Exchange 2013 Public folder to Office 365 migration

1. Public folder to Microsoft 365 Migration Planning

   Before you migrate the Public folder from Exchange 2013 to Office 365 you need to consider the migration requirements and prerequisites. Following is a checklist of items to identify and prepare your environments.

   1. Identify the type of your current migration environment (Hybrid or non-Hybrid)
   2. Identify the size and number of Public folders you want to migrate
   3. Create Public folders on Office 365 and make them mail enabled.
   4. Determine whether you want to move everything at once or in stages.
   5. Check your internet connection speed and network configuration.
   6. Decide if you plan to move Public folders to Public folders, Primary mailboxes or Shared mailboxes on the target server.
   7. Back up your existing Public folder mailboxes before you migrate.

    See the list of prerequisites for migrating Public folders to Office 365.

2. Pre Migration Activities

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

     Ensure that you set the ApplicationImpersonation permissions to the admin account on the source Exchange server 2013. Ensure that the mailboxes and folders you migrate are not hidden from the address lists.

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

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

     1. Add users and assign licenses to Office 365 users
     2. Assign Microsoft 365 licenses to user accounts

     If you plan to migrate the source Public folders to Public folders on 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

      If your mailboxes are in a Hybrid environment, it is not possible to migrate the Public folders directly to Office 365. Refer to this workaround solution to migrate Public folders in a hybrid environment.

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

     Ensure that the admin account on the target Office 365 server has the impersonation rights to migrate mailboxes and Public folders.

   • 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

   • Step 5: Install cumulative updates (CU) on Exchange server 2013

     For migrating Exchange server 2013 to Office 365, it is required that you have latest cumulative updates (CU15 or later) installed on the source server (2013)

     Note: Unlike the Microsoft method, you do not require PowerShell scripts for transferring Public folders to Office 365 if you are using EdbMails for the migration. The following steps describe the public migration method by using EdbMails graphical user interface (GUI).

3. Public folders from Exchange 2013 to Office 365 Migration using EdbMails

   There are two methods for migrating Public folder by using EdbMails Exchange migration

   1. Direct migration of Public folders from 2013 to Office 365
   2. Migrate Public folders using the PST import method

   Method 1: Steps to migrate Exchange 2013 Public folders to Office 365

   • 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 the migration method as Live Exchange migration

        

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

     Note: If the Standard folders (such as Inbox, Calendar, Contacts) on your source Exchange server mailboxes are initialized with a different language, follow the below details to migrate these folders to the respective system folders on the target (destination) server.

     For Instance: If your source Inbox folder is named 'Boîte de réception', which is in French language and you migrate this folder directly to the destination server, then by default it will not be mapped to the 'Inbox' folder on the target server. In order to map the folder with the french name to the respective folder, change the regional settings on the target server to match that of your source mailbox folder language (in this case, it is French).

     Click here to know the steps to change the language and regional settings on Exchange server

   • Step 2: Connect to the Exchange server as Global Admin

     In the Connect to Exchange server (Source) window, select 'Connect using Global Admin User'. You can also load the mailboxes using a CSV file. Refer to the link for instructions on how to use the different Exchange server connection methods supported by EdbMails.

      See the steps to connect to public folders on the source server in EdbMails

     

      See the steps if you want to exclude a public folder from migration.

   • Step 3: Select the Public folder and connect to Office 365
     • Select the public folders from Exchange 2013 that you want to migrate to Office 365.
     • Click 'Migrate to Office 365' to set up 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 Exchange to Office 365 migration operation

     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 Office 365 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 as Global Admin User

     EdbMails supports both modern and classic authentication. Connect to the target server by selecting Auto or Manual registration for modern authentication and the connection method as Mailboxes or Public folder.

      Connect to Office 365 server using secure modern authentication

   • Step 6: Map the folders between the source and the target

     The mapping activity in EdbMails can automatically match and map the mailboxes and folders between the two Exchange servers and saves time when you’re migrating a large number of public folders.

     

   • Step 7: Start the migration to Office 365 from Exchange 2013

     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.

     

   Method 2: Exchange 2013 Public folder migration using the PST migration method

   If you have a PST file exported from Exchange server 2013, EdbMails can assist you in migrating Public folders from the PST to Office 365. Download and run EdbMails if you haven’t installed it on your system. The following steps outline the migration operation.

   • Step 1: Select the migration method as Office 365 migration

     On the EdbMails migration selection popup, select the migration method as Office 365 migration.

   • Step 2: Add PST files in bulk to migrate to Office 365

     To add the PST files, close the Connect to Office 365 (Source) connection window and click migrate ‘PST to Office 365’ at the bottom.

   • Step 3: Connect to target Office 365 as Global Admin User

     EdbMails supports both modern and classic authentication. Connect to the target server by selecting Auto or Manual registration for modern authentication and the connection method as Mailboxes or Public folder.

      Connect to Office 365 server using secure modern authentication

   • Step 4: Map and migrate Public folders to Office 365

     The mapping activity in EdbMails can automatically match and map the mailboxes and folders from the PST file to Office 365. This activity saves time when you’re migrating a large number of Public folders. After you complete the migration, verify the count of the migrated items and folders with the help of EdbMails log report. You can also log into your Office 365 tenant and verify the migrated folders and items.

Exchange migration troubleshooting

 Refer to the Exchange migration troubleshooting guide and Public folder troubleshooting for possible solutions related to migration errors. For more information on EdbMails Exchange migration refer to the frequently asked questions ( FAQs ).

 See the link if you are not able to migrate Public folders due to insufficient permissions.