Office 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Step By Step – Secure and Seamless

Have you been feeling overwhelmed while performing Office 365 tenant to tenant migration? It’s no secret that carrying out migration projects in O365 can be a daunting task if the correct approach isn’t followed. Fortunately, this write-up is here to provide you with the best solutions to ensure your migration is completed without any pitfall.

What are the Benefits of Performing Tenant to Tenant Migration in Office 365?

• Office 365 admins can have easy user management by the consolidation of multiple tenants into one tenant.
• Organizations can save costs by eliminating additional licenses and resources required for multiple o365 tenants.
• With a single Office 365 tenant admins can apply centrally managed policies to improve data security and compliance.
• It is more scalable and reliable and collaborative to utilize a single tenant over multiple.
• Through a single Office 365 tenant you can experience Seamless migration of data and applications with minimal disruption.

But before diving into the possible solutions, let’s have a quick glance at the user’s query to understand the whole scenario in a better way.

User Query:

I am looking for a step-by-step guide to perform an O365 tenant to tenant migration task. This is quite difficult for me, however, I need to migrate 200 user’s mailbox to another tenant. I have searched for a direct solution or tool but did not get one. Can anyone help me or provide me an approach for the same?

Scenario:

Nowadays, organizations are rapidly adopting Office 365, and the increasing number of Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestiture activities, leaves organizations dealing with various types of data migration projects in Office 365.

Here comes the key part of this blog, there are mainly two ways to carry out data migration in O365. The first is the manual method using the PowerShell Scripts and the second is the automated solution. Let’s dive into each approach in order to perform this operation step by step.

Pre-Requisites You Need to Follow As Office 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Checklist

These are the below checklists or migration plans for users to perform this operation safely without facing any issues or challenges.

1. Domain Preparation

Domain setup entails the following measures:

1. Check that you have enough Microsoft 365 licenses.
2. To facilitate the transfer, create admin accounts in both the source and target systems.
3. Add new mailboxes, room/resource mailboxes, and distribution groups to the destination.
4. To execute AD DS consolidation, use AD DS tools and, if necessary, manually or automatically synchronize the source and target domains.
5. After the migration, teach your end-users how to use Microsoft 365.

2. Domain validation

1. Begin by entering and verifying the target tenant domain into Microsoft 365.
2. Configure DNS TXT records and connect a source domain to the target Microsoft 365 admin center.
3. Check that the domain is only being utilized by one tenant. The verification will fail if this condition is not met.

Following the completion of these processes, it will take approximately 72 hours for the change to become visible.

3. Migration Planning

1. Create a list of the user mailboxes that you want to migrate, as well as a CSV file for mapping.
2. Make a note of the lowest TTL value in the MX record (of the primary email domain).
3. To prevent changes to the source tenant’s AD DS account from being synchronized to the Microsoft 365 platform, disable directory sync for the origin tenancy (through the Microsoft 365 admin center). The deactivation procedure may take up to several hours.

The Stage Of Migration Between Office 365 Tenants

1. Put a halt to the influx of mail.

To prevent incoming mail flow to the originating tenant, change the primary MS record to an unreachable value or utilize a third-party solution. You can simply plan the time for this step since you entered the lowest TTL value on the MX record (of the primary email domain) during the preparation process.

2. Source preparation before Office 365 tenant to tenant migration.

The primary mail domain must be deleted from all items in the original tenancy before transferring the Office 365 mailbox to some other tenant.

• Reset your default email address to the one connected with your Microsoft 365 account.
• Using the Lync Admin Portal, delete all Lync licenses from the source tenant.
• Restore the prior domain’s default email address for distribution lists, rooms, and resources.
• All tenant objects’ secondary email addresses should be removed.
• Type Get-MsolUser -DomainName xyz.com in Windows PowerShell to discover any objects that are still utilizing the main email address or are resisting deletion.

3. Preparing the target Domain before migration between tenants in Office 365

• Set the auto-discover CNAME.
• You must build a new domain in the target tenancy when using AD FS.
• Activate and license new user accounts in the target domain.
• Make the principal email address of the originating domain the primary email address for new users (done using Windows PowerShell). Choose how to transmit passwords to end-users.
• Once the user mailboxes are active, modify the mail routing and point the MX record to the new Office 365 email address.

