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Exchange migration step by step guide

EdbMails Exchange migration software is a Microsoft-partnered tool designed to simplify the migration process from on-premises Exchange servers to both Exchange and Office 365. It supports multiple versions, including Exchange 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, Hosted Exchange server accommodating various migration scenarios.

The software easily migrates user mailboxes, public folders, shared mailboxes, and archive mailboxes from Exchange server. EdbMails ensures a smooth migration from the source to the target environment while preserving data integrity.

EdbMails offers a variety of key features to enhance the Exchange migration experience. It supports concurrent mailbox migration, allowing multiple mailboxes to be migrated simultaneously for increased speed. Automatic throttling management ensures optimal performance by adjusting to the target server’s limits, preventing disruptions during the migration process. The software also offers incremental migration during subsequent operations, transferring only new or modified data. This reduces bandwidth usage, shortens overall migration time, and avoids the migration of duplicate items. It can also automatically create mailboxes on the target server to match the source and includes automatic mailbox mapping, simplifying the process and ensuring that all mailbox items are accurately aligned during migration.

Exchange to Exchange migration

The following sections detail the planning, pre-migration activities, step-by-step migration process, and post-migration tasks necessary for a successful Exchange migration using EdbMails. Whether you are migrating a single mailbox or multiple mailboxes, EdbMails ensures a reliable and efficient migration experience.

Exchange migration planning
Migrating Exchange server mailboxes and mail data to another server can be challenging without a proper plan. Here is a checklist of the most important factors to consider for the migration.
1. Prepare a complete inventory of items that you want to migrate.
2. Communicate any changes to your end users and inform the stakeholders.
3. Determine the size of the mailbox data and number of mailboxes to migrate.
4. Prepare the domains and required Active Directory services on the target.
5. Determine if you want to migrate mailboxes along with Public folder and Shared mailboxes.
6. Ensure you have enough network capacity and bandwidth to migrate.
7. Consider the throttling and message size limits on Exchange server.
8. Create mailboxes and Public folders on the target Exchange server
9. Assign suitable licenses to the mailboxes.
10. Perform a test (pilot) migration before you start the actual migration.
11. Start the migration and verify the migration endpoint.
12. Create new Outlook profiles and check if you are receiving mails correctly.
13. Decommission the source Exchange server (optional)

Exchange migration prerequisites

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

The following links will help you set up your target Exchange server. Learn more about the network, hardware, coexistence scenarios, and operating system requirements for installing Exchange.

Target Exchange server version	Coexistence with the source Exchange server	Requirement	Migration
Exchange 2019	Possible. Can coexist with Exchange 2013 Can coexist with Exchange 2016	Install Cumulative Update 21 (CU21) or later on Exchange 2013 Install Cumulative Update 11 (CU11) or later on Exchange 2016	With EdbMails Exchange migration software, you can migrate to any Exchange server version regardless of the coexistence issue
Exchange 2016	Possible. Can coexist with Exchange 2013 Can coexist with Exchange 2010	Install Cumulative Update 10 (CU10) or later on Exchange 2013 Install the latest Rollup update for Exchange 2010 Service Pack (SP3)

Step 2: Prepare your system with the following prerequisites for Exchange server
Complete the following prerequisites for Active Directory, Windows Mailbox server, and Windows Edge Transport servers before installing the target Exchange server.
Install cumulative updates (CU) on the source Exchange server For migrating Exchange on-premises to Exchange, it is required that you have the latest cumulative updates (CU) installed on the source server.
1. Install for Exchange server 2013
2. Install for Exchange server 2016
3. Install for Exchange server 2019
Assign the Organization Management role group in Exchange to the admin user. It is an elevated permission that is required if you want to migrate Public folders.

Step 3: 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.

Prepare AD and domains
1. Before installing the 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.
Install Exchange server on your computer
Before installing the Exchange server, 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 based on which server you want to migrate to.
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)
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.
Create mailboxes and Public folders on the Exchange server
Before migration, it's important to ensure that mailboxes are created on the target server. EdbMails automatically creates mailboxes on the target server, streamlining the process for users. However, if you prefer to create mailboxes manually, please refer to the links below for guidance.
- See how to create mailboxes in Exchange server
- Steps to create Public folder in Exchange server
Assign management roles to the admin account
Set the following permissions to the admin account on the source and target Exchange server to migrate mailboxes on behalf of other users in your organization.
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
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.
Configure the throttling and message-size limits
You can manually change the EWS throttling and message size limits on the Exchange server by following the steps in the link.
1. Change the EWS throttling settings on Exchange server
2. Change message size limits on Exchange

Determine if you want to follow the cutover, staged or hybrid migration method.

