Migration Best Practices

Introduction

Migration does not have to be painful. In this section, we document some of the lessons learnt from previous migrations, with the hope it is useful for you.

Migration is 5% technology and 95% people. Even if technically all looks good, you want to start on the right foot. It takes a long time to change users' perceptions. We therefore, need to make sure users get the best experience possible right from the start.

One thing we learnt, is that partial migrations can be more of a pain to manage. Users get lost. It's ok (even preferable) to start playing with OneOffice before migration, but avoid using email and calendar just yet.

Step #1 -- Communicate

Communicate with your team what you are about to do. Focus on a current pain point that would help rally people. For example:

1. Sharing is complicated
2. Too many tools to learn
3. Training new employees takes forever
4. We will do the work in half the time thanks to ... integration / improvement in tools or process etc.

Communicate about 2 weeks before the migration. Too long, they'll forget ... too short they will be shocked. Put a firm date (preferably on the weekend) where users will start using OneOffice as their main tool.

Step #2 -- Get everyone prepared

Two weeks prior

1. Email cleanup
2. Files reorganization
3. Reduce DNS TTL to lowest possible (usually 600s) on mail server entries
4. Chose a champion or two in each location and give them training and full access
5. Partial / full migration of data so first users can start

A few Days before

1. Full migration of user data
2. Send email with instructions on how to access new email (otherwise, they won't get it when email servers are migrated)
3. Start training users (Share with them this docs center)

Migration day -- Preferably on weekend

1. Point DNS entries to new email servers
2. Stop old email servers 5 mins later to avoid delinquent users from sending emails
3. Full / differential Migration

Step #3 -- Get everyone involved

1. Management takes the lead by starting to book meetings and calls with OneOffice
2. Start sharing files and creating group folders for the different teams
3. Get champions to go around the office and make sure they answer all issues promptly