Office 365 Archive mailbox to Exchange migration

Office 365 archive mailbox to Exchange migration is essential for various strategic and operational reasons. Organizations often need to comply with regulatory or data residency requirements that mandate on-premises data storage. Cost management is another factor, as managing large-scale deployments on-premises can offer a more predictable and potentially lower-cost alternative to cloud-based subscriptions. Performance considerations, especially in environments with unreliable internet connectivity, further support the move to on-premises storage for improved access speed and performance.

In addition, maintaining archives locally provides greater control over data security and backup strategies, supports integration with existing legacy systems, and aligns with a broader shift from cloud-based infrastructure to on-premises environments.

EdbMails Office 365 migration software supports this migration scenario effectively. It offers features specifically designed to handle mailboxes of all volumes and ensure data integrity throughout the migration process. EdbMails features efficient transfer of archived data to an Exchange server, supports concurrent mailbox transfers, and manages all migration scenarios. EdbMails is a reliable choice for organizations aiming to move their archive mailboxes with zero disruption and maximum efficiency. The software supports all versions of Exchange servers including Exchange 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 as target server.

1. Planning a migration from Office 365 archive mailbox to exchange

   1. Ensure that you enable the archive mailboxes and make them available in Office 365.
   2. Create and enable Archive mailboxes on the Exchange server
   3. Remember that In-Place Archiving is a premium feature and requires an Exchange Enterprise client access license (CAL).
   4. See more details on In-Place Archiving in Exchange server
   5. Determine whether you want to migrate the source Archive mailboxes to the target primary or Archive mailboxes.
   6. Determine whether you want to move everything at once or in stages.
   7. Check your internet connection speed and network configuration.
   8. Communicate the migration plan and the changes to your end users.
   9. Perform a test Office 365 migration before you start the actual one.

2. Pre Migration activities for archive mailbox to exchange migration

   Step 1: Check that you meet the following requirements on Office 365

   • • Ensure you have a global admin account for the automatic registration method to connect to both the source Office 365 server.
     • Ensure that you meet the network and bandwidth requirements for the migration.
        See performance factors and best practices for Office 365 archive mailbox to Exchange migration.
     • Enable archive mailboxes on source Office 365 server.

   • Step 2: 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.

     • Network and directory requirement for Exchange 2019
     • Network and directory requirement for Exchange 2016
     • Hardware Requirements for Exchange 2019
     • Hardware Requirements for Exchange 2016
     • Supported operating systems for Exchange 2019
     • Supported operating systems for Exchange 2016
   • Step 3: 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.

     • Exchange 2019 prerequisites for preparing Active Directory (AD)
     • Windows Server prerequisites for Exchange 2019
     • Exchange 2016 prerequisites for preparing Active Directory (AD)
     • Windows Server prerequisites for Exchange 2016
   • Step 4: Setup Exchange server for migration

     Given below is a list of key points for installing and preparing the Exchange server for migration. If you have already installed and set up your Exchange server, skip to point 4 in this step.

     1. Prepare AD and domains
        • Before installing Exchange Server, you need to prepare your Active Directory forest and its domains for the new version of Exchange.
        • 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.
        • If you have multiple domains you need to additionally prepare the Active Directory domains.
     2. 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.

     3. Prepare a clean Exchange target environment
        • configure a Send connector to send mail outside the Exchange organization.
        • 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.
        • Add accepted domains to allow recipients to send and receive email from another domain.
        • Configure the default email address policy to add the accepted domain to every recipient in the organization.
        • 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).
        • 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.
        • Configure SSL certificates from a third-party certificate authority for services such as Outlook Anywhere and Exchange ActiveSync.
        • Verify the Exchange server installation by running the command Get-ExchangeServer on the Exchange Management Shell (EMS).
     4. Create mailboxes and Public folders on the Exchange server

        Before you migrate, ensure that you have mailboxes on the Exchange server and have assigned suitable licenses to them. Ensure that you also have the In-Place archiving enabled.

         See how to create mailboxes in Exchange server

         Steps to manage In-Place Archives on Exchange server

     5. Assign management roles to the admin account

        If you are using a global admin account to connect to the Exchange server, ensure that impersonation rights are set.

          See the steps to set impersonation rights on Exchange server.

     6. Configure the throttling and message-size limits

        To create custom throttling policies and set maximum message size limits on the target Exchange server, follow the steps provided in the links below.