Examine the mail flow into and out of the specific tenant.

If The Migration Being Done is For Less Than 500 Users

If the number of users is less than 500, users can utilize the manual approach. There might be a cutoff date to assist restrict the amount of data transferred. You may choose a time frame, say six months, for transferring mail, calendar data, and contact information.

In this scenario, which manual technique can be used?

PowerShell is a Microsoft idea that consists of a command-line shell and a scripting language for automating activities. This method is tough for non-technical individuals to grasp.

Also Read: How to Migrate Mailbox from On-Premise to Office 365? Learn the Expert’s Way

Why not Use the Manual Method for Migration Between Tenants in Office 365?

In this manual method, users need to run PowerShell cmdlets scripts, which require great technical expertise. A minor mistake or mis-stype in these scripts can result in multiple errors and failures in this migration process. Moreover, PowerShell has its own limitations as it does not maintain data integrity and folder structure or hierarchy.

The Complexity of the Process: As it is a manual process, hence you have to proceed with each and every step by yourself. Moreover, this process involves multiple technical steps, including configuring and connecting to the source and destination tenants. Additionally, selecting the data to be migrated, and managing the entire migration process. This can be a complex process, particularly for large amounts of data or for organizations with multiple users and complex data structures.

The Inefficiency of the Process: The manual migration process is often slow and can take a significant amount of time to complete particularly when performing a large-scale data migration. Moreover, it can hamper the running of the business by creating a temporary communication halt. Which later can cause disruptions to business operations and lead to productivity losses.

The Risk of Organisational Data Loss: Manually migrating data between Office 365 tenants carries a risk of data loss due to human error or inability of technical implementation. This could result in improper migration, leading to data loss and potential business continuity issues.

Difficulty in Handling Permissions: It becomes extremely complex to handle user and other resources’ permissions while manually performing Office 365 tenant-to-tenant migration. Because at the post-migration stage, it’s harder to keep track of who has access to what and where. This can eventually lead to security vulnerabilities and compliance issues.

Complexity in Handling Custom Applications: This process becomes completely worthless when an organization is using custom applications or solutions that integrate with Office 365. This is because there are chances that custom applications and solutions may not work properly in the new tenant environment, leading to additional complications and business downtime.

Putting all things together, organizations must understand the downtime and shortcomings involved in this manual approach. Hence, switching to automated and reliable software is recommended.

Let’s discuss the most trusted & reliable approach to perform this operation without any data loss.

Step-by-Step Automated Approach for Office 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration

Overall, it’s recommended to use a tried and tested reliable migration tool or professional cloud migration service, which automates the migration process and provides a more efficient and secure solution for migrating data between tenants in Office 365

Hence in this situation, it is suggested to use Office 365 Mailbox Migration Tool. An automated and reliable solution to speed up the whole process of O365 tenant to tenant migration. It ensures a seamless data transition experience for its users along with maximum data protection and integrity.

Download Now   Purchase Now

Special Features that Makes this Software Different from Others

• Category-Based Migration – This utility lets its users choose data item categories like emails, contacts, calendars, and documents. They can select the desired items accordingly to perform Office 365 tenant to tenant migration
• Selection-Based Data Migration – Another modern feature integrated into this software is the Date based filter, enabling users to migrate data of a specific date range to the destination without any hassle.
• The integrity of Data – The most remarkable feature of this software making it stand alone is data integrity. It keeps the original data intact throughout the migration between tenants in Office 365.
• Priority Wise Account Migration – Another feature that gives it an edge over others is the facility to prioritize the user’s account undergoing the process. Users can mark the stars icon provided in the utility, in order to prioritize user accounts before the migration process.

You would also love to know: How to Migrate Shared Mailbox Data from Office 365 to Office 365 – Elucidated Guide

Follow the Guide to Perform Office 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Step by Step

In order to run this software, you need to download & open it from the given button above. This tool is able to perform multiple types of data migration projects such as Shared mailbox migration, and OneDrive migration, within different Office 365 domains.

