Background

A BFSI organization with 50,000 employees used a combination of Zimbra, Lotus Notes, and an on-premises Exchange server. Additionally, the organization had an extensive local archive of NSF (from Lotus Notes) and PST (from Outlook/Exchange) files. The business requirement was to standardize the email environment and move to Office 365, and also provide post-migration support.

Challenges:

  • Complexity: Multiple source email systems meant varied migration methodologies.
  • Data Volume: Handling vast amounts of email data and ensuring no data loss.
  • Archival Data: Migrating older NSF and PST files which can be prone to corruption.
  • Downtime: Minimizing disruption to business operations.
  • Post-migration Support: Addressing any issues after the migration.

Migration Strategy:

  • Preliminary Assessment: Evaluated the size, type, and quality of data across Zimbra, Lotus Notes, and Exchange.

  • Tool Selection: Opted for migration tools that can handle each source system:

    • Zimbra to Office 365: Used tools like Audriga or BitTitan.
    • Lotus Notes to Office 365: Tools like Quest or the Microsoft Lotus Notes Migration tool.
    • Exchange to Office 365: Used built-in tools like the Office 365 Migration wizard.

  • Pilot Migration: Started with a pilot group from each source system to test the migration process and understand potential challenges.

  • Data Migration:

    • Zimbra: Exported mailboxes as PST files, then imported to Office 365.
    • Lotus Notes: Converted NSF files to PST using a third-party tool and then imported to Office 365.
    • Exchange: Used a hybrid migration approach. This allowed mailboxes to be moved to the cloud over time, ensuring a smoother transition.

  • Communication: Kept stakeholders informed at every phase, and provided end-users with guides on the new platform.

  • Pilot Migration: Started with a pilot group from each source system to test the migration process and understand potential challenges.

  • Post-migration Activities:

    • Addressed any synchronization or data issues.
    • Decommissioned old email servers post-validation.

  • Support: Setup a dedicated support team to handle post-migration queries and training.

Outcome

  • Successful Migration: Successfully migrated 50,000 users from three different email systems to Office 365 without any significant data loss.

  • Reduced Infrastructure Costs: Decommissioning on-premises servers led to a reduction in infrastructure costs.

  • Enhanced Collaboration: Users benefited from Office 365’s suite of collaboration tools like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.

  • Positive Feedback: Post-migration support led to a smoother transition for users and resulted in positive feedback.

  • Streamlined IT Management: A unified platform made IT management and maintenance more straightforward and efficient.

“Migrating 50k users across multiple platforms to Office 365 was daunting. Smartnet team made it seamless. Their strategy, tools selection, and post-migration support were exceptional. We experienced minimal disruption, reduced costs, and our team now enjoys improved collaboration tools. Their expertise was pivotal in transforming our digital communication. Highly recommended.”

Andrew Karter Client
Sandy Schadler

Large BFSI. (Project Head)

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