New Zealand | Microsoft 365 Tenant Migration Planning: Part 1

Joseph Cirillo - 28.07.202220220728

Microsoft 365 Tenant Migration Planning: Part 1

New Zealand | Microsoft 365 Tenant Migration Planning: Part 1

Microsoft 365 Tenant to Tenant migrations are complex and the complexity level escalates exponentially as the number of workloads increases. Whether you have single or multiple workloads, it is critical to not underestimate the many activities required throughout the migration lifecycle. Each migration has unique requirements which individually present their own challenges driving the need for:

In this three-part series, we will explore our proven approach to migration. The information presented in these articles assumes:

  • In-scope migration workloads are Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Teams and Microsoft 365 (M365) Groups
  • Detailed scoping has already been completed and the specific workloads and their object and data metrics are understood
  • Third-party tooling is used for migration
  • The migration approach is ‘big bang’, where all objects will be cutover in a single event within the same migration window
NoteThird-party tools are typically required when multiple workloads are involved.   Although Microsoft has some native capabilities in preview, Cross-tenant mailbox migration (preview), they currently have limited support.

In this first article we will cover some factors to consider as you develop your own unique migration strategy.

MEASURING SUCCESS

In the words of Steven Covey, “start with the end in mind” and identify what success looks like. In almost all projects we have completed, success is determined by the following general measures:

  • The transition has minimal disruption to the work of employees and does not inconvenience customers
  • End-users are happy with the transition
  • Accessibility and usability are maintained throughout
  • System, information and service quality are maintained throughout
  • Data integrity is not compromised
  • There is an efficient and effective use of resources (time, cost, personnel) during the integration process

It is advantageous to begin migration planning with a list of priorities which will guide the approach. For tenant migrations, the following objectives should be ranked at the top of the priority list:

  • Focus on the user experience
  • Where possible, affect a single change for the user
  • Cease (or greatly reduce) users needing to authenticate back to the source platform for services
  • Build trust through regular communication with all affected users

Having the above list of considerations agreed to and documented will provide alignment for the team when a difficult decision needs to be made.

DEFINING AN END STATE

To develop a well-thought-out migration plan you need to first understand the composition of each of the tenants and related infrastructure. As you progress through the investigation activities, you may find many complexities which have to be accounted for, such as:

  • The source and destination business units (BU) each operate their own Active Directory (AD)
  • The source and destination BU each have their local Active Directory synchronized to their unique M365 tenants in a hybrid identity configuration using Azure AD Connect
  • The source and destination BU have differing naming standards for the user logon id and primary email address
  • The source and destination BU have different authentication methods to M365 in use
  • The source and destination BU each have their own message hygiene solution
  • A source AD user with an M365 account has a duplicated AD account in the destination AD which is synced to the destination tenant and has an M365 account
  • A source user has a representative Guest account in the destination tenant
  • A source mailbox has a representative Contact object in the destination tenant
  • Object conflicts exist, for example:
    • A Team name is shared between the source and destination tenant
    • A SharePoint site shares the same relative path URL between the source and destination tenant

Once the current operating landscapes are understood, you can then craft a suitable end state architecture. Some questions to address regarding the end state structure may include:

  • How will each source workload object be provisioned in the destination tenant?
    • Will the objects be manually provisioned?
    • Will the objects be created using the third-party tool?
    • Will the objects be synchronised from the Active Directory?
  • How will the migrated user authenticate to the destination tenant after the migration?
  • Will the source domains be moved to the destination tenant, and if so, at what point in the migration?
  • Will the migrated user be re-branded to a destination domain for email and logon id?
  • Will Azure AD Connect require configuration changes (i.e. multiple forests-single tenant)?
  • Will you need to plan for AD user accounts being brought in and out of Azure AD Connect synchronisation scope?
  • Will the source BU transition its message hygiene to the destination BU’s solution?
  • Will conflicting objects be renamed or merged?

With the many questions answered and the desired end state defined, you will use the findings from the current state to conduct a gap analysis (the difference between where you are and where you want to be). The gap report is then used, along with other analysis, to determine the migration plan.

Next up is Part 2: Migration Workloads.

If you would like to take the hassle out of your Tenant to Tenant migration, please contact us.

Join the Insentra Community with the Insentragram Newsletter

Hungry for more?

If you’re waiting for a sign, this is it.

We’re a certified amazing place to work, with an incredible team and fascinating projects – and we’re ready for you to join us! Go through our simple application process. Once you’re done, we will be in touch shortly!

New Zealand | Microsoft 365 Tenant Migration Planning: Part 1

Unleashing the power of Microsoft Copilot

This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to get your organisation ready for and successfully deploy Copilot.

Who is Insentra?

Imagine a business which exists to help IT Partners & Vendors grow and thrive.

Insentra is a 100% channel business. This means we provide a range of Advisory, Professional and Managed IT services exclusively for and through our Partners.

Our #PartnerObsessed business model achieves powerful results for our Partners and their Clients with our crew’s deep expertise and specialised knowledge.

We love what we do and are driven by a relentless determination to deliver exceptional service excellence.

New Zealand | Microsoft 365 Tenant Migration Planning: Part 1

Insentra ISO 27001:2013 Certification

SYDNEY, WEDNESDAY 20TH APRIL 2022 – We are proud to announce that Insentra has achieved the  ISO 27001 Certification.