Step by step migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365

Recently users are frequently moving towards Office 365 as it is the most advanced email service nowadays. In my opinion, it is meant to have happened as the cloud is the future of email service and data storage. Apart from this, Office 365 has a few features that other email clients giant might don’t even think of before. Now almost every user wants to reduce the infrastructure cost and other extra expenses. If you’re using Exchange 2013, then you’ve to seek a replacement as Exchange 2013 will reach its end of life on April 11, 2023. It is probably the main reason several Exchange server users are looking to seek a solution to migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365.

Migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365 manually?

Manually there are four possible ways available that can move your data from Exchange Server to Office 365, which are as follows:

1.   Cutover Migration: This method is recommended to migrate up to 2000 mailboxes. But due to its time taking and lengthy process, Microsoft recommends moving only 150 mailboxes. Honestly, I’ve used this method only once, and I failed at that time and lost all my Exchange Server mailboxes. I suggest you not use this method or use it only if you have a technical support team.
2.   Staged Migration: It’s another method for Exchange, but this method is only allowed to migrate mailboxes from Exchange 2003 and 2007. Hence you cannot migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365 using this method.
3.   IMAP Migration: IMAP migration is a slow and time-taking method compared to other methods. It only allows migrating emails up to 35 MB, and another drawback of this method is that it only migrate contacts, emails, and calendars from Exchange Server to Office 365 mailboxes.

These are the few manual migration methods to migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365, but none of them is reliable. Due to this, businesspersons suggest using automated tools for this task.

Shoviv Exchange to Office 365 migration tool

It is a specially coded software by Shoviv professionals and is developed by keeping users need in the center of the development process. The software automates 90% of the migration process and eliminates the risk of data loss and human error chances. Also, Shoviv has embedded the software with multiple looking-for features so even non-technocrats can use the software without any hassle. Some of its highlighted features are as follows:

1. The software allows adding and migrating multiple mailboxes in a single process, and also it has no bar on adding mailbox size.
2. Users can migrate the whole mailbox and a specific email from the mailbox. Before the migration, it displays a preview of added mailbox content so users can ensure that they are migrating the required emails/mailbox.
3. It has a filter option on the data range and message class-based. Using the filter option, users can filter out unwanted emails of Exchange and save a few bucks on cloud storage.
4. We all know process interruption is the worst case in Exchange 2013 to Office 365 migration as you have to do all the work from the start. But in Shoviv’s tool, you got an incremental export option that allows you to resume the interrupted process with any hassle.

These are the only few features of the tool and have many more to know. You can check all its features using the free version. Yes, Shoviv provides a free version with all features and permission of processing the first 50 items per folder. Let me mention its complete process for Exchange 2013 to Office 365 migration in simple words:

• Install and open the software on your system.
• Now click on the Add Source option from the ribbon bar.
• Next, select the Exchange Server mailboxes tab and provide Exchange Server credentials.
• Following select Exchange mailboxes to migrate and click on the Next button.
• Process further by clicking the Office 365 option from the ribbon bar.
• In the next wizard, select folders/subfolders you want to migrate to Office 365 and click the Next button.
• Now the target wizard will appear. Here enter the Office 365 administrator’s credentials and click Next.
• Then, map Exchange mailboxes with the Office 365 mailboxes and click Next.
• A filter wizard will pop up; use the filter option on the item’s date range and message class. Here an advance options button is available; clicking it will open advanced features.
• Once done with all steps, the software will start to migrate Exchange 2013 to Office 365 mailboxes.

Last Words:

Straight to the point, I’ll never suggest the manual method even if you have 10 MB to migrate cause you may lose that as well. So use the free version of Shoviv Exchange to Office 365 migration tool and get the best migration results.