Step 1. Select Source and Destination platforms from the main UI as “Office 365”.

Step 2. From the given options you need to select the desired items such as emails, contacts, calendars, and documents. Use the “Date-Based” filter for selective data transfer provided by this utility.

Step 3. Now you have to log in with the source and the destination Email ID & Application ID in order to validate the permissions, click on the “Validate” button to validate it.

Step 4. After the successful validation Click on the “Next” button.

Step 5. You can create user mapping by opting for any of these three options provided by this utility such as Fetch Users, Import Users, Download CSV, and proceed with the Office 365 tenant to tenant migration step by step guide.

Step 6. After the successful creation of user mapping. Now click on the “Validate” button.

After all permission validation. Now you have to click on the start migration button. The migration process will start and this process would take a few minutes to perform Office 365 tenant to tenant migration.

 Exploring the Benefits of Using an Automated Tool Over a Manual Approach

1. Faster Migration: Automated tools allow for faster migration of Office 365 tenant data. Without the need to manually transfer data, users can quickly and easily migrate their data without interruption or delays.
2. Improved Security: Automation tools are built with security in mind, ensuring all data is secure during migration. This eliminates the risks associated with manual data transfers, such as data leaks, human errors, and unauthorized access.
3. Reduced Cost: Automated tools are more cost-effective than manual processes, as they require fewer resources and time to complete. This helps organizations save on expenses, such as personnel costs, hardware, and software costs, and more.
4. Easy to Use: Automated solutions are easy to use and don’t require a lot of technical expertise. This makes them ideal for businesses of all sizes, as they can quickly migrate their data without the need for specialized personnel.
5. Accurate Data Transfer: Automated tools can transfer data accurately and efficiently, eliminating the risk of data loss or corruption. This ensures businesses can quickly and easily transfer their data without worrying about the accuracy of the information.

Concluding Words

Performing Office 365 tenant migration can be a tedious and laborious task, moreover, users should be technically sound to do the same. Understanding the complications faced by users, we have provided the most convenient solution for this operation.

Using the above-mentioned tool, users without having any prior technical knowledge can also easily perform O365 migration projects, while keeping data integrity and security. Therefore we have discussed Office 365 tenant-to-tenant migration step by step.

FAQs

Can we use this software for migration to Office 365 before purchasing the full version?
Yes,  it comes with a free demo version that you can use to verify the working and performance. Moreover, you can migrate 2 user accounts completely for free along with email, contact, calendar, and document to the destination account.

I want to migrate data from 6th March to till date, from the source account to the destination account. Is there any option to migrate data selectively with this tool?
Yes, this is a well-engineered utility, that offers date based filter for selective data migration from the source Office 365 to the destination account without any data loss.

Does this software make any changes in data structure while the migration process?
No, this software never makes any changes to the user data. Moreover, it keeps the user data intact, and also maintains the folder structure and hierarchy throughout the Office 365 tenant to tenant migration.

What are the prerequisites for Office 365 tenant to tenant migration?

The prerequisites for Office 365 tenant to tenant migration include:

• A valid Office 365 subscription for both the source and destination tenants.
• Global admin rights in both the source and destination tenants.
• A migration endpoint that can be used to connect to the source tenant.
• A migration batch for moving the data.

What types of data can be migrated during an Office 365 tenant to tenant migration?
During an Office 365 tenant to tenant migration, you can migrate various types of data including:

• Mailboxes
• Calendars
• Contacts
• Tasks
• Public folders
• SharePoint sites
• OneDrive for Business sites

How can I ensure a smooth migration process?
To ensure a smooth migration process, it is important to plan the migration in advance, test the migration, and verify the data after the migration is complete. Additionally, it is important to keep users informed of the migration process and to provide them with clear instructions on how to access their migrated data.

What happens to the data in the source tenant after a successful migration?

After a successful migration, the data in the source tenant is not deleted or altered, it is only copied to the destination tenant. However, the data in the source tenant can be deleted or archived after a specific time period as per organization policy.