Exchange Archive mailbox migration

Migrating archive mailboxes to Exchange on-premises is a strategic initiative that enhances email management as organizations grow. This Exchange archive mailbox migration leverages a unified architecture for streamlined administration and features like in-place archiving, which automates retention policies for compliance. The auto-expanding archive offers scalable storage, while integrated eDiscovery simplifies legal compliance through targeted searches across archived emails. Enhanced security measures, including Advanced Threat Protection, safeguard sensitive data, and PowerShell cmdlets automate mailbox management, providing users with improved access through integrated search functionality in Outlook.

EdbMails Exchange migration tool is an advanced solution that facilitates the seamless migration of Exchange archive mailboxes to Exchange on-premises servers. This software employs robust algorithms to ensure a high level of data integrity, minimizing the risk of data loss or corruption during the migration process. The tool supports the migration of various mailbox items, including emails, calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes, while preserving the original folder structure and maintaining mailbox permissions to ensure a consistent user experience.

EdbMails handles large mailbox sizes efficiently, utilizing multi-threaded migration capabilities to optimize data transfer speeds and reduce downtime. The software provides granular selection options, enabling users to migrate specific folders or items based on criteria such as email sent / received date, attachment name, subject, cc address, bcc address, read and unread status of the messages, enhancing control over the migration process.

Advanced filtering options are integrated into the tool, allowing exclusion of unwanted items such as duplicates or large attachments, which streamlines the migration and conserves storage space. The software also offers detailed reporting features, providing users with real-time insights into migration progress and facilitating troubleshooting.

1. Exchange archive mailbox migration prerequisites

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

     The following links will help you to know about the network, hardware and operating system requirements for the Exchange server you want to install and migrate to.

     Note: Exchange 2010 has reached the end of support on October 13, 2020 and Exchange 2013 will reach the end of support on April 11, 2023. Therefore it is highly recommended that you migrate your mail data and Archive mailboxes to Exchange 2016 and 2019.

     1. Network and directory requirement for Exchange 2019
     2. Network and directory requirement for Exchange 2016
     3. Hardware Requirements for Exchange 2019
     4. Hardware Requirements for Exchange 2016
     5. Supported operating systems for Exchange 2019
     6. Supported operating systems for Exchange 2016
   • Step 2: Prepare your target system with the following prerequisites

     Complete the following prerequisites for Active Directory, Windows Mailbox server, and Windows Edge Transport servers before installing the Exchange server.

     1. Exchange 2019 prerequisites for preparing Active Directory (AD)
     2. Windows Server prerequisites for Exchange 2019
     3. Exchange 2016 prerequisites for preparing Active Directory (AD)
     4. Windows Server prerequisites for Exchange 2016

2. Set up the target Exchange server for migration

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

   1. Prepare AD and domains
      1. Before installing Exchange Server, 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. Install Exchange server on your computer

      Ensure that you meet the server system requirements and prerequisites as outlined previously. Next, follow the link to install Exchange 2016 or install Exchange 2019 from the setup wizard.

   3. Prepare a clean Exchange 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. Create mailboxes and enable archive mailbox on the Exchange server

      Before you migrate Exchange archive mailboxes, ensure that you have mailboxes on the target Exchange server and have assigned suitable licenses to them. Ensure that you also have the In-Place archiving enabled. You can choose to automatically create mailboxes on your target Exchange servers in EdbMails. However, if you want to create the mailboxes manually refer to the below link.

       Steps to create mailboxes in Exchange server

       Steps to create Public folder in Exchange server

       Steps to manage In-Place Archives on Exchange server

   5. Assign management roles to the admin account

      Set the following permissions to the admin account on both the source and the target Exchange server.

      1. Application Impersonation
      2. View-Only Recipients
      3. View-Only Configuration
   6. 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 server.

   7. Configure the throttling and message-size limits

      Set custom policies for EWS throttling and set message size to a maximum value on the Exchange server by following the steps in the link.

      1. Custom policies for EWS throttling on Exchange server
      2. Set message size limits to maximum on Exchange server

   Note: For migrating Office 365 Archive mailbox to Exchange with EdbMails, you do not require PowerShell scripts. The following steps describe the archive mailbox migration method from the application’s graphical user interface (GUI).

