Special Edition Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5

Previous chapterNext chapterContents


- 9 -
Migrating from Lotus cc:Mail



Microsoft Exchange Connector for cc:Mail enables administrators to seamlessly integrate Exchange Server and cc:Mail systems, allowing them to exchange messages and synchronize directory entries from both DB6 and DB8 environments. Customers have the flexibility to use a phased approach to migration that minimizes disruptions within an organization.

The migration process of moving users from one messaging system to another can include mailboxes and attachments, addresses, and scheduling information from your existing system. This chapter covers planning methods for interoperability and migrating users to Exchange Server. Exchange's robust migration features support multiple scenarios for interconnecting to cc:Mail. Tools like Migration Wizard greatly simplify migration and ensure a smooth transition to Exchange.

Understanding the Architecture

The minimal software version required for the Exchange cc:Mail connector with cc:Mail is Lotus cc:Mail DB6, Post Office Database version 6.0, cc:Mail Import version 5.15, and Export version 5.14. Support for cc:Mail DB8 requires Lotus cc:Mail Post Office Database version 8 and cc:Mail Import/Export version 6.0.

Connecting Exchange to Lotus cc:Mail

The Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail enables administrators to integrate Exchange into cc:Mail environments. Once installed, Exchange Server and cc:Mail systems can exchange messages and synchronize directories with both DB6 and DB8 cc:Mail post offices. When you introduce Exchange Server into a cc:Mail environment, cc:Mail users will benefit from Exchange Server's strong connectivity to the Internet and other systems. Also, customers can take a phased approach to migration that will minimize disruption with an organization.

The cc:Mail connector has a lot to offer in addition to fast performance: It also can transfer messages, attachments, embedded messages, OLE attachments, and file links. The connector does not support all of the linking features in the Exchange client. An Exchange Server system enables users to embed objects into the message body, link objects to the message body, insert links to files, insert shortcuts to Exchange folders, and insert shortcuts to Internet sites.

The cc:Mail connector really enhances connectivity because you can connect cc:Mail systems to Exchange Servers and immediately take advantage of Exchange's Internet Mail Service, which provides significant performance benefits over Lotus' SMTP gateway along with MIME compatibility. You can also use any other Exchange Connector (such as Microsoft Mail) through the cc:Mail connector.

Understanding How the Connector Works

Microsoft Exchange Server uses two components to communicate with cc:Mail systems: the cc:Mail connector and the cc:Mail Import and Export programs. The connector for cc:Mail is a Windows NT Service that executes Import and Export to transfer messages between Exchange Server and cc:Mail. It also synchronizes some or all of the Exchange Global Address List (GAL) with the cc:Mail directory.

When a message is submitted to the Exchange Server message transfer agent (MTA), the MTA consults the directory service (DS) to determine where the message should be moved. In the case of cc:Mail addresses, the messages are moved to the cc:Mail connector. The connector for cc:Mail service receives the messages, converts them to ASCII file format, converts attachments as needed, and places the messages in the connector store. If the Import program can't deliver the message, a non-delivery report (NDR) is sent back to the sender. See Figure 9.1 for an overview of the components of the cc:Mail connector.

FIG. 9.1 Architectural layout of the cc:Mail connector.

Directory synchronization in cc:Mail is a scheduled or on-demand process that performs a full synchronization of the cc:Mail directory on the connected post office with the Exchange directory. This process, like message transfer, uses the Import and Export programs provided by cc:Mail and controlled by the connector service.

From cc:Mail to Exchange, the service spawns the export process against the connected post office, which places the resulting address information file into the connector store. This file is then retrieved by the cc:Mail connector service and processed into an import container specified during the setup of the connector. The import container can be any Exchange recipient's container, including the Global Address List.

From Exchange to cc:Mail, the service spawns the import process. In order for this to succeed, there must be data to import. The cc:Mail connector service retrieves Exchange recipient information from the directory service and places that information in a file in the connector store. These addresses are then imported into the cc:Mail post office.

Figure 9.2 shows a screen shot of the connector for cc:Mail and the information required to connect to a post office. The configuration and setup for message transfer requires only a post office name, UNC path, and password. Unlike in the cc:Mail MTA, extensive drilling down in multiple screens isn't necessary to establish routing. Directory synchronization requires only basic configuration steps in which you choose what you want to export and what you want to import.

FIG. 9.2 Information required for the connection to a cc:Mail post office.

