Tenant to tenant mail migration from large to small organization

Question

According to Microsoft sales team the answer in this thread is most likely wrong! Can you confirm that?
(commenting is not possible anymore)

We are a small group in a very large organization now established as an independent company. A very common situation.
New licenses for Office365 including everything and all premium have been acquired for our small independent group.
The very reason to continue using Office365 is to ensure a smooth migration of Outlook mail including calendar, and only spending a minimum of time on related tasks.
MS sales team advice that you can do a migration as in these guides, but you require "Cross Tenant User Data Migration", which only is available to "Enterprise Agreement" customers - and of course not for our small group.

How can we quickly and smoothly do the migration?

In case of a work-around like exporting data to a PST-file, then please observe that this task must be completed in the web app, and we cannot achieve admin privileges in the large organization.

The question has been migrated from here.

nassoca · Answer

Migrating email from a large organization to a smaller one can be a complex process, but with proper planning and execution, it can be done seamlessly. Here's a general outline of the steps involved:

1. Assess and Plan:

Evaluate the current environment: Understand the size, complexity, and infrastructure of the source tenant.
Define the target environment: Determine the desired configuration and requirements of the smaller tenant.
Identify migration scope: Decide which data and services will be migrated.
Create a detailed migration plan: Outline the steps, timelines, and resources needed.

2. Prepare the Target Tenant:

Create user accounts: Set up user accounts in the smaller tenant, matching the source tenant's structure.
Configure email settings: Configure domain records, MX records, and other necessary settings.
Set up mailboxes: Create mailboxes for each migrated user.

3. Select a Migration Tool:

Evaluate options: Consider factors like cost, features, ease of use, and compatibility with the source and target environments.
Popular tools: Some popular options include Microsoft 365 Migration Manager, Symantec Migration Manager, and third-party migration tools like Gs Richcopy 360 and Goodsync .

4. Prepare the Source Tenant:

Export data: Export mailbox data from the source tenant, including emails, contacts, calendars, and other relevant information.
Review and clean data: Identify and address any data quality issues.

5. Perform the Migration:

Import data: Use the chosen migration tool to import the exported data into the target tenant.
Monitor progress: Track the migration process and address any issues that arise.
Test and validate: Verify that all data has been migrated correctly and that email is functioning properly.

6. Cutoff and Redirect:

Set a cutoff date: Determine when to stop sending new emails to the source tenant.
Redirect emails: Configure email forwarding rules to automatically redirect new emails from the source tenant to the target tenant.

7. Post-Migration Tasks:

Verify completeness: Ensure that all data has been migrated successfully.
Update DNS records: Update DNS records to point to the new email infrastructure.
Provide user training: Educate users on the new email system and any changes in procedures.
Monitor and troubleshoot: Continuously monitor the migrated environment and address any issues that may arise.

Additional Considerations:

Data privacy and security: Ensure compliance with data protection regulations and implement appropriate security measures.
Large-scale migrations: For very large organizations, consider a phased approach or utilizing specialized migration services.
Hybrid environments: If you're migrating to a hybrid environment (on-premises and cloud), carefully plan the coexistence of both systems.

By following these steps and considering the specific requirements of your migration, you can successfully move your organization's email from a large to a small tenant.

happytechie · Answer

nassocaAs I wrote, I want to "only spending a minimum of time" for the project. Reading your post I have spent more time than planned for the entire project.

Forum Discussion