3. Exchange Archive mailbox to Exchange migration steps

   • Step 1: Download and install EdbMails Exchange migration tool

     • Download and install EdbMails on any computer with Windows OS and that can be connected to both source and target Exchange servers.
     • Start the application and click 'Login' or 'Start Your Free Trial.'

       

        System requirements for Exchange Archive mailbox to Exchange migration

     • Choose the ‘Live Exchange Migration’ option from the dropdown list.

       

   • Step 2: Connect to the source Exchange server

     • Select the required connection options
     • If you want to connect to an Exchange server using global admin ensure to set impersonation rights.
     • With EdbMails, you can migrate mailboxes, public folders, and archive mailboxes from the source Exchange server to the destination server.

       

     • Enter the source Exchange server details

       

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

       

   • Step 3: Select Exchange Archive mailboxes

     • Select the archive mailboxes you want to migrate to the target Exchange server.
     • Next, select 'Migrate to Live Exchange'.

       

   • Step 4: Connect to target Exchange server

     • Select the required connection options. If you are using the global admin account to connect to your target Exchange server, ensure to set impersonation rights.

        Different options to connect to Exchange server

       

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

       

     • Once you've successfully logged in, select one of the options for loading the target Exchange server mailboxes. You can also load mailboxes using a CSV file.

       

   • Step 5: Map source and target Exchange server mailboxes

     • Select the required mapping option

       

     • If EdbMails is installed on your Exchange server, you can opt to automatically create mailboxes on the target Exchange server

        Click here to know more about automatic mailbox creation.

     • 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.

       

     • EdbMails offers advanced filtering options to customize the Exchange archive mailbox migration. For example, you can migrate only the items within certain date ranges by applying date filter.

       

   • Step 6: Start Exchange Archive mailbox to Exchange migration

     • Once you have finished mapping the mailboxes, click the ‘Continue’ button, enter a job name, and proceed. After the migration is successfully completed, EdbMails displays a migration completion message. Click the 'View Log' button to view the migration report. Additionally, log in to your target server to verify the migration of items such as emails, calendars, and contacts etc.

       

4. Exchange Archive mailbox to Exchange: post migration tasks

   Step 1: Change the MX records to direct email to Office 365.

   Update MX records for directing email to the new server. Additionally, configure the Autodiscover record to ensure that migrated mailboxes connect smoothly with email clients like Outlook.

   Step 2: Create a new Outlook profile for users under the updated domain.

   If users encounter issues connecting Outlook to Office 365 mailboxes, manually configure their Outlook profiles in the new domain.

   Step 3: Disable and decommission the source Exchange server.

   The following steps outline the procedure for decommissioning an on-premises Exchange server:

   1. Ensure that all mailboxes have been migrated to Office 365.
   2. Verify the migration status using the Exchange admin center or the PowerShell command Get-MailboxStatistics.
   3. Confirm that all Outlook clients are properly configured to connect to Office 365 and check connectivity with the Test-OutlookWebServices cmdlet.
   4. Disable mail flow on the Exchange server by either removing the Receive Connector or stopping the SMTP service.
   5. Check that all public folders have been successfully migrated to Office 365 using the Get-PublicFolder cmdlet for status verification.
   6. Uninstall the Exchange server software via the Control Panel.
   7. Remove any remaining hardware or virtual machines related to Exchange.
   8. Ensure there are no leftover mailboxes or public folders on the Exchange server.
   9. Finally, remove the server from Active Directory and DNS.
   10. Once all these steps have been confirmed, you can proceed with decommissioning your on-premises Exchange server.

5. Troubleshooting guide to migrate Exchange Archive mailboxes

    Check the Exchange migration troubleshooting guide and the public folder troubleshooting section for solutions to any migration errors you may encounter. For more details about EdbMails Exchange migration, check the frequently asked questions.

    Solution to public folder migration failure due to permission issues.

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Additional resources:

• EdbMails Exchange migration software
• Exchange Archive mailbox migration to Office 365
• Exchange to Exchange migration
• Exchange to Office 365 migration
• Hosted Exchange migration
• Export Exchange mailbox to PST
• Exchange to IMAP migration

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