Network Upload Method to Import PST File to Office 365 Mailbox

Read time 8 minutes

In recognizing the essential need for PST file imports, Microsoft offers two distinct methods: Drive Shipping and Network Upload Method, each designed to streamline the process of transferring PST files into Office 365. Furthermore, numerous professional tools are available to facilitate this operation. Nevertheless, importing PST files into Office 365 can prove intricate if the correct approach isn’t followed. In this discussion, we will delve into both manual techniques and a professional method to ensure a seamless upload of PST files to Office 365.

Implementing both methods can be somewhat intricate. Of the two, the Network Upload method stands out as the preferred choice for many organizations when it comes to importing PST data into Office 365.

In this section, we will delve into the Network Upload method for importing PST files into Office 365 mailboxes. However, before we dive into the details of this method, let’s first underscore some key prerequisites to successfully execute this process.

Things to know before using the Network Upload method

• You must be assigned with Mailbox Import/Export role in Exchange Online to import PST items to Office 365
• Your account must have Office 365 Global Administrator privileges
• Every manual method to import PST files to Office 365 requires the installation of the Azure AzCopy tool
• You will have to store PST files in a shared folder.
• By default, the maximum size of the message that can be received by Office 365 is 35 MB

Now, let’s move to the working process of the Network Upload method to import PST files to Office 365 mailboxes.

The Network Upload method consists of several sequential steps, each with a distinct role in importing PST files into the cloud. These steps include:

1. Copying SAS URL & Installing Azure AzCopy*
2. Upload PST to Office 365
3. Creating the PST Import mapping file
4. Creating a PST Import job in Office 365
5. Filtering data and running the PST import job

Note: *The first step will be performed only once to import PST files to Office 365 mailboxes. After that, you have to perform Step 2 to Step 6 every time you want to import PST mailboxes to Office 365.

First, download and install the Azure AzCopy tool on your system, as it will be used in the next step for PST file uploads. Additionally, ensure you have copied the SAS URL specific to your organization.

Note: The SAS URL is a fusion of the network URL for the Azure storage location and a Shared Access Signature (SAS) key. This SAS key grants the necessary permissions for importing PST files to the Azure storage location.

To download and install the Azure AzCopy tool and copy the SAS URL, follow these steps:

1. Visit https://protection.office.com/ and sign in to Office 365 administrator account for your organization.
2. Look for Security and Compliance Center in the left pane and click Data governance >> Import.
   
3. As the Import page appears on the screen, click Import PST files, and then select +New import job.
   
4. Now, type a name for the PST import job and click Next. Make sure you use lowercase letters, hyphens, numbers, and underscores because of using uppercase letters.
   
5. From the Choose import job type page, select Upload your data and then click Next.
   
6. The Import Data page will appear on the screen, do the following things – copy the secure storage key, and download the Azure AzCopy tool; a pop-up window will appear on the screen, click RUN to install AzCopy.
   

Next, utilize the Azure AzCopy tool to upload PST files to your Azure storage location in the Microsoft cloud. Follow these steps:

1. Open the command prompt on your system.
2. Go to the directory where the Azure AzCopy tool is installed.
3. Run the below command to upload the PST files to Office 365:
   AzCopy.exe /Source:<Location of PST files> /Dest:<SAS URL> /V:<Log file location> /Y

   Parameters are used to define the command. For instance, ‘Source’ indicates the source directory where the PST file is stored, while ‘Dest’ refers to the SAS URL obtained in Step 1, and so forth.

4. Executing the command will provide real-time status updates on the PST file upload progress. The final status message will indicate the total number of files successfully uploaded to the Azure storage location.

To view the list of uploaded PST files in the Azure blob, you can utilize the open-source Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer tool.

After uploading the PST file to Azure storage, you must create a CSV file to designate the user mailboxes for PST file imports. This CSV file will be submitted when creating a PST import job. Follow these steps to create a PST import mapping file:

1. Download a sample of the PST Import mapping file.
2. Save the CSV file on your system and use Microsoft Excel to edit this file according to your requirements.

Note: A CSV file must include the following parameters:

Workload,FilePath,Name,Mailbox,IsArchive,TargetRootFolder,ContentCodePage,SPFileContainer,SPManifestContainer,SPSiteUrl

Once you’ve created the mapping file, proceed to create a PST Import job in Office 365. Follow the same steps outlined in Step 1 for creating a PST Import job. When the ‘Import Data’ page appears, follow the steps illustrated in the images below and click ‘Next’.

• In the new wizard, upload the CSV mapping file that you created in Step 3. After uploading the CSV file, click Validate to verify the file for any error. Once it is validated, click the Save button to submit the job, and then click Close.
  
• The status page will display ‘Analysis in Progress,’ and the ‘New Import job’ will be visible in the Import page list. To refresh the Import Job status, simply click ‘Refresh.’ Once the analysis is finished, the status will change to ‘Analysis Completed.

When the data is ready for import, you can choose whether to import the entire dataset or apply specific filters to refine the data. Follow these steps to make your selection:

1. Go to the Import Page where the import job is displayed and click Ready to import to Office 365.
   
2. A flyout page will appear on the screen with the information about PST files, click Import to Office 365 on that page.
3. The Filter your data wizard will pop-up on the screen, here select whether you want to Import the entire data or Filter it before importing. If you wish to filter the data, then check how to filter data when importing PST files. Make your selection and click Next.
   
4. If you opt to import the entire dataset, click ‘Import Data’ to initiate the import job. Use the ‘Refresh’ button to keep track of the job status. Upon completion, the job status will change to ‘Complete.

All your PST files will be imported to Office 365 mailboxes; you check the files by opening Office 365 account.

Conclusion

While Network Upload is a valuable technique for uploading PST files to Office 365, it can be quite complex, especially for beginners. As an alternative, consider using the Kernel Import PST to Office 365 tool. This software offers a more user-friendly approach to importing PST files into Office 365, featuring advanced filters and functionalities that enable you to tailor the import process to your specific needs.