Cutover Exchange Online Migration from IMAP — Email Move to Microsoft 365

This service migrates users, email data, and email folders from an IMAP-supported email system to Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online. IT Partner also analyzes the current mail system, prepares Exchange Online users and mailboxes, assigns licenses, transfers mailbox data, helps configure DNS if access is provided, verifies the migration, provides user informational messages, and delivers a project closeout report.

This service supports migration from email systems that provide IMAP access, such as Gmail, Exchange, Outlook.com, and other IMAP-compatible platforms. The migration method depends on IMAP availability, because IMAP is the protocol used to access and transfer mailbox mail and folder data.

The IMAP migration moves email messages and email folders into Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online. Contacts, calendar items, tasks, and other non-mail items are not migrated through IMAP, because those items cannot be accessed by the IMAP protocol.

No, contacts, calendar items, tasks, and other non-IMAP items are not migrated through this service. If those items exist in an email client such as Outlook, IT Partner can provide advice and support for a manual migration process if needed.

The listed duration for this service is 1 week. The exact project flow may vary depending on the source system, mailbox readiness, DNS access, licensing, user coordination, and any issues found during verification.

The listed price is $90 plus $10 per mailbox. The final budget is documented in the project closeout report, and any work outside the stated scope should be confirmed with IT Partner before the engagement.

You need a destination Microsoft 365 tenant with Exchange Online licenses available, admin access to your email domain DNS zone, and a source IMAP system with either admin access or access to individual user mailboxes. These prerequisites matter because IT Partner must create or prepare mailboxes, transfer data from the source system, and update mail routing during cutover.

The engagement typically starts with a kickoff meeting and analysis of the current mail system, followed by user creation or AD Connect configuration, Exchange Online preparation, and the start of email migration. IT Partner then verifies migrated data, changes the MX record to the Microsoft 365 tenant, performs the final email migration, and fixes migration-related issues if any are found.

The stated objective is to move all mailboxes to Microsoft 365 without downtime or data loss and with minimal user disruption. Because a cutover includes DNS and mail-flow changes, the actual business impact depends on readiness, timing, DNS access, and user/device configuration, so specific timing should be coordinated with IT Partner during planning.

Mail flow is moved to Exchange Online by changing the MX record to the new Microsoft 365 tenant during the migration plan. IT Partner includes necessary transport rule creation and Exchange Online Protection configuration as success criteria, while DNS changes require the client to provide DNS access or perform the required DNS updates.

DNS zone configuration is included if the client provides access to DNS management. If the client does not provide DNS access, the client is responsible for performing internal and external DNS changes as required, based on the migration plan.

IT Partner is responsible for analyzing the current mail system, preparing Exchange Online users and mailboxes, assigning licenses, transferring mail and folder data, controlling the transfer, providing error reports if needed, sending informational messages for users, and providing break-fix support for migration-related issues. IT Partner also configures DNS when the client provides the required DNS management access.

The client is responsible for coordinating staff and schedules, providing a dedicated point of contact, granting required system and service access, configuring network equipment, workstations, and mobile devices, and performing DNS changes if required. The client also helps identify high-risk users, such as executives, VIP users, users with mailboxes of 50 GB or larger, or users with deleted folders of 30 GB or larger.

Desktop software settings are not included in the stated scope, and the client is responsible for configuring workstations and mobile devices. Users should still be able to access Exchange Online from desktop PCs, mobile phones, and tablets after successful completion, but device-specific setup is a client responsibility unless separately arranged.

The service requires that the destination Microsoft 365 tenant already has Exchange Online licenses available. IT Partner includes license assignment as part of Exchange Online preparation, but the service description does not state that license procurement is included.

A successful migration means users can access Exchange Online from desktop PCs, phones, and tablets; mail and folders have been moved; mail can be sent and received; required transport rules are working; and Exchange Online Protection is configured and working. The project closeout report documents final status, acceptance criteria matching, outstanding issues, and the final budget.

IT Partner includes transfer control, an error report if needed, verification, and break-fix support related to migration issues. The engagement also includes a final verification and issue-fixing step before project closeout.

Customer team training, migration of corporate documents to SharePoint Online, desktop software settings, and documentation beyond the project closeout report are not included in the base service. Some excluded items, such as training, SharePoint document migration, or more extensive documentation, may be available as additional services.

Yes, the objective is a full cutover migration of all mailboxes from the source IMAP system to Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online. This assumes the source system supports IMAP access, the Microsoft 365 tenant and Exchange Online licenses are ready, and the required access and coordination are provided.