Migration Scenarios

These migration scenarios summarize your migration options:

One Exchange Server to One GroupWise Post Office

If your Exchange system is small, you can perform the migration as a single-stage process.

Figure 3-1 Small System Migration

One Exchange Server to Multiple GroupWise Post Offices

If the Exchange server has a larger number of users, you might want to migrate the users into multiple GroupWise post offices.

Figure 3-2 One Exchange Server to Multiple Post Offices

Multiple Exchange Servers to One GroupWise Post Office

If you are engaged in server consolidation, you can migrate users from multiple Exchange servers into one GroupWise post office.

Figure 3-3 Multiple Exchange Servers to One GroupWise Post Office

Multiple Exchange Servers to Multiple GroupWise Post Offices

If you want to reorganize your users, you can migrate users from multiple Exchange servers to multiple GroupWise post offices.

Figure 3-4 Large System Migration

Migration Process

If you are migrating a small to moderate Exchange system, you can complete the migration in a single-stage process, perhaps over a weekend. However, if you are migrating a large Exchange system, especially one with multiple remote sites, you cannot complete the migration over a weekend. Instead, you must migrate parts of the system over a period of time in a multi-stage process.

If you need a multi-stage migration, the Migration Utility can set up message forwarding so that users in the GroupWise and Exchange systems can send messages to each other throughout the migration process. For a single-stage migration, message forwarding is not needed. Setting up message forwarding is described in Message Forwarding and Section 4.2.4, Setting Up Message Forwarding.

Migration Utility Usage

Again, depending on the size of your Exchange system, you might be able to run the Migration Utility on a single workstation, or you might need to run the Migration Utility concurrently on multiple workstations.

If your Exchange system is small, consisting perhaps of a single Exchange server, you can run the Migration Utility on a single workstation. But if your Exchange system is large, consisting of dozens of Exchange servers, running the Migration Utility on multiple workstations gets the job done much more quickly. You should plan to use the fastest workstations available in your environment. If possible, plan to locate the workstations close to the Exchange server being migrated and use the fastest network connection available. Do not install the Migration Utility on Exchange servers.

Exchange Version

The Exchange Migration Utility can migrate from Exchange 5.5, 2000, and 2003. Some setup steps are different if you are using Exchange 5.5.

Exchange System Information

You migrate users from one Exchange server at a time. You should compile a list of all Exchange servers in your system. To help you plan your GroupWise system, you might want to list the Exchange users, distribution lists/groups, and public folders that reside on each Exchange server.

The Migration Utility also provides helpful lists of users, distribution lists/groups, and public folders when you run it for each Exchange server.

GroupWise System Information

Typically, you create a new GroupWise system for the migrated Exchange users, but it is possible that some people in your organization are already using GroupWise. If this is the case, you would add the migrated Exchange users to an existing GroupWise system.

Users are migrated from Exchange servers into GroupWise post offices. The maximum size for a GroupWise post office can range from 1000 to 2500 users, taking into account the following considerations:

For more information about planning the size and composition of your GroupWise post offices, see Understanding the Purpose of Post Offices and Planning a New Post Office in Post Offices in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide. See also the GroupWise 6.5 Best Practices Guide. GroupWise 6.5 best practices can be applied to GroupWise 7. Each post office should have a unique name.

Taking into account the information you gathered when you surveyed your Exchange servers for number of users, distribution lists/groups, and public folders, consider how many post offices you need in your GroupWise system. Consider whether you want distribution lists/groups and public folders to be consolidated or distributed throughout your GroupWise system. Consider whether you need to migrate all of your public folders; some of the information might be obsolete.

Sometimes, one Exchange server conveniently migrates to one GroupWise post office, but you might want to migrate multiple Exchange servers into one GroupWise post office or to migrate one Exchange server into multiple post offices.

In GroupWise, post offices are organized within domains. For information about planning the domains for the new post offices, see Understanding the Purpose of Domains and Planning a New Domain in Domains in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide. Each domain should have a unique name.

Typically, one domain or post office is placed on a server. Plan your hardware requirements for your GroupWise system accordingly. Consider the directory structure you want to use for post office directories and domain directories.

Message Forwarding

If you are performing a single-stage migration, you do not need message forwarding for your GroupWise and Exchange systems. If you are performing a multi-stage migration, the Migration Utility can set up message forwarding between the two systems so that users can continue to send and receive messages while other users are being migrated.

Temporary Internet domain names are used internally throughout the migration process. For example, if your corporate Internet domain name is Example.com, you could use GW.Example.com for your GroupWise system and Exch.Example.com for your Exchange system.

You must configure your DNS to recognize the Internet domain names you choose before you run the Migration Utility in order for the utility to be able to set up message forwarding for the Exchange server you are migrating.

The Migration Utility also creates a GroupWise external domain named Exchange_ExtDomain. This external domain represents the Exchange system and the Migration Utility creates External User objects in it for all Exchange users that have not yet been migrated to GroupWise. This enables Exchange users to appear in the GroupWise Address Book as if they are part of the GroupWise system.

Client Software Distribution

You can distribute the GroupWise Windows client to users on a CD or you can automate the process using GroupWise AutoUpdate, GroupWise SetupIP, or ZENworks® Desktop Management. For information about these distribution alternatives, see Distributing the GroupWise Client in Client in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide.

The Windows client is required in order for users to use the GroupWise Import Utility for Microsoft Outlook to import their personal PST files into their GroupWise mailboxes. After this task has been accomplished, they can use the WebAccess Client, the Cross-Platform client, or a POP or IMAP e-mail client to access their GroupWise mailbox. They can even continue to use Outlook, along with the GroupWise Connector for Microsoft Outlook.

The Migration Utility can send out a notification message to Exchange users informing them of the their GroupWise usernames and passwords. The GroupWise software should be installed in a timely manner so that users can access their GroupWise mailboxes when they receive the notification message in their Exchange mailboxes.

eDirectory Tree Name

GroupWise stores its configuration information in eDirectory™ objects. Therefore, you must create a new eDirectory tree or prepare an existing eDirectory tree to accommodate your planned GroupWise system. Make sure you have an eDirectory username and password with sufficient rights to create objects.

Post Office and Domain Contexts

There are many ways to organize the containers where Post Office objects and Domain objects are placed. For some examples, see Domain Context in Installing a Basic GroupWise System in the GroupWise 7 Installation Guide.

User and Distribution List Contexts

User objects and Distribution List objects are typically created in different containers from where Post Office objects and Domain objects are created. User objects and Distribution List objects are created in GroupWise with the same names they had in Exchange.

Although it is possible to create multiple eDirectory objects with the same name, as long as they are in different contexts, you should plan for all GroupWise User objects and Distribution List objects to have unique names because ongoing administration is simplified. This might require renaming some Exchange user accounts and distribution lists/groups before the migration.