Migrating your office system is an exciting sign — it’s a move that typically signals growth and success for you and your team. Migration can also, however, be incredibly stressful.
Whether you’re doing a full transfer to the cloud or a hybrid migration, this isn’t something you want to rush into. You’ll want to create a detailed plan of action that protects both you and your clients’ data.
We can help with that. Here’s a rundown of what you need to successfully and seamlessly migrate to Office 365.
Your Office 365 Business Migration Checklist
Migrating without a plan can cause confusion, data loss and headaches for everyone involved.
How do I plan an Office 365 migration?
So, what are the steps someone should take to successfully execute a migration?
- Decide what type of migration is best for you
According to Microsoft, there are five common methods of migration:
- Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) migration is best for those planning to migrate inboxes from Gmail or Yahoo to Office 365.
- A cutover migration is best for those looking to migrate up to 2,000 on-site mailboxes to Office 365 over a day or two.
- A staged migration is best for those looking to migrate on-site mailboxes to Office 365 over a few weeks.
- A hybrid deployment is best for those looking to transfer some features to Office 365, but keep other personalized programs on site. It’s also a good middle step for those looking to do a full migration.
- Third-party migration is best for those facing complex migrations. Certain programs, like G-Suite, often require some outside help to migrate successfully.
Determine which method best suits your needs before going any further in the migration process.
2. Pre-planning
Before you move your business to Office 365, you need to make a detailed plan of what you need to migrate, when it needs to be done, and who needs to do what.
Gather your team, grab a pen and figure out whose skills are best placed where. Assign duties, determine what resources those people will need, and set start and completion dates. Explain who each person’s point of contact is and what they should do if they run into any trouble. This pre-planning will ensure everyone knows their role and puts you on the right course to a successful migration.
3. Review IT infrastructure
Next, review your IT infrastructure and make sure your servers, computers and network can handle the stress of a migration. Make any necessary hardware upgrades, run all the latest software updates, and as always, perform a few system backups for safety.
4. Migrate
After you’ve assigned duties and reviewed your IT infrastructures, you can begin the migration process. Here’s a rundown of the basic steps you’ll take:
- Add your domain to Office 365
- Create your users in Office 365
- Locate the full name of your current email server
- Make a list of the mailboxes you want to migrate
- Connect Office 365
- Use a migration batch to Office 365
- Route your emails to Office 365
- Stop synchronization
How do I know if I need support?
If any of these steps prove to be difficult for you or your team, don’t stress. Help is available. In fact, if you have more than 30 employees in your office, you really should consider working with a Microsoft Partner or third-party support team.
For example, if you and your team aren’t sure if your IT infrastructure is up for a major migration, consider downloading the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit or enlisting third-party support.
Another good time to call support is if you find yourself stuck at any point in the migration process, such as your data slowing down or you find yourself missing certain emails.
Or maybe you just don’t have the time and resources to oversee a migration. Regardless of your situation, Office 365 migration support is truly one of the most important things you can have. Whether you’re looking to move to Office 365 from your hosted Exchange or another mail provider, understanding your steps to migrate to Office 365 can be a pain! Aventis Systems can help. We have a comprehensive licensing to migration to support programs that can make your move to Office 365 a breeze.
