Migrate Exchange 2010 to 2016

Migrating from Exchange server 2010 to 2016 is essential for businesses looking to enhance email capabilities, improve security, and ensure compatibility with modern applications. Exchange server 2010 officially lost Microsoft support on October 13, 2020, meaning that crucial updates, security patches, and bug fixes are no longer available. This leaves your server vulnerable to threats and can compromise data security, ultimately impacting overall performance.

Upgrading to Exchange 2016 not only mitigates these risks but also introduces advanced features, improved reliability, and a better user experience. Organizations that make the switch can benefit from enhanced functionality and stronger security measures that align with today’s technological demands.

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, several methods can be employed, including manual migrations, using native Exchange tools, or leveraging third-party software. Manual migrations can be complex and time-consuming, requiring extensive technical knowledge and careful planning to avoid data loss and minimize downtime. Native Exchange tools may also be used, but they often involve cumbersome PowerShell scripts and can be prone to errors, especially in large environments.

   EdbMails stands out as the best software for migrating Exchange 2010 to 2016. The software facilitates a direct migration, ensuring transfer of all data, including mailboxes, public folders, archive mailboxes, shared mailboxes, emails, contacts, calendars, permissions etc.

   What makes EdbMails truly standout is its cost-effective nature, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes without compromising on features. By automating the entire migration process, EdbMails eliminates the need for manual intervention or complex scripts, making your upgrade faster and more efficient.

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.

     Note: If you have already installed and configured Exchange 2016 in the target environment, move to point 4

     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:

        1. 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.

     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: 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.
     • After installation is complete, launch the application and login to application with the appropriate details or click the 'Start Your Free Trial' button.
     • System requirements for Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration

       

   • Step 2: Select the Live Exchange migration option

     Choose the 'Live Exchange migration (Hosted, Hybrid, on-premises, and more...)' option from the dropdown list

     

   • Step 3: Connect to source Exchange 2010 server

     • Select the appropriate connection options in the 'Connect to Exchange server (Source)' window. If you are using the global admin account to connect to your source Exchange 2010 server, it is essential to ensure that impersonation rights are properly configured.
     • Different options to connect to Exchange servering EdbMails.
     • EdbMails facilitates the seamless migration of mailboxes, public folders, and archive mailboxes from Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016.

       

     • Provide all the source Exchange 2010 server details and click the ‘Login’ button.

       

         Tip : You have the option to connect to Exchange via the Default connection, where you provide the Exchange server name and version, or by using the Autodiscover Email feature, which enables direct login with email address and password.

     • Next, choose an option to load the mailboxes. EdbMails automatically loads your source Exchange server mailboxes. However, you can load the mailboxes using a CSV file.

   • Step 4: Select Exchange 2010 mailboxes

     • Select the Exchange 2010 mailboxes listed in the left pane of the main migration window.
     • Click 'Migrate to Live Exchange'

       

   • Step 5: Connect to target Exchange 2016 server

     • Select the required connection option and click ‘Next’

       

     • 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.

   • Step 6: Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration mailbox mapping

     • Choose 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 the mailboxes and folders between the source and target Exchange servers; however, manual mapping is also available if preferred.

       

     • Click the ‘Folder and Item Filter’ button to set a filter for your migration. For instance, you can choose to migrate data only within a specific date range by applying a date filter. Additionally, you can exclude both standard and custom folders from the migration.

   • Step 7: Start Exchange 2010 to 2016 migration process

     After completing the mailbox mapping, click the ‘Continue’ button, enter a job name, and proceed. Once the migration is successfully finished, EdbMails prompts the migration completion message. Click the 'View Log' button located at the bottom of the main migration window to check the migration report. Also, log in to your target server to confirm that items such as emails, calendars, and contacts have been migrated successfully.

     

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

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