How to Migrate Single or Multiple Exchange Mailboxes to Office 365

As an Exchange server administrator, you would require migrating mailboxes from the hosted Exchange server database to Office 365 environment. The reason could be hardware and software maintenance costs, reliability, real-time synchronization, enhanced security features, easy-to-manage multiple user accounts, flexible subscription plans, rich interface, great support, etc.

Let’s go through the process of migrating single and multiple Exchange mailboxes to Office 365.

Migrating Individual Mailboxes to Office 365 via PowerShell

1. Firstly, connect to Office 365 environment using the command: Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force
2. Then, move one mailbox at a time
3. Next, monitor the move requests using the command: Get-MoveRequest | Get-MoveRequestStatistics
4. To remove move requests, run the command: Get-MoveRequest | Remove-MoveRequest

Migrating Multiple Exchange Mailboxes to Office 365

A hybrid deployment can serve as an important and intermediate step to migrate multiple mailboxes from any version of Exchange Server to Exchange Online. These are the easy steps to initiate the process-

Step 1: Create Exchange remote migration endpoint

The first step is to create Exchange remote migration endpoints that comprise connection settings for an on-premises Exchange Server running the MRS proxy service. Here, MRS proxy service is required for performing remote migrations to and from the Exchange Online.

Step 2: Enable the MRSProxy service

Once you create the migration endpoint, you should check if the MRSProxy service is enabled or not. If it has not been already enabled for your on-premises Exchange Client Access servers, you would have to enable it. To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) and first navigate to Servers and then Virtual Directories
2. Next, select the Client Access server followed by EWS virtual directory and click the Edit tab
3. Finally, select the check box named MRS Proxy enabled and click on the Save

The reason why MRSProxy service on the Exchange Servers is used is that it automatically rectifies the mailbox move requests when you select multiple user mailboxes for migration to Exchange Online.

Step 3: Migrate user mailboxes with EAC

Next, you would have to migrate mailboxes of existing users in the on-premises organization to the Exchange Online organization with EAC. To do so, you can execute the steps given below:

1. Open the EAC, and then navigate to Office 365, Recipients, and then Migration
2. Next, click on Add+, and then select the Migrate to Exchange Online option
3. Select Remote move migration followed by a click on the Next tab on the Select a migration type page
4. On the Select the users page, click on Add+ tab and select the on-premises users to migrate to Office 365 environment. Further, click Add, OK, and then the Next tab
5. On the Enter the Windows user account credential page, first enter the on-premises administrator account name in the On-premises administrator name text field. Next, enter the password for this account in the On-premises administrator password text field, and then click on the Next tab

Note: For this step, you will get an endpoint confirmation prompt provided you have already created a migration endpoint. Moreover, if you have created two or more migration endpoints, you would have to choose one from the drop-down menu.

6. Verify on the Confirm the migration endpoint page that the FDQN of your on-premises Exchange Server gets listed when the wizard confirms the migration endpoint, and then click on the Next tab
7. On the Move configuration page, execute the following sequentially:
8. In the New migration batch name text field, give a name for the migration batch
9. Opt for the Target delivery domain for the mailboxes that are migrating to Office 365 option using the Down Arrow icon

• Confirm that the Move primary mailbox along with archive mailbox alternative is chosen and then click on the Next tab

8. On the Start the batch page, execute the following:
9. Select at least one recipient to receive the report for batch migration
10. Confirm that the Automatically start the batch option has been chosen

• Select the Automatically complete the migration batch check box

1. Click on the New tab

So these are the steps for migration of multiple mailboxes from Exchange Server to Office 365. The total time taken for the completion of the migration process depends on the configuration of the MRSProxy, the total number of mailboxes selected, and also the size of the mailboxes.

Now that you are aware of the method of migrating single and multiple Exchange Server mailboxes from its Exchange EDB file to Office 365. However, you can also use Stellar EDB to PST Converter to do the same. The reason being, it completes migration without any data loss. Also, you do not have to be technically sound which is essential for employing the manual method. Moreover, it is faster, safe, and reliable than the manual method.You may try yourself here.