: 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.

6. 6: 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
      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.
   2. On the target
      1. ApplicationImpersonation
      2. View-Only Recipients
      3. View-Only Configuration
7. 7: 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.

8. 8: Create a Public folder on Exchange 2016

   Ensure that you create a Public folder on the target server and make it mail-enabled before you migrate.

    Create Exchange Public folder and assign mailbox user

9. 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

Note: For migrating Public folders to Exchange 2016 with EdbMails, you do not require PowerShell scripts. The following steps describe the public migration method by using EdbMails graphical user interface (GUI).