14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has made available for download the latest version of its migration tools designed to help customers with their transition from Exchange to Microsoft Online Services. The Redmond company is essentially working to make it easier for users of Exchange to take advantage of its Cloud offerings, by allowing them to take their content online while moving away from on-premise deployments. Customers migrating from Exchange Server mail to Exchange Online mailboxes will be able to leverage the Microsoft Online Services Migration Tools in order to forward copies of their emails in the Cloud.
“Just a quick [update] to let you know that the long awaited release of the next version of the Microsoft Online Services Migration Tools is finally here! The 32-bit and 64-bit versions were released to the download center on Tuesday, 2/2/2010. The big news is that this version contains the new Windows PowerShell commandlets that Microsoft Online Services administrators can use to automate some of their user management tasks,” revealed Jim Glynn, senior content project manager, Microsoft.
The Migration Tools are capable of ensuring that Exchange Server (even hosted Exchange), POP3, or IMAP4 e-mail server mailbox content is transferred to Exchange Online mailboxes. The migration tool offers administrators a comprehensive level of flexibility in managing the transition from Exchange to Microsoft Online Services. In this regard, admins will be able to set filters in place and migrate only specific content, or transfer complete inboxes with all the associated data.
“Features of the tools include the ability to migrate mail items, attachments, rich content, calendar items, and folders, and to preserve status information such as read and unread. Items can also be selectively migrated based on date filters,” Microsoft explained. “You can perform all migration functions using a graphical user interface called the Microsoft Online Services Migration Tools Management Console, which is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in. The console provides access to wizards that will assist your migration to Exchange Online.”
Microsoft Online Services Migration Tools (32-bit) are available for download here. Microsoft Online Services Migration Tools (64 bit) are available for download here.