Hosted Exchange Version Migration
Overview
Atria supports multi-Exchange version coexistence. There will be a time where you may want to upgrade/migrate a customer’s assigned version to a higher one.
This article gives an overview of how Atria interacts with Exchange, considerations for upgrade and information on how is the migration/upgrade is handled through the platform.
Managed Exchange Objects
With Atria’s Hosted Exchange service, there are specified Exchange objects that the platform can manage. A basic understanding of where the objects reside and how Exchange manages them is beneficial in understanding the migration/upgrade process. Configuration can vary depending on each environment the difference between Exchange versions.
Below are the common objects managed with Atria’s Hosted Exchange Service.
- Mailboxes (Users, Resources)
- Addresses (Address List, Offline Address Book)
- Contacts
- Distribution Groups
- Public Folders
*Atria also manages Organization wide configuration such as Mail Disclaimers, assignment of Active Sync Policies and Mailbox permissions. These are not impacted by the migration process as they are actively pulled from the Exchange configuration.
Mailboxes
User Mailbox
In Atria this object is tracked in the DB by recording if the service is provisioned and the User Plan assignment.
During provisioning the platform actively seeks Exchange if a mailbox is present by using the recorded information. It can detect if it is actively being moved, if it was deleted and can even restore the mailbox if “Recover Mailbox” is enabled. Once it is found all settings will be re-applied to it.
An important point to understand is the version assigned and which datastores are selected on the User Plan. Part of the provisioning process will maintaining the datastores under which the mailbox exist - this is defined by the Exchange User Plan.
If during provisioning, Atria detects that the mailbox is not on one of the plan specified datastores, it will action a move of the mailbox to one of the allowed datastores. On an active mailbox with data on it, this will result in a much longer provisioning time and a log explicitly indicating a mailbox move.
If you are moving mailboxes across Exchange versions, it is recommended that mailboxes are moved using Exchange directly as it can do multiple and parallel move requests. Atria will handle the move in a sequential manner which will take longer.
Resource Mailbox
When you create Resource Mailboxes in the portal the information is stored in the DB. It will be then sent over to the Exchange web service to be processed.
During provisioning the platform asks is Exchange if a mailbox is present using the recorded information. An important key point to understand is what version is assigned and which datastores are selected on the Resource MB Datastores. As with user mailboxes, Atria will maintain the datastores under which the mailbox can exist. If during provisioning it detects that it is not on the selected datastores, it will move it to the allowed datastores.
As with user mailboxes, It is recommended that resource mailboxes are moved using Exchange.
Addresses
Address List
Address List objects are stored in Active Directory and are not written in Atria’s database. These are actively queried and managed using AD commands and are unchanged from Exchange 2010. No migration needed.
Offline Address List
In Exchange 2010, OABs are generated by the “OAB Generation Server” while in Exchange 2013-2019 they are created by “Exchange System Mailbox”.
If you are migrating from Exchange 2010, OABs used by customers must be recreated. We have a recreation script that could assist with the process.
Exchange 2013-2019 have compatible OABs. No need to migrate.
Contacts
These objects are stored in Active Directory and not written in Atria’s database. No need to migrate.
Distribution Groups
These objects are stored in Active Directory and not written in Atria’s database. No need to migrate.
Public Folders
In Atria this object is tracked in the DB by recording if the feature is provisioned and the Exchange version assigned. This feature is be enabled or assigned using Customer Plans.
During provisioning the platform actively seeks Exchange if a Public Folder exist for the customer. If found the platform will apply all settings.
With Exchange 2013-2019 Modern Public Folders are introduced using a mailbox infrastructure. Across these versions Public Folders work interchangeably.
If you are migrating from Exchange 2010, Public Folders must be migrated.
An important key point to understand is which Exchange servers are selected to hold the Public Folders. Under Hosted Exchange Service Settings there is a section where you can select which servers the platform will be talking to read and create Public Folders
Migration Process
With Exchange ability to coexist with other versions you can do the migration in gradual process. In an overview below are the migration steps with respect to Atria.
This assumes you have installed the Atria Hosted Exchange web service to your new Exchange server and have created and tested the “Server Connection” in the portal.
Update the Hosted Exchange Service Settings
List new objects; Resource Mailbox Datastore, Offline Address Book Server and Public Folders Servers
From the portal go to Configuration > Service Deployment > Active Directory Location Service > Hosted Exchange > Service Settings
In the Resource MB Mail Databases, select the version of your Exchange. By clicking reload it will query Exchange to list available datastores. Afterwards, select the datastores you want use.
On the right is an example how it will look like with selected datastores.
In Offline Address Book (OAB), click the Reload button to list new servers. Select a server on the new version where the platform will talk to create the object.
If you do not use Public Folders, you can skip this step.
In Public Folders, click the Reload button to list new servers. Select a server on the new version where the platform will talk to create the object.
Create new User Plans
New User Plans need to be created to represent the new Exchange version. The main difference is referencing the new Exchange Server Mailstores.
From the portal go to Configuration > Service Deployment > Top Environment Services > Hosted Exchange > Use Plans
Create your User Plans, click Save when done.
Switch to Active Directory Location Services and modify your User Plan.
Most important setting here is the Mail Databases. Click Reload to query available datastores.
On the right is an example of a selected datastore.
Set the Storage limit for the User Plan
Migrate the Customer
Move User Mailboxes
As mentioned on the Managed Exchange Objects, it is recommended to move the mailboxes through Exchange for better performance.
What you need to pay attention when creating the move request is the destination datastore. You want to make sure that the destination datastore is one of the selected datastores within the User Plan you want to use. If you move the mailbox to an unselected datastore the platform will move it based on the selected datastores within the User Plan.
If coming from Exchange 2010, recreate Offline Address Books
We have a recreation script that can assist with the process.
Re-Provision Hosted Exchange service to Customer selecting the higher version
From the portal, go to the Customer > Services > Hosted Exchange. Select the version you are migrating to.
As noted at the bottom you cannot downgrade version after you have provisioned to the later one.
If you have moved the mailboxes beforehand to one of the selected datastores within the User Plan, the provision request would just re-apply the settings and update the version written in the DB.
Atria comes with Package Migration tool that will bulk reprovision the User Plan assigned to users.
From the portal, go to Configuration > Package Migration Wizard
Select Hosted Exchange
Select the Source and Destination Plan
It will show Customers with Hosted Exchange provisioned and number of users assigned with the Source User Plan.
Select a customer you want to migrate. Click Next.
You can expand Plan > Customer > Users to select which of the listed users you want to migrate. Click Next.
The page that shows the bulk provisioning request has been sent.
You can go to Provisioning Request logs to see the created Bulk Request and view its status.
Finalize the migration
Move Public Folders
This if the final step and should be done after all Customers within the platform have been migrated.
In Exchange 2013-2019, it uses modern Public Folders wherein you move Public Folder mailboxes instead of the contents/data
In Exchange 2010, Public Folders are stored differently thus you move the contents.
Decommissioning Exchange servers
Atria only manages objects available within Exchange. The coexistence and interoperability between versions are still done through Exchange itself. As explained on the Manage Exchange Objects that is how the platform locates and processes the provisioning requests.
One thing to consider before decommissioning older version is Exchange’s Arbitration or System Mailboxes.
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