Learn Reliable Approaches to Migrate Exchange 2010 Mailbox to Office 365

Are you planning to migrate Exchange 2010 mailbox to Office 365 but do know how to? Have you tried different migration methods for Exchange to Office 365 mailbox export but failed? Do not worry any further, as we will share some reliable methods with you that can help you transfer Exchange mailbox to MS Office 365.

For a number of reasons, people may want to move their mailboxes from MS Exchange 2010 to Office 365. Now, there are several techniques to perform this type of migration. Unfortunately, most of the people fail to conduct the mailbox transfer due to their lack of knowledge about these processes. To resolve this problem, this write-up will discuss some migration methods in detail. Leave behind all your worries and continue reading this post to learn the methods.

How to Migrate Exchange 2010 Mailbox to Office 365 Using Manual Techniques

Usually, there are three commonly used ways to move Exchange 2010 mailbox to Office 365. All these are called manual or native technique where migration is performed without the help of any external tool:

1. Migration by Mailbox Cutover
2. Migration through Hybrid Deployment
3. Migration by PST File Import

In this section, we will talk about all these methods so that users can perform the migration following the guideline.

Approach 1: Hybrid Deployment

Since Exchange 2010 is the first Server that allows a hybrid environment with Office 365, migrating Exchange 2010 mailbox to Office 365 can be done by hybrid deployment. Here the data export is easily done as the on-premise and online environment of Exchange co-exists. This method is especially useful for more than 150 mailboxes and it has the capability of moving even 2000 mailboxes. Organizations that have users spread over on-premises and online environment, often use this method at the final stage.

Approach 2: Cutover Migration

1. Though the process may seem simple, it needs a long list of tasks to perform. The processes of planning, environment preparation, and actual migration need complete attention. Here, we are providing you the guide to perform mailbox migration using this method. To migrate Exchange 2010 mailbox, it is highly recommended to upgrade Exchange 2010 to SP3.
   
   
2.  Before you start the process, make sure that both unified messaging and directory synchronization is disabled.
   
   
3. In Exchange 2010, users have to enable and configure Outlook anywhere wizard manually. For a successful configuration, installation of trusted SSL certificate and RPC protocol over HTTP component is a must. Also test the success of this configuration manually.
   
   
4. It is better to use a dedicated user account for the migration purpose and users have to assign some permissions to that account. The necessary permissions are ApplicationImpersonation and View-Only Configuration, needed for both Exchange and Office 365. If the target Office 365 account is also supposed to create Exchange Online users, it will additionally need View-Only Recipients role and User management administrator permission.
   
   
5. In Office 365, create a security group that is mail-enabled as no migrated group in Office 365 can be provisioned as a security group.
   
   
6. Now, include a TXT record in the DNS zone to verify the domain in Office 365.
   
   
7. At this stage, migration endpoint creation is needed by using the Exchange Admin Center. This endpoint contains all the required data for Exchange 2010 mailbox migration to Office 365.
   
   
8. Perform the migration by creating the cutover migration batch. Add necessary mailboxes and the configured migration endpoint to this batch. When it is done, check if the migration was fully successful and assign a license to the users.
   
   
9. Switch the MX record of the domain to point to O365 as a part of the post-migration cleanup. When the TTL is over, emails will get directed to Office 365 directly. Now, users can delete the migration batch and decommission Exchange 2010 on-premises servers.

Approach 3: Importing PST File

This is another common method for Exchange to Office 365 mailbox transfer. The concept of exporting Exchange mailbox data in PST and importing it to Office 365 is at the heart of this approach. In this method, Exchange 2010 mailbox is exported into a PST file using the PowerShell command “New-MailboxExportRequest.” Then users have to move the PST file to a file server or shared mailbox in order to upload the file to Azure storage. Users also need to create a CSV file containing the migration mapping that will be used by PST Import Service for proper mailbox import.

Users can also import the Exchange mailbox to Office 365 by using the physical drive shipment facility offered by Microsoft. Just ship the PST file storing in a physical storage device to Microsoft and they will migrate it to your Office 365 account.

Shortcomings of Manual Approaches

Users have reported that the approaches mentioned here contain some limitations. Some of the most frequently faced issues are:

• The cutover method is not applicable in case of fewer than 150 mailboxes
• Co-existence of Office 365 and Exchange is not allowed in cutover method
• Manual methods are difficult for novice users as they contain multiple complex steps
• To use PowerShell, knowledge about PowerShell command is required
• The hybrid method is a long one and often encounters several issues
• There is no way to avoid downtime that will lead to unproductive time
• Selective mailbox item migration is not available with these techniques
• Updating Exchange 2010 to SP3 may lead to update the hardware

An Alternative yet Trusted Solution

Since the native techniques give rise to various disadvantages, users often look for a hassle-free solution to Exchange 2010 mailbox to Office 365 migration. 

Instant Solution: Download Exchange to Office 365 Migration Tool for effortless mailbox export.

When users choose to use this software to move the mailboxes, they do not face the mentioned limitations of the native approaches.

• Why Choose Exchange to Office 365 Migration Tool
• Short and easy technique for mailbox export to MS Office 365
• Technical knowledge is not required to operate this program
• Option to migrate complete mailbox or selective items from it
• Suitable for any number of mailbox migration to Office 365
• Completely risk-free data export approach for Exchange 2010
• Updating Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 to SP3 not required
• Best way to avoid any downtime resulting from manual methods
• Compatibility with all versions of Windows Operating System

Concluding Thoughts

In the above discussion, we talked about some native or manual approaches that are used to migrate Exchange 2010 mailbox to Office 365. Because of the limitations of these techniques, most businesses opt for the alternative approach and that is Exchange to Office 365 Migration Tool. Using this application, users can stay away from the drawbacks of manual methods and export their Exchange mailboxes effortlessly.