THE CUSTOMER
The customer is a highly regarded professional services firm specializing in tax, accounting, consulting, and IT analysis tailored to businesses. With a rich history dating back to 1986, they have established themselves as industry leaders in Germany.
Driven by its vision of expanding its reach globally, the customer aspires to offer an unparalleled consulting experience to clients worldwide. Their expertise encompasses guiding companies through every stage of their business processes, providing valuable insights and solutions that drive success.
The Requirement
The customer currently faces the challenge of managing numerous on-premise applications, many of which are outdated, including Microsoft software. They have identified the need to modernize their IT infrastructure and have set their sights on migrating from legacy Exchange 2013 to Exchange Online.
Also their next crucial step is to transfer their data from NAS Storage to SharePoint Online. By doing so, they aim to leverage the collaborative features and enhanced accessibility offered by SharePoint Online. Additionally, they plan to deploy OneDrive and Teams to empower their employees with efficient file storage, sharing, and seamless communication and collaboration.
The Challenge
The customer faced the challenge of managing numerous internal servers that relied on their internal SMTP relay from the Exchange Server. To address this, the first step was to identify these servers and make the necessary adjustments to the SMTP relay configuration, enabling them to work with Office 365 through an anonymous SMTP relay.
In addition to the server configuration, there were users within the organization who heavily utilized distribution groups. The customer expressed their desire to migrate these distribution groups to a cloud-only environment, in the same time to keep the AD Connect setup.
The Solution
Auditing: An extensive audit was conducted to assess the current state of mailboxes, shared mailboxes, distribution groups, inbox rules, and internal servers utilizing anonymous SMTP relay. This allowed for a thorough understanding of the existing infrastructure.
Batched Migration: A carefully planned migration strategy was implemented, scheduling batched migrations for specific groups of users. This approach minimized disruptions and allowed for controlled testing and validation at each stage of the migration process.
Distribution Group Migration: Using PowerShell scripts, distribution groups were systematically moved into a cloud-only environment. This ensured centralized management and streamlined collaboration, leveraging the benefits of cloud-based distribution groups.
Inbox Rule Analysis: To guarantee the seamless functioning of inbox rules, PowerShell scripts were employed to analyze and verify their effectiveness. This step ensured that all inbox rules were properly migrated and continued to operate as intended in the new environment.
Results Obtained
By modernizing their IT infrastructure and transitioning to Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, and Teams, the customer is poised to enhance productivity, streamline collaboration, and improve overall efficiency within their organization. This strategic move towards cloud-based solutions aligns with industry trends and will position the customer for continued success in the digital era.