Current environment and requirement	Ideal migration approach	How does the migration take place?
You want to perform a complete migration to the Exchange server in a single event and in a limited time frame.	Cutover migration	Set up your target Exchange server and migrate everything in a single sitting. Suited for large mailbox migration
You want to perform the migration in multiple phases	Staged migration	Migrate your mailboxes in multiple stages and transfer the most recent/required data first followed by the others.
You want to migrate Exchange server data to Office 365 within the same Active directory environment	Hybrid migration	Migrate between Exchange and Office 365 in a hybrid environment.

Exchange to Exchange Migration using EdbMails
1. Step 1: Download and Install EdbMails Exchange migration software
  - Download and install EdbMails application on any computer running a Windows operating system that can connect to both your source and target Exchange servers.
    
    See a detailed list of EdbMails system requirements for EDB Recovery and migration.
  - Launch EdbMails software and Log in with your email and password or choose ‘Start Your Free Trial’.
  - Select ‘Live Exchange Migration’.
  - Select 'Live Exchange to Live Exchange'
  - To begin a fresh migration, select ‘Start a new migration operation.’ If you want to continue the previous migration, select ‘Choose a migration from previous operations’.
  - Enter the job name for future reference and click the ‘Continue’ button.
2. Step 2: Connect to source Exchange server
  - Click the ‘Add New’ button to establish a new connection to the source Exchange server. To use a previous connection, select it from the connection list and click the ‘Connect’ button to proceed.
  - Select the required connection options and click the ‘Next’ button.
    Different options to connect to Exchange server in EdbMails
  - Enter the source Exchange server details and click the ‘Login’ button
  - Select one of the methods to load the mailboxes. You can also load mailboxes using CSV files.
3. Step 3: Select the mailboxes for migration
  - Select the required mailboxes/folders and click the ‘Next’ button.
  - Click the ‘Next’ button.
4. Step 4: Connect to target Exchange server
  - Click the ‘Add New’ button to establish a new connection to the target Exchange server. To use a previous connection, select it from the connection list and click the ‘Connect’ button to proceed.
  - Select the required connection options and click the ‘Next’ button.
    Different options to connect to Exchange server in EdbMails
  - Enter the target Exchange server details and click the ‘Login’ button
  - Select one of the methods to load the mailboxes.
5. 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.
6. Step 6: Start Live Exchange to Live Exchange migration operation
  - After completing the mailbox mapping, click the ‘Start Migration’ button to initiate the process.
  - During migration, you can track progress in real-time. Once completed, a confirmation message will appear.
  - You can review the details by clicking the 'View Log' button to access the migration report. Additionally, log in to your target exchange server to confirm that items such as emails, calendars, contacts, and other data have been migrated successfully.
Post Exchange migration activities
- Step 1: Update the MX records to point to the target Exchange server
  To receive messages on the target Exchange server, update the MX records in the DNS to enable email functionality with the new server you have migrated to. In addition, configure the Autodiscover record to allow Outlook to connect to the migrated mailboxes.
- Step 2: Create a new Outlook profile for users in the new domain
  Configure the Outlook profile for each user in your domain if Outlook encounters issues connecting to the new Exchange server.
- Step 3: Decommission and uninstall the source Exchange server
  Uninstall and decommission the source Exchange server after you finish the migration.
  Steps to uninstall Exchange server 2013
  Steps to uninstall Exchange server 2010
Exchange migration troubleshooting
See the Exchange migration troubleshooting guide for possible solutions related to migration errors. For more information on the EdbMails Exchange migration tool, see the frequently asked questions.

Advantages of using EdbMails for Exchange migration

Granular brick-level migration of specific items.
Incremental migration to prevent migrating duplicate items.
Advanced include and exclude filter options for mailbox items and folders.
Support for Exchange Public folders and shared mailbox migration.
Data consistency with no downtime or data loss.
Automatic mapping of mailboxes between the source and target servers.
Direct migration from any Exchange version (2007-2019) without coexistence issues.
Compatible with all Windows operating systems
User-friendly interface that simplifies the migration process.
Automatically creates target Exchange server mailboxes
Support for concurrent mailbox migration, allowing multiple mailboxes to be migrated simultaneously for faster results.
Automatic Office 365 throttling management to ensure optimal performance during the migration.
Detailed migration reports for tracking the progress and results of the migration process.
24/7 free tech support to assist with any issues or questions during migration.