Migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365

The launch of Office 365 led to a revolution in the world of businesses. More and more organizations are planning to move towards it from other Exchange versions because of its cost-effectiveness, integration with MS Office suite, and scalability. This is the era of cloud-based platforms and moving your mailboxes to Office 365 is no exception. When you migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365, you can access ongoing support, the latest features, and regular security updates. Let us learn how to execute easy migration from Exchange 2013 to Office 365 together.

Some prerequisites to consider for Exchange 2013 to Office 365 migration are mentioned below:

1. Update your Exchange Server 2013 to its latest Cumulative Update for extensive compatibility.
2. Avoid a hybrid Exchange setup if looking to migrate within a few days.
3. Setup Directory Synchronization with the help of Azure Active Directory Connect. Once migration is complete, remove this setup.

Migration options for Exchange to Office 365

For Exchange users, there are some manual methods available to migrate mailboxes from Exchange to Office 365. The three methods we’ll explain here are for different versions of Exchange. Read and then select precisely which method will be suitable for your requisites.

• Express migration: Express migration is recommended for scenarios involving fewer than 2000 mailboxes. The migration process can be initiated conveniently through the Exchange Admin Center (EAC). Nevertheless, it's worth noting that migrating all 2000 mailboxes in a single operation might be time-consuming. To ensure a smoother migration experience, breaking down the migration into smaller batches, each containing no more than 150 mailboxes, is advisable. Express migration is a versatile option that supports migration from Exchange 2013 and other versions, including 2003, 2007, and 2010.
• Staged migration: Use Staged migrationwhen the number of mailboxes is more than 2000. Staged migration can be performed if you are migrating from Exchange 2003 or 2007 versions.
• Hybrid migration: Use Hybrid migration method to migrate to Office 365, which seamlessly manages both on-premises and online mailboxes, facilitating a gradual and controlled data migration process. Opting for a hybrid migration is the ideal choice when transitioning Exchange 2010 mailboxes, particularly when dealing with a range of 150 to 2000 mailboxes, as it enables you to migrate them to Office 365 in manageable batches. Moreover, this method stands out as the preferred option for migrating Exchange 2013 to Office 365 due to its efficiency and reliability.
• IMAP migration: Migrating mailboxes from Exchange 2013 to MS Office 365 using IMAP migration can be long and slow. When using IMAP or Internet Message Access Protocol, first create mailboxes for users in Microsoft 365 and then try migrating emails with the IMAP. However, it allows you to move emails only and no other mailbox elements, such as contacts and calendars. It also restricts migrating emails with a size of more than 35 MB and more than 5,00,000 items from a mailbox. There is no limit on the number of users one can migrate at once, but this process is more complex than Cutover and Staged migration.

For Exchange 2013, hybrid migration is the best option as it supports migration of a large number of mailboxes in batches. This method allows the user to move mailboxes to Office 365.

Before conducting hybrid migration, it is suggested to create migration endpoints. A migration endpoint has login credentials and connection settings for the source Exchange Server. Then follow the steps to enable the Mailbox Replication Proxy Service (MRSProxy service):

1. In Exchange Admin Center, go to Servers > Virtual Directories
2. Choose the Client Access Server, select the EWS virtual directory, and click Edit
3. Enable MRSProxy (by checking the checkbox) and click save

In the Office 365 tab of the Exchange Admin Center, you have the remote move migration wizard that helps you move mailboxes from on-premises Exchange to Exchange Online (and vice versa). Follow the steps below to migrate on-premises Exchange mailboxes to Office 365 (Exchange Online).

1. In EAC, go to Office 365.
2. Under Recipients > Migration, click Add +, and choose Migrate to Exchange Online.
3. Select Remote move migration on the Select a migration type page; click Next. It will take you to the Select the users page.
4. Click Add+. Here you can select the on-premises Exchange users you want to migrate to Office 365. Click Add, then OK, and then Next.
5. Input the credentials of the on-premises administrator on the Enter the Windows user account credential page.
6. Ensure your on-premises Exchange Server (FDQN) is listed on the Confirm the migration endpoint page, and click Next.
7. Create a migration batch on the Move configuration page by providing the required details; click Next in the end.
8. Finally, at the Start the batch page, choose one recipient to receive the report after the batch completion. Check the Automatically complete the migration batch box. Click New.

Note: After the completion of the migration, batches can be deleted (this can be done from Recipients > Migrations).

The comprehensive hybrid migration process is essential for transitioning from Exchange 2013 to Office 365. However successfully navigating this process can be challenging for non-technical users, making it advisable to consider third-party applications for a more efficient Exchange mailbox to Office 365 migration.

Use a professional Exchange Migration tool

It is a powerful Exchange Migration is a robust software that streamlines the seamless transfer of mailboxes between Exchange Servers or Office 365 environments. Packed with advanced features, this tool simplifies every facet of the migration process. It kicks off with a comprehensive pre-migration analysis, smoothly migrates mailboxes and public folders along with their associated data, and ensures a seamless synchronization between the source and destination mailboxes, fostering a harmonious co-existence.

To know how the tool works, follow the steps given below:

1. Launch the software. Click Add Project, enter a name and click OK.
2. Now, click Add Job for Mailboxes, add a Job Name and click Next.
3. Now, enter the source details - Exchange Server 2013 account details and validate them; select the desired options and then click Next.
4. Choose the required mailboxes and then click Next.
5. Enter the target Office 365 details (can delegate full access rights to the user) and click Next.
6. Apply different filters as required and then click Next.
7. Now, map the source and destination mailboxes and click Next.
8. Manage bad items and synchronization between the source and target by choosing the appropriate options. Then, click Next.
9. Set notification settings by providing an email address to get notified for different jobs. Click Next.
10. Users can deny or allow the migration on a specific day and time. Choose as per your convenience and then click Next.
11. View the summary of migration and check if everything is okay. Then click Finish.

The migration from Exchange 2013 to Office 365 is underway and will require some time to finalize. Once the migration is successfully completed, you will receive a notification confirming its success, along with a detailed migration report. As you've witnessed, transitioning from Exchange 2013 to Office 365 is effortless with our software solution.

• Free Download
• Buy Now

Conclusion

The process of migrating Exchange Server 2013 to Office 365 is very complex and can become even more complicated if you make any error or skip a step. Therefore, it is crucial to be very careful and considerate while picking the correct method for migration. Even though you can use specific manual methods to do it, they come with their limitations. This is why getting a professional solution like Kernel Migration for Exchange is highly suggested to avoid any chances of error or data loss.