        • Custom EWS throttling settings on Exchange server
        • Change message size limits on Exchange

3. Steps to migrate archive mailbox from Office 365 to exchange

   Step 1: Download and install EdbMails Office 365 migration software

   • • Download EdbMails and install the EdbMails application on any computer that can be connected to the source and target server. You can also perform the migration operation by installing EdbMails on a non-Exchange server computer.
        See a detailed list of EdbMails system requirements for Office 365 Archive mailbox to Exchange migration.

       

     • Launch EdbMails software and click ‘Login’ or ‘Start Your Free Trial’

       

     • Select 'Office 365 Migration' (Tenant to Tenant migration & more...) from the drop down list and click on Let’s Go!

       

   • Step 2: Connect to the source Office 365 server

     • In the 'Connect to Office 365 (Source)' window, select your preferred method for secure OAuth-based modern authentication. The default 'Auto Registration' method necessitates Global Admin access. Alternatively, you can opt for the Manual Registration method, using either a Global Admin account or any user account with full access rights.

       

     • Select ‘Connect to Archive Mailboxes (In-Place Archive)’

       

     • Log in on the Microsoft authentication page using a global admin account

       

     • Accept the permissions for the application to perform the migration operation

       

     • If you have already established an Office 365 connection with EdbMails, the mailboxes list will be saved. You can use the same list. If you are establishing a new connection, click the ‘No’ button to get the mailbox loading options.

       

     • EdbMails automatically retrieves mailboxes from your source Office 365 server. If the automatic mailbox loading option does not display the required mailboxes, you can use a CSV file to load the mailboxes. Alternatively, you can opt to load the mailboxes from a previously saved list.

       

   • Step 3: Select archive mailboxes

     

      Tip: If this is your first migration with EdbMails, it will perform a full migration. Any subsequent migrations from the same source to the target will be incremental.

   • Step 4: Connect to target Exchange server

     • In the 'Connect to Exchange (Destination)' window, choose the necessary connection options and click 'Next'. If you are using a global admin account to connect to the Exchange server, set impersonation rights.
         Click here to know more about various methods to connect to the Exchange server in EdbMails.

       

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

       

     • If you have already established a live Exchange connection with EdbMails, the mailboxes list will be saved. You can use the same list. If you are establishing a new connection, click the ‘No’ button to get the mailbox loading options.

       

     • EdbMails Automatically loads mailboxes from your target Exchange server. If you are unable to list the required mailboxes using the automatic mailbox loading option you can use the CSV file to load the mailboxes. You can also choose the option to load the mailboxes from a previously stored list.

       

   • Step 5: Connect to target Exchange server

     • In the mapping window, choose the required option from the following:

       1. Automatically create mailboxes on the target server and map source mailboxes accordingly.
       2. I have necessary mailboxes on my target server and need to map source mailboxes to them.
       3. Use previously saved migration mappings.
       4. Load Source and Target mailbox mapping using CSV file.

       

     • If you have installed EdbMails 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
       •   Click here to know about user-defined mailboxes / folders mapping
     • EdbMails automatically maps mailboxes and folders between the source and target servers, which is especially useful for large-scale migrations. Alternatively, you can manually map source folders and subfolders to specific target locations as required.

       

     • EdbMails offers the folder and filter options to help you customize the migration task.

       

   • Step 6: Start Office 365 Archive mailbox to Exchange migration

     After finishing the mailbox mapping, click the ‘Continue’ button, enter the job name, and proceed. Once the migration is complete, a message will appear. Click the ‘View Log’ button to view the migration report.

     

4. Office 365 archive mailbox to Exchange server post migration tasks

   • Step 1: Update the MX records to point to the Exchange server

     To receive messages on Exchange, change the DNS records known as 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.

   • Step 2: Create a new Outlook profile for users in the new domain
     • Ensure you have the latest Outlook version installed to avoid compatibility issues.
     • Configure the Outlook profile for each user in your domain if Outlook has problems connecting to Office 365 mailboxes.
     • Configure the new server settings, such as server address, username, and password in Outlook.
     • Test email flow to confirm that users can send and receive emails.
   • Step 3: Remove the old Office 365 subscription plan

     After the migration is successful and you have verified the data, remove the Office 365 subscription plan from the source and any domains associated if you no longer plan to use it.

5. Office 365 archive mailbox to exchange migration troubleshooting

   For solutions to migration errors, refer to the Office 365 migration troubleshooting guide. If you have any queries about EdbMails Office 365 archive mailbox migration, refer to the frequently asked questions (FAQs).

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Additional resources:

• Office 365 Archive mailbox to Exchange migration videos
• Enable Archive mailboxes on Office 365
• Office 365 Archive mailbox to Office 365 migration
• Setting custom throttling policies on Exchange server
• Office 365 mailbox migration guide
• EdbMails Office 365 migration software

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