Hey everyone! I've been assigned to transition our hybrid accounts, external contacts, shared mailboxes, and distribution lists completely to the cloud. The goal is to minimize our reliance on data centers for security reasons, although I'm not sure how much pushback I can give on this. I'm working solo with a team of about 100 people, and we have around 1,000 external contacts, approximately 100 shared mailboxes, and a few hundred distribution lists. I only have three months to make this happen. I'm looking into using Quest or BitTitan for this migration but haven't heard back from the reps yet. Is this timeline realistic? Which tool would be better for a cloud-only conversion from this hybrid setup? Also, what major pitfalls should I watch out for? For instance, do I need to recreate shared mailbox profiles post-migration? I've read that proxy addresses might cause issues too. Lastly, will we lose any functionality with this transition that I should bring up with leadership?
4 Answers
If you're migrating to Office 365, your hybrid setup matters. If it’s quite hybrid, a simple mailbox move should do. Users may just see a message asking them to restart Outlook. Just ensure you're set up to tackle the end-user issues when they arise!
It's definitely doable, but expect a few rough weeks ahead! Users will likely face issues requiring your assistance, even if it’s just minor stuff. Have you completed a Proof of Concept (PoC) yet? Getting key personnel involved can lessen complaints since their management will have experienced a smoother transition already.
The security reasons behind this change seem a bit exaggerated, but that’s a separate battle. As someone already in a hybrid environment, you shouldn't need extra tools. You can move mailboxes to the cloud with no downtime for users. Distribution lists can be imported via PowerShell too. Keeping things running smoothly post-migration will be your main challenge.
I think your timeline is reasonable! BitTitan is a solid choice for this. Just be prepared for a couple of headaches like:
- Users might have to re-add shared mailboxes after migration.
- Proxy addresses on contacts can definitely get messed up.
Regarding lost functionality, you'll lose Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and anything linked to the on-prem Active Directory. My biggest piece of advice? Plan everything meticulously and run some tests before going live.
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