Cutover email migration moves your organization from an existing email system to Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online in a single, well-defined cutover event. The source can be Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace, IBM Notes, or another platform — with the migration method matched honestly to the source: Exchange sources migrate with fuller fidelity through Microsoft's migration batches, while non-Exchange sources typically use IMAP migration, which carries email only — calendars and contacts then move by export/import or third-party tooling agreed during assessment. Best suited to smaller and medium-sized organizations with relatively simple environments, the service is $50 per mailbox plus a $2,500 tenant fee over 7 days.
Cutover email migration is a definitive switch from the old email system to the new one, typically performed over a short period such as a few hours or days. The source system can be Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace, IBM Notes, or another email platform or provider, and the migration method follows the source: Exchange sources use Microsoft's cutover migration batches, which carry mail, calendars, and contacts together; non-Exchange sources generally migrate over IMAP, which transfers email only — calendar and contact data then moves through export/import or third-party tooling identified during assessment. IT Partner assesses the current email system, prepares the migration, backs up and moves user data to the target, sequences the MX and DNS cutover so new mail routes to the target system, and tests email functionality after migration.
Confirm scope, source and target systems, mailbox counts, contacts, schedule, and the migration method appropriate to the source platform.
Review the source environment, data types (mail, calendars, contacts), access methods, and target readiness; confirm what the selected migration method carries natively and what needs supplementary handling.
Provision the necessary accounts, licenses, connectivity, and migration tooling required for the migration.
Perform data cleanup and optimization in the source system to streamline the migration and reduce the amount of data to be transferred.
Run the migration, monitor progress and errors, and configure MX and related DNS settings so mail routes to the target system at cutover.
Verify that in-scope data has been migrated correctly, including metadata and permissions within the migration method's capabilities, and test mail flow in the target system.
Review results and any exceptions with the client and close the engagement.
It moves an organization from an existing email system to Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online in a single, well-defined cutover event: assessment, preparation, source data backup, migration of user email data, MX/DNS cutover, and post-migration testing.
Microsoft Exchange, Google Workspace, IBM Notes, or another email platform or provider. The migration method is matched to the source during assessment — that is what determines exactly what can move and how.
From Exchange sources: mailboxes with email, folders, calendars, and contacts through Microsoft's migration batches. From non-Exchange sources: email via IMAP migration — IMAP does not carry calendars or contacts, so those move through export/import or third-party tooling agreed during assessment. The assessment states plainly which path applies to your environment.
Not over IMAP — that protocol transfers mail only. Where the source system offers export (or a third-party tool supports it), IT Partner includes the agreed calendar and contact handling in the migration plan; where it does not, that limitation is stated before the project starts rather than discovered after cutover.
The service is $50 per mailbox plus a $2,500 tenant fee, over a 7-day engagement, quoted in writing before work begins. The cutover event itself is typically performed over a short window such as a few hours or days.
It is best suited to smaller and medium-sized organizations with relatively simple environments. Larger organizations, complex mail systems, or significant data volumes are usually better served by staged or hybrid approaches — IT Partner offers those as separate services and will say so during assessment.
Kickoff, source and target assessment, provisioning of required accounts and tooling, source data cleanup and optimization, migration execution with DNS configuration, verification of migrated data and mail flow, and closure conversations.
A cutover is a definitive switch, so some business impact is possible during the cutover window and MX/DNS propagation. The expected timing and user impact are confirmed during planning based on the source system, target, and DNS setup.
IT Partner configures the migration-related DNS settings within the plan, while the client performs required internal and external DNS changes where domain access sits with them. Responsibilities are aligned at kickoff since DNS ownership varies by organization.
Yes — backing up source system data is part of the preparation deliverables, as a safety measure and contingency plan. Specific retention and restore procedures are confirmed during planning.
Typically yes — after a cutover to Exchange Online, desktop Outlook users generally need their Outlook profiles re-created. Desktop configuration is the client's responsibility in the standard scope, and IT Partner provides the guidance users need for the switch.
Informing users about upcoming changes (the client communicates the migration internally unless a separate service is agreed), customer team training (available as an add-on), and desktop/Outlook profile configuration. Complex coexistence, staged, or hybrid migration approaches are separate services.