Migrate Exchange 2010 to 2019 – Why & How?

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Exchange Server, introduced in 1996, has evolved significantly over the years. With each new iteration, it has introduced numerous enhancements, prompting businesses to swiftly migrate from older versions to newer ones while continuing to benefit from its robust services. Microsoft consistently updates and enriches each product with user-friendly features tailored to meet the evolving demands of modern businesses. Currently, three active versions of Exchange Server are readily accessible in the market: 2013, 2016, and 2019.

Exchange Server 2010 reached the end of its support lifecycle on October 13, 2020. Businesses still utilizing this outdated platform are exposed to a multitude of risks, as they no longer receive essential technical support, security patches, or bug fixes. In its prime, Exchange Server 2010, initially released in 2009, boasted an array of exceptional features that provided businesses with substantial advantages and opportunities for growth.

• Database Availability Groups: Several legacy features such as LCR, CCR, and SCC have been entirely replaced by DAG, ushering in a transformation. This transition has given rise to a multitude of highly available databases, granting administrators the flexibility to generate multiple duplicates of a single database without the need for tedious reconfiguration, creation, relocation, or deletion of these duplicates.
• Client Access Server: The Client Access Server is responsible for managing client connection requests and establishing connections to mailboxes.
• RPC Client Access: The RPC Client Access served as a crucial abstraction layer, facilitating seamless connections between Outlook-based clients and their mailboxes via the Client Access Server roles. This robust architecture not only ensured uninterrupted access but also greatly minimized the risk of data disruption in the event of a database failover.
• Personal Archive: The introduction of the Personal Archive feature in Exchange Server, starting with Exchange 2010, revolutionized the way older data is managed. This innovative feature seamlessly incorporates older data into a secondary mailbox that is associated with the same user account.
• Recoverable Items: Recoverable Items, an advanced replacement for the previously used “dumpster” feature, serves as a robust solution for safeguarding deleted items within the user’s mailbox. This feature is meticulously designed to uphold legal search compliance while providing a protective shield for mailbox objects against inadvertent deletions.
• Administration delegation: Administrators have the ability to delegate specific tasks to users, allowing them to perform various actions as needed. Delegating roles based on job requirements facilitates effective task management.
• Outlook Web App: Outlook Web App made its debut with the release of Exchange 2010, revolutionizing the way users accessed their mailboxes by providing the convenience of web-based access from any workstation or system through a standard web browser. It offered compatibility with multiple popular browsers, including Firefox and Safari, ensuring a seamless experience for a wide range of users.

Exchange Server 2019

Exchange Server 2019 made its debut a decade after the release of Exchange 2010, introducing a host of impressive features and a heightened focus on service quality. Notably, this version marked a significant shift by operating exclusively on Windows Server 2019. Furthermore, it replaced Unified Messaging with Azure cloud voicemail for Skype for Business, reflecting a dynamic evolution in communication technology.

Between Exchange 2010 and 2019, Microsoft introduced two intermediary versions: Exchange 2013 and Exchange 2016. Consequently, a direct upgrade from Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2019 is not possible. Instead, the business must follow a two-step process: first, upgrade to either Exchange 2013 or 2016, and then proceed to upgrade the Exchange license to 2019. Microsoft does provide the option to manually migrate from Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016.

Following a successful migration from Exchange 2016, the logical next step would be to transition to Exchange 2019. This recommendation stems from the fact that Exchange 2013 is set to reach its end-of-life in 2023, making Exchange 2016 the more favorable choice due to its extended support cycle and enhanced features. However, if you decide to proceed with Exchange 2013 for now, it’s still possible to migrate Exchange Server 2013 to 2016 once support for Exchange 2013 comes to an end.

A problematic Active Directory setup presents a significant hurdle in the path toward migrating from Exchange 2010 to 2019. To overcome this challenge, it’s advisable to consider an alternative approach where you transfer the legacy data from Exchange 2010 to either Exchange 2016 or 2013 if you prefer a manual migration method.

Is it possible to migrate from Exchange Server 2010 to 2019?

If your business is still running on Exchange Server 2010 and you’re looking to upgrade to Exchange Server 2019, you’ll need a reliable migration solution. Enter Kernel Migrator for Exchange, your trusted partner in this transition. Our Exchange migration software seamlessly moves mailboxes, preserving all their features, properties, and metadata, ensuring a smooth transition from Exchange 2010 to 2019. With its intuitive user interface, Kernel Migrator for Exchange simplifies the process of connecting to Exchange Server 2010 and establishing a connection with Exchange 2019. Say goodbye to manual methods and embrace a hassle-free migration experience.

You have the flexibility to generate multiple distinct projects that will operate independently. Once you’ve chosen multiple mailboxes, you can seamlessly associate each mailbox with its respective destination mailbox and conveniently schedule the migration for a future date and time of your preference.