How to Get There

Cloud-based email services are an increasingly attractive alternative to on-premise email platforms, offering reduced costs, increased protection from outside threats and enhanced operational efficiency. But once you decide that you want to migrate to the cloud, how do you get there?

Migrating to the cloud may seem like a daunting task, but it is a very manageable project if you take the proper steps.

First, you need to consider what data you want to migrate. In most cases, you should securely migrate and consolidate your legacy data (messages and attachments) from your current messaging environment to your cloud-based provider. This may include existing email located in on-premise stores (e.g., Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Notes), hosted email stores, legacy email archives and/or personal archives (PST files).

Moving hundreds of gigabytes, or even several terabytes, of data is no easy feat. You can hire a third-party service provider to help migrate your data or do it yourself (many cloud email providers offer tools to migrate your old data to their solutions).

NOTE: If you have a lot of legacy data to import, you may want to consider an archiving solution. Many analysts consider this a great first step to prepare for an email system upgrade, as it allows companies to copy and secure legacy messages and attachments in an accessible and fully searchable non-production environment. Implementing an archiving solution with a cloud provider before your email migration also frees up internal resources to help plan and execute the upgrade when your organization is ready.

All or nothing?

Another question you may have is whether to migrate everyone all at once or do it in phases. Again, the right way to go depends on your needs, how quickly you need to migrate and the IT IQ of your end users. The following table outlines a few different approaches to migration for you to consider: