Moving your email to Microsoft 365 is one of the best IT decisions a small business can make. But migration requires careful planning to avoid disruption. Here's everything you need to know.
Why Migrate to Microsoft 365?
Security Benefits:
- -Enterprise-grade spam and phishing protection
- -Built-in malware scanning
- -Advanced threat protection available
- -Data loss prevention capabilities
- -Encryption in transit and at rest
Productivity Benefits:
- -Access email from any device, anywhere
- -Integrated calendar and contacts
- -Microsoft Teams for collaboration
- -SharePoint and OneDrive included
- -Real-time co-authoring on documents
Reliability Benefits:
- -99.9% uptime SLA
- -Automatic backups
- -Geo-redundant data centers
- -No hardware to maintain
- -Always up-to-date software
Migration Methods
Depending on your current setup, different migration approaches apply:
Cutover Migration **Best For:** Small businesses with under 150 mailboxes
All mailboxes migrate at once over a weekend. Simple and clean.
Process: 1. Configure Microsoft 365 tenant 2. Add and verify your domain 3. Create user accounts 4. Migrate all mailboxes 5. Update DNS to point to Microsoft 365 6. Reconfigure user devices
Staged Migration **Best For:** Larger organizations needing gradual transition
Migrate groups of users over time while both systems run in parallel.
Process: 1. Set up hybrid configuration 2. Migrate pilot group 3. Validate and adjust 4. Migrate remaining groups 5. Decommission old system
IMAP Migration **Best For:** Migrating from non-Exchange systems (Gmail, other providers)
Pulls email from existing system via IMAP protocol.
Limitations:
- -Email only (no calendar or contacts via IMAP)
- -Slower for large mailboxes
- -May need separate calendar migration
Pre-Migration Planning
Inventory Your Current Environment
- -Number of mailboxes
- -Mailbox sizes
- -Distribution lists and groups
- -Shared mailboxes
- -Email aliases
- -Current email addresses per user
- -Calendar resources (rooms, equipment)
- -Mobile devices connected
Clean Up Before You Move
- -Have users clean out old email
- -Archive what needs keeping
- -Delete what doesn't
- -Remove former employees
- -Update distribution list memberships
Plan Your Licensing
Microsoft 365 licensing options:
Business Basic ($6/user/month):
- -Web and mobile Office apps
- -Email with 50GB mailbox
- -Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive
Business Standard ($12.50/user/month):
- -Everything in Basic
- -Desktop Office apps
- -Webinar hosting
Business Premium ($22/user/month):
- -Everything in Standard
- -Advanced security features
- -Device management
- -Defender for Office 365
Most small businesses do well with Business Basic or Standard.
The Migration Timeline
Week 1-2: Preparation - Inventory current environment - Purchase Microsoft 365 licenses - Create tenant and verify domain - Set up admin accounts - Plan user communication
Week 2-3: Configuration - Create user accounts - Configure security settings - Set up groups and distribution lists - Test with pilot users - Document procedures
Week 3-4: Migration - Perform mailbox migration - Update DNS records - Reconfigure user devices - Provide user support - Validate everything works
Week 4+: Stabilization - Address user issues - Fine-tune spam filtering - Decommission old system - Document new environment - Train users on new features
What Users Experience
Before Migration Communicate early and often: - What's changing - When it's happening - What they need to do - Who to contact for help
During Migration Depending on migration type: - May have brief email delay - Will need to reconfigure devices - Passwords may change - Some may need Outlook reconfigured
After Migration First day priorities: - Verify email sending and receiving - Check calendar entries migrated - Confirm contacts are present - Test on mobile devices - Know who to call for issues
Common Migration Challenges
DNS Propagation Delays DNS changes can take 24-48 hours to propagate globally. Plan for this.
Solution: Lower TTL values before migration, schedule for low-traffic periods.
Large Mailbox Migration Times 100GB mailboxes take time to migrate.
Solution: Pre-stage migrations, clean up before migrating, migrate largest mailboxes first.
Mobile Device Reconfiguration Every phone needs email reconfigured.
Solution: Provide clear instructions, schedule help desk availability.
User Resistance People don't like change.
Solution: Communicate benefits, provide training, celebrate improvements.
Calendar Sync Issues Calendar items sometimes need attention.
Solution: Verify calendar migration, check recurring meetings, test room bookings.
Post-Migration Best Practices
Enable Security Features Once migrated, enable: - Multi-factor authentication - Security defaults or conditional access - Safe links and safe attachments - Audit logging
Train Your Team Microsoft 365 has features most users don't know about: - Teams collaboration - OneDrive file sharing - Co-authoring documents - Mobile app capabilities
Set Up Backup Microsoft 365 isn't a backup. Consider third-party backup for: - Point-in-time recovery - Long-term retention - Compliance requirements
Document Everything Create documentation for: - Admin access and procedures - User setup instructions - Common troubleshooting - Vendor contact information
Ready to Migrate?
Email migration is a significant project, but the benefits are worth it. If you're considering moving to Microsoft 365, we can help with:
- -Assessment of your current environment
- -License recommendations
- -Migration planning and execution
- -User training and support
- -Ongoing management
Contact us for a free consultation and migration quote.