We use the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) to migrate your email from Gmail, Exchange, Outlook.com, and other email systems that support IMAP protocol for email access. When we migrate the user email by using IMAP migration, only the items in the user inbox and other mail folders are migrated. Contacts, calendar items, tasks, and other items cannot be accessed via IMAP protocol and cannot be migrated through this process. If you have such items in your email client, for example, in Outlook, you can migrate them manually. We will provide advice and support for that process, if needed.

Our objective is a full migration of all mailboxes from the source IMAP system. Only users, emails, and email folders are migrated. A migration project will be considered successful if all mailboxes are moved to Microsoft 365 without downtime or data loss and with minimal user disruption.

IT Partner responsibilities #

1. Analysis of the current mail system
2. Exchange Online preparation, including users and mailbox creation, and licenses assignment
3. DNS zone configuration, if the client provides access to DNS management
4. Mailbox data transfer (mail and folders)
5. Transfer control and providing error report, if needed
6. Providing informational messages for users
7. Break-fix support related to migration issues

Client responsibilities #

1. Coordinate Client resources and staff schedules
2. Provide a dedicated point of contact responsible for working with IT Partner
3. Configure all network equipment, such as load balancers, routers, firewalls, and switches
4. Provide access to physical and virtual servers and/or systems and services as needed. Provide remote and/or physical access to facility and systems required to complete the work
5. Configure workstations and mobile devices
6. Perform changes to internal and external DNS, as required
7. Assist with identification of high-risk users (top executives and VIP users, users with 50 GB mailboxes or larger and/or 30 GB deleted folders or larger)
8. Coordinate any outside vendor resources and schedules
9. Review and approve engagement deliverables in a timely manner

Additional cost items not provided by this project #

1. Customer team training (could be added as an additional service)
2. Migration of corporate documents to SharePoint Online (could be added as an additional service)
3. Desktop software settings

Upon completion of the project, we will provide a project closeout report. This document will indicate the final project status, including acceptance criteria matching, outstanding issues, and the final budget. If you require more extensive documentation, it can be provided for an additional fee.

Prerequisites #

1. You must have a destination Microsoft 365 tenant with Exchange Online licenses available
2. You must have admin access to your email domain DNS zone
3. You must have a source IMAP system with either admin access or with access to individual user mailboxes

Plan #

The plan may vary depending on your needs.

1. Kickoff meeting
2. Analysis of the current mail system
3. Creating users or AD connect tool configuration
4. Starting email migration
5. Verifying email migration
6. Changing MX record to the new Microsoft 365 tenant
7. Final email migration
8. Verification and fixing issues, if any

Success Criteria #

1. Users can access Exchange Online on their desktop PCs, mobile phones, and tablets from any place, any time
2. Emails and folders have been moved to Exchange Online
3. All necessary Transport rules are created and working
4. Mail can be sent and received using Exchange Online
5. Exchange Online Protection is configured and working