Onsite to M365 email migration

[jmak]

We have a group that has been running their own email server (non-exchange) and we're migrating them to Exchange online.

 

Is there a way to migrate the data without requiring their Microsoft account credentials?

[Davit2005]

When I did this about 10 years back there was a method to import PSTs. We never actually done it in the end as none of our students requested it. We only migrated the students whilst I was there. I would of thought there would still be a way if not easier :-) Edited June 19, 2023 by Davit2005

[chaplic]

Yes. In Exchange Online there’s a mailbox import/export role which allows said thing. Depends on the format of the data, but if you have them in PST it’s quite easy to upload in bulk.

[ITGURU]

Does anyone has any official guidance on removing the last exchange server? I believe that this is now possible? I've migrated all mailboxes to 365 and using powershell to remote enable mailboxes, but could do away with having to do this now to make setting up new users easier.

[bknaggs]

Does anyone has any official guidance on removing the last exchange server? I believe that this is now possible? I've migrated all mailboxes to 365 and using powershell to remote enable mailboxes, but could do away with having to do this now to make setting up new users easier.

 

There was a blog post saying having the Exchange 2019 management tools installed was now enough to keep powershell management available and any full Exchange servers could be switched off but not uninstalled.

 

I’ll see if I can find it.

[ITGURU]

I assume doing it that way would still allow management but remove the need to use create remote mailbox for new AD users and just let them sync to azure AD with the sync tool and automatically create the email addresses/boxes?

[chaplic]

It's all on the MS site albeit not the clearest.

 

Firstly ensure your email routing doesnt touch on prem (e.g. is centralised mail transport definitely turned off, are the domains in EXO approriately marked as authoriative, is MX pointing at the right place). Tear down the org relationship and connectors to on-prem.

 

 

Get yourself to Exchange 2019 schema version, and download latest version of Exchange 2019 to install the management tools on a box.

 

Don't uninstall the last exchange server as it removes attributes you'll miss, but otherwise turn off (I'd P2V if it was a physical). Job done.

 

FWIW I know organization's that simply turned off their Exchange VMs years before Microsoft had this mess as a supported position. ALL exchange related attributes are in AD, it's just that Exchange/ Exchange Cmdlets does a bit of sanity checking for you.

 

Email address generation may be a challenge if you create multiple addresses via generation rules.