Monday February 09 2004

FreeEmailMigrations.com

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ABOUT

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SOFTWARE

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DOCUMENTATION

• The Basics
• THE ULTIMATE ROCKET GUIDE!
• Rocket Configuration Guide
• Rocket End User Guide
• Rocket Sales Kit
• Rocket SOW
• Rocket Project Plan

KNOWLEDGE

A MIGRATION PRIMER
• A Migration Primer
• Messaging System Deployment Guide
• Migration Strategy Guide
• Coexistence Strategy Guide
• Migration Process Guide
• Migration Issues Guide


MIGRATION STUFF
• Example Migration Checklist
• Example Migration Jumpstart Guide
• Example Migration Roadmap
• Example Best Practices

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• infonition

A Migration Primer

Introduction

As is the case with all common organizational processes, all email migrations are exactly the same and all email migrations are completely different. While each organization’s particular email migration scenario and email migration needs will vary (in nearly a decade, I never had two email migrations that were exactly the same or even particularly close), each email migration must address a number of core, fundamental topics. This document provides a brief introduction to these common email migration topics.

Topics covered in this document:

• Messaging System Deployment
• Migration Strategy
• Coexistence Strategy
• Migration Process
• Migration Issues

Messaging System Deployment

Deployment and migration of messaging systems can be accomplished by combining a variety of strategies and tactics for accomplishing the various deployment and migration processes and activities. Strategies define the overall methods of executing the deployment and migration processes. Tactics are methods of accomplishing individual activities. Processes are a collection of activities or tasks that must be accomplished.

The deployment of a messaging system involves the following processes:

• Planning
• Analysis
• Design
• Location Surveys
• Implementation Planning
• Deployment Scheduling
• Testing
• Pilot
• Marketing
• Training
• Roll-Out

Every messaging system deployment will deal with a number of physical Locations where the messaging system migration will take place. The deployment of a messaging system to any particular location will also involve the following processes:

• Communication
• Server Deployment
• Client Deployment
• Mailbox and Data Migration
• Legacy Retirement
• Marketing
• Training

For more information on messaging system deployment, please see the Messaging System Deployment Guide.

Migration Strategy

The first step in migrating from a legacy email system to a new email system is to determine an overall migration strategy. While there are nearly an endless variety of specific migration strategies, there are three primary migration strategies from which to choose. These strategies are:

• Light Switch
• Standard
• Dual

For more information on migration strategies, please see the Migration Strategy Guide.

Coexistence Strategy

If the migration strategy involves coexistence, then the level of coexistence desired between the legacy email system and the new email system must be determined. Coexistence deals with how integrated the two email systems are during the interval of migration. The level of coexistence can range from none to complete coexistence of the directory, messaging and even calendaring. Organizations can pick and choose to implement specific coexistence features within this range of options. Organizations that implement coexistence must determine their specific strategy for dealing with the following:

• System Integration
• Directory Coexistence
• Messaging Coexistence
• Calendaring Coexistence
• Other Coexistence

For more information on coexistence strategies, please see the Coexistence Strategy Guide.

Migration Process

A fully detailed and repeatable migration process is the lynchpin in any successful messaging migration. All email migration processes are essentially the same although detailed migration processes must be developed individually within a specific migration environment in order to account for the unique aspects of that environment. Only by developing and thoroughly testing the migration process within a specific migration environment can reliability and repeatability be obtained. This means that both the legacy and target messaging systems must be well defined and documented prior to the engineering of a detailed migration process. Once the legacy and target messaging systems are documented, the individual processes defined by the migration process flowchart can be engineered and documented in detail.

Every email migration process consists of the following basic activities:

• Legacy Mailbox Access
• Create Mailbox
• Linking
• Redirect Message Flow
• Export Data
• Import Data

For more information on migration process, please see the Migration Process Guide.

Migration Issues

Within any particular email migration, there are a host of various issues that must be identified and resolved. These issues include:

• Address Fidelity
• Data Fidelity
• Internet Email
• Mail-Enabled Applications
• Shared Mailboxes
• Shared Calendars
• Shared Folders
• Functional Recipients
• Resources
• Distribution Lists
• Local Mailbox Data
• Adjunct Email Services

For more information on migration issues, please see the Migration Issues Guide.

Contact:  Gregory J. Deckler