You can migrate email, calendar and contact information from on-premises Exchange server to Exchange Online in many ways such as minimal hybrid method, cutover method, staged method, and so on. In this fifth part of a six-part series about migration from on-premises Exchange server to Exchange Online, we will discuss the staged method.
This method is recommended for migrating around 150 Exchange mailboxes (fromExchange Server versions 2003 and2007) over a course of few weeks. Staged migration also works like the other two types of migration but is not applicable for Exchange Servers versions above 2007.
For staged migration, you will have to perform tasks at three levels as a migration admin.
- On-premises Exchange server tasks:
- Synchronize user profiles with Microsoft 365.
- Create a CSV file with list of users to be migrated.
- Microsoft 365 tasks:
- Check for domain connectivity.
- Run a batch of migration (20 mailboxes at a time) using the migration dashboard in the Exchange admin center.
- Verify directory synchronization.
- Configure mail forwarding by editing the TargetAddressattribute.
- Resolves issue if any and delete the migration batches.
- DNS-related tasks:
- Create an auto-discover domain name system (DNS) record or MX record.
- Check for proper routing.
M365 Manager Plus helps you to keep track of all types of migration with pre-defined and intuitive reports.
About M365 Manager Plus and migration statistics report
M365 Manager Plus is a comprehensive Microsoft 365 reporting, management, monitoring, auditing, and alerting tool. It provides reports on Exchange Server to Exchange Online migration statistics and users. Follow the steps given below to generate migration statistics report using M365 Manager Plus.
- Click on the Reports tab.
- Navigate to Exchange Online > Mailbox Reports > General Mailbox Reports.
- Choose the Migration Statistics report.
- Select the corresponding Microsoft 365 Tenant.
- Click on Generate Now.
Why choose M365 Manager Plus?
- Reports with advanced features: Offers 700+ pre-configured reports with attribute and condition-based filters. The reports are geolocation-enabled.
- Historical data and storage: Generates reports even for data that is older than 180 days. The audit logs can be stored for an indefinite period.
- Customizable dashboard: Offers customizable dashboards to help you get a quick peek at the summarized data. These dashboards can also be embedded in your web pages to enable constant monitoring.
- Report scheduler: Reports can be scheduled to be generated and emailed to the stakeholders at regular intervals. This reduces the arduous job of manual report generation.
- Report exporting: Reports can be exported to PDF, XLSX, HTML, or CSV formats and saved in the local computer for future reference.
- Templates and automation: Helps manage Microsoft 365 objects like users, contacts and groups in bulk. Create templates for user provisioning and automating other Microsoft 365 tasks.
- Customizable templates: Set rules to auto-populate fields and create your own custom naming formats and password policies for the templates.
- Secure delegation: Delegate the task of report generation to technicians and IT staffs without giving them elevated rights and access over Microsoft 365 objects. Create your own custom roles with just enough granular permission.
- Virtual tenants: Create customizable virtual tenants, and delegate it to the technicians to perform help desk activities.
Click here to learn more about how M365 Manager Plus offers simple solution for complex Microsoft 365 issues.
