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How to Perform a Staged Migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 with Dual Delivery
Question details
The user needs to migrate mailboxes from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 in stages while ensuring dual delivery and coexistence without disrupting email flow.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Planning and executing a staged email migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 for a large user base over a period of time.
- Observed behavior
- Mailboxes are securely moved in batches utilizing dual delivery, ending with a final cutover to Microsoft 365 and DNS cleanup.
Ensure you have global administrator credentials for both your Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 admin centers. It is crucial to inform your users about the migration schedule and ensure app passwords are generated if two-step verification is enabled on their Google accounts.
Execute a Staged Migration with Dual Delivery
This process allows users on both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 to communicate seamlessly during the migration phase using dual delivery routing.
During a staged migration, you keep Google Workspace as your primary MX record. Mail flows to Google first and is then forwarded to migrated users in Microsoft 365 using a routing alias. This ensures zero downtime and coexistence for your organization.
Add and verify your primary domain in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Do not change your MX records yet; keep Google as the active mail exchanger.
Set up a routing domain alias (e.g., @yourdomain.onmicrosoft.com) in Microsoft 365. This alias acts as the target for email forwarding from Google Workspace for users who have already been migrated.
In the Google Workspace Admin console, configure routing rules to forward incoming emails for migrated users to their new Microsoft 365 test-domain alias.
Access the Exchange admin center in Microsoft 365, navigate to Migration, and create IMAP migration batches. Sync the mailbox data using the users' Google app passwords.
Once all user batches are successfully migrated, update your public DNS MX records to point directly to Microsoft 365. Wait for DNS propagation, then remove the temporary Google forwarding rules, routing domains, and migration endpoints.
Boost Your Team's Productivity with WPS Office
While you transition your email and administrative infrastructure to Microsoft 365, consider providing your team with a lightweight, cost-effective office suite. WPS Office is fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats, making document collaboration seamless during and after your organizational migration.
- 1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free, lightweight installer.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the suite on your Windows, Mac, or Linux machine.
- 3. Open existing documents: Launch WPS Writer, Spreadsheet, or Presentation to immediately open, edit, and save your existing Microsoft Office files without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dual delivery in a staged migration?
Dual delivery means that incoming emails are delivered to both the legacy system (Google Workspace) and the new system (Microsoft 365), or routed dynamically so that users on both platforms can seamlessly communicate without interruption during the migration transition.
When should I change my MX records to Microsoft 365?
You should only change your MX records to point to Microsoft 365 at the very end of the migration process, during the final cutover phase. Changing it too early will disrupt mail flow for users who are still relying on Google Workspace.
Why do I need app passwords for an IMAP migration?
If two-step verification (MFA) is enabled for your Google Workspace accounts, standard account passwords will not work for IMAP connections. You must generate application-specific passwords in Google to allow Microsoft 365 to authenticate and sync the mailbox data.
Does an IMAP migration sync calendars and contacts?
No, an IMAP migration only synchronizes email messages. To migrate calendars and contacts, users will need to manually export and import their data, or your organization must utilize dedicated migration tools like the Microsoft 365 migration tool for Google Workspace.
