Office 365 Mail Migration

[foofighterjim]

I am looking to migrate away from our LA (Birmingham) provided email (Zimbra (webmail only)) to Office 365. The problem I have is: what is the correct order to do things?

 

I have setup Office 365 with email accounts for all of our users, I know in order for mail to actually reach these mailboxes I need to change the MX record. The dilemma I have is that I need to migrate existing emails from the Zimbra system. The only way I know to do this is to connect an Outlook client via POP or SMTP and download everything to a .PST and bring this in through the O365 management. However due to fact that I would only be able to generate one PST at a time this could take a long time.

 

Should I switch the MX record and then bring the mail over gradually? Or should I get all my mail moved and then switch the MX? I know there would be a high chance of missed mail with the latter option particularly if it takes some time to generate the PSTs.

[Michael]

You're right, you can only do it via the PST method. You should switch the MX record ASAP, then any new mail will go to Office 365. Your existing domain in Zimbra will (or should) be renamed @old-schooldomain.bham.sch.uk

 

You can still setup Outlook 2010 (for example) using the same information, just update the e-mail address as per my example.

 

You then merge old e-mails with new e-mails received in Office 365. The process can be a little long, but it is worth it

 

As you get through each staff account, you can close or disable it in Zimbra. Eventually your whole Zimbra account would be deleted, depending on when your agreement is up.

[foofighterjim]

Thanks Michael

 

I will switch the MX as soon as I have done my Inset with the staff. Most of them use Outlook.com for personal mail so I shouldn't have many people to explain things to. At the moment the intention is to only migrate staff mailboxes, with student accounts moved on request. That should help cut down on the admin side of things. I will make sure the LEA rename our old domain rather than just redirecting.

[plexer]

Does Zimbra not support IMAP then?

 

If it offers pop3 for your users to connect to then they can add their zimbra mailbox in to Office 365 as an external connected account.

 

Ben

[Michael]

Does Zimbra not support IMAP then?

 

If it offers pop3 for your users to connect to then they can add their zimbra mailbox in to Office 365 as an external connected account.

 

Ben

 

I'm pretty sure this option is blocked (last I checked).

[foofighterjim]

Yup it is blocked, as Michael knows Birmingham also put a restriction on the number of mailboxes with POP access anyway.

 

Very fustrating!

[plexer]

Ah ok I see nice and helpful of them.

 

Ben

[Michael]

Yup it is blocked, as Michael knows Birmingham also put a restriction on the number of mailboxes with POP access anyway.

 

Very fustrating!

 

You have to request every account has POP enabled. Never quite understood why this is the case, but there must be a theory behind the madness

[Michael]

Also for your reference, seeing as your users use outlook.com they can sign into Office 365 using either:

 

outlook.com/schooldomain.bham.sch.uk or

 

login.microsoftonline.com

Edited December 2, 2013 by Michael