Talk:Best Practices, Migrating Email to ISC's Exchange Service
From Provider Wiki
Step 1: Create a profile of your users and organization
- How many users will migrate?
- How many computers?
- What is the laptop/desktop breakdown?
- What platforms and OS?
- How many and what types of PDAs and smart phones are supported?
- How many reflector lists are in use? (reflector lists will not be supported on Exchange; users will need to recreate lists on listserv.upenn.edu)
- Who are the VIPs to consider?
- From where are they migrating? POBOX Classic, Hosted Exchange, etc.?
Step 2: Read Networking & Telecommunications' Exchange Documentation
Step 3: Determine what software clients will be used
Unlike Calendar which requires use of a licensed Microsoft product or a web client for calendar access, users have additional options for accessing email on the Exchange server.
For Windows users adopting Microsoft Outlook, an early decision point is which version of Outlook to choose. Outlook 2007 is supported and recommended at the University, while Outlook 2003 is only supported, and there are many definite areas of Outlook 2007's superiority (initial configuration is only 17 steps versus 27, initial configuration can be done from off campus, etc.). Finally, Outlook 2007 will be supported by both Microsoft and the University for a longer period of time than Outlook 2003.
Organizations that have recently deployed Office 2003 may wish to retain it for compatibility reasons, as Office 2007 introduces new default file formats for Excel, PowerPoint, and Word along with a significantly revised interface, which may require training (see Technology Training Services). However, since ISC's Exchange service is running Exchange 2007, ISC recommends that all organizations migrating to Exchange also consider moving to Office 2007 to enjoy the full feature set of Exchange 2007.
Some organizations may wish to continue operating with Exchange in a manner similar to how they have worked with POBOX Classic and Meeting Maker, using Supported IMAP Email Clients and Microsoft Outlook or Entourage for calendaring. However, this separation may not always be reliable or easy for users to understand and is discouraged.
- For more discussion, see documents: Exchange Transition Use Cases and Feature Matrix
Step 4: Determine dependences on other organizations
While transitioning your organization to Exchange for email is far less affected by the email system other organizations are using, Your group may still find it helpful to coordinate your migration with other departments who are also considering migration.
Some key points to consider when coordinating email migration include.
- What lists are managed in your area? Mostly internal? Across units?
- What groups have migrated and what lists require revision?
- Restricted Lists will need to grant access to Exchange based email addresses.
- Also refer to View information about other units who are considering migration. Please add your own information as it becomes available.
Step 5: Determine email migration strategy
Your email strategy will be somewhat dependent upon what overall strategy you have adopted. The recommended path for larger groups or those with considerable scheduling needs across units is to migrate everyone's email first, followed by a coordinated migration of calendar for everyone. Another option for small organizations or those who do not depend on other units for scheduling is to do both email and calendar at the same time per user.
Even after the migration, users will be able to retain their pennname@pobox.upenn.edu, pennname@upenn.edu, and/or pennname@custom-domain.upenn.edu addressing. In addition pennname@exchange.upenn.edu addressing will work.
The specific technical strategy for migrating mail depends upon a few things:
- Current email client (i.e. Eudora, Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.)
- Current email protocol (IMAP v. POP v. "Blended")
- Future email client
Links to detailed instructions for each scenario are located on the Email Migration to ISC Exchange.
Step 6: Test strategies for each component
Before migrating, support providers should test their planned migration paths thoroughly. It is not only possible, but likely that support providers will discover specific use cases for email and calendaring that are not covered in ISC's first generation documentation. In particular, support providers should make note of clients that are likely to involve “exception processing” (such as those with smartphones) and attempt to test those types of configurations.
Side Note: Support Providers are strongly encouraged to update documentation on this wiki with information, tips, tricks and gotcha's discovered during their testing and migration. Your lessons learned could greatly help other Penn staff who are working towards the same end--you're not only being a good colleague, but saving valuable university time and resources! To get an account on the Wiki, please contact the Provider Desk, 3-4017.
Step 7: Determine staffing resources necessary vs. what's available
- Do you have an estimate of how long migration will take in your area for email?
- Who, locally, will be helping users to migrate?
- How much time will they be able to devote to the migration?
- How much archival email will be migrated?
- Are there supplemental resources you can/would call on to assist?
- Are there any competing projects going on locally that would make a move during a specific time period impractical?
Step 8: Construct a migration time line
Step 9: Coordinate timeline with other units as needed
Step 10: Develop communications plan
Users should understand that this is a significant transition, both in the clients they use and (probably) in the way they work at Penn. In particular, they should not be transitioned when there are major other work-related stressors, such as when they are out of town on University business, making other major technology changes, etc. Communication should set reasonable expectations and timelines. It should make clear that the transition is not a one day process and that not all users will be making the transition at the same time.
- Links to communications plan templates here.
Step 11: Determine training needs
End user and provider level training is available through Technology Training Services. Visit their site for dates, times, and registration information.
- ISC's Technology Training Services offers Outlook 2007, Outlook 2003, and Office 2007 courses. Microsoft's 2007 suite has a new interface, which is considerably different than the 2003 products. If you are upgrading to 2007, it is very likely at least some of your users will need assistance.
- Training for IT Staff is also available related to being an ISC Exchange Account Administrator and supporting the Outlook client.