Using Multiple Connectors to cc:Mail

Directory synchronization is flexible and easy to configure, and it allows you to synchronize cc:Mail mailing lists and bulletin boards, as well as all types of Exchange recipients. You may elect to synchronize specific entries or types of entries between the two systems.

The Exchange cc:Mail connector fully integrates with Windows NT. Performance Monitor counters exhibit transfer rates, queue sizes, nondelivery occurrences, and directory synched entries. Events are logged to Windows NT Event Log in several different categories. Read receipt and nondeliverable reports are generated for both systems to use link monitors in testing connectivity between your downstream post offices.

If you have many cc:Mail post offices within your organization or multiple cc:Mail post offices spread over a large area, you can set up multiple connectors to link all cc:Mail and Exchange Servers. From the cc:Mail perspective, each Exchange Server site appears to be one large cc:Mail post office, regardless of the number of servers or recipients in that site.

When planning multiple outgoing routes to one or more connectors to cc:Mail, consider doing these things:

Lotus cc:Mail address generation enables cc:Mail users to send mail to Exchange users. (The Exchange Server users must have an address of the type CCMAIL.) Exchange Server automatically generates a cc:Mail address (Username at siteproxy) for each recipient, a public folder, a distribution list, and a custom recipient based on the site addressing. This enables cc:Mail users to send mail to any Exchange user. The administrator configures the cc:Mail e-mail address format in the Site Addressing properties sheet for the site.

Using the Migration Wizard

Once your Exchange Server and Lotus cc:Mail systems are connected, it is easy to enable them to coexist or to migrate from cc:Mail to Exchange. The cc:Mail component of the Migration Wizard enables you to upgrade custom recipients to mailboxes and retain former cc:Mail addresses so that old mail on both systems will be redirected to the new Exchange mailbox. The Migration Wizard also copies cc:Mail files to the recipient's Exchange mailbox and copies BBSs (bulletin boards) to Exchange public folders.

The Migration Wizard can create new Windows NT accounts, and you can choose from three methods how you want the Windows NT accounts for migrated users created (accounts can be created and given a random password). With the first method, you create Windows NT accounts for each mailbox and generate random passwords. The account name and passwords are written to the file ACCOUNT.PASSWORD in the working directory of the Migration wizard. The second method is to create accounts and use the Windows NT account alias as the password. The final option is to not create Windows NT accounts that match the alias of a mailbox but instead to create the mailbox without an associated Windows NT account. This means that no one will be able to access these mailboxes until a Windows NT account is associated with them.

Figure 9.3 shows the options the wizard offers for creating Windows NT accounts during migration.

FIG. 9.3 The Migration Wizard Extracts users from cc:Mail and imports them into Exchange.

Determining Your Migration Strategy

Microsoft Exchange Server has many migration tools that can be used with Lotus cc:Mail. As you plan your migration, you will need to consider the following questions:

Migration Levels from Full Migration to Coexistence

There are three levels of migration: coexistence, mailbox creation, and mailbox migration. The type you choose depends on how much data you want to move from your existing system to Exchange. Each level is described here in detail:

You can use one of these three migration levels exclusively, or you can use all three as part of your migration plan. For example, after you install your first new Exchange server, you migrate addresses from cc:Mail. For a test run, you create new mailboxes without data. When your test is complete, you migrate the mailbox contents to the new mailboxes and have the users upgrade their clients to Exchange-based clients.

The following list outlines concerns associated with a migration from cc:Mail to Exchange:

There are three types or levels of migration from cc:Mail to Exchange. You should choose the proper phase for your organization:

Taking into consideration the previous two lists, you should be developing an idea of the migration strategy for your organization. As you plan your organization's new messaging infrastructure, you'll probably want to break down the project into steps. These are the major steps of the migration process:

1. Connect Exchange Client to existing systems.

2. Create directory and mailbox entries.

3. Extract and load accounts.

4. Set up directory synchronization.

5. Set up connectivity with gateway.

6. Migrate server contents.

7. Move users' data.

8. Update the directory.

Now that you are aware of the issues, phases, and steps involved in migrating cc:Mail to Exchange, keep in mind the effects of these items on your organization. The next three sections provide details about the three types of migration and apply them to an actual organization.

Single-Phase Migration

Depending on the size of your organization and your staff, you might be able to do a one-step migration. This can happen overnight, on a weekend, or on company shutdown time. If your organization can't tolerate the downtime or doesn't have the resources to migrate everyone in one weekend, phased migration is the best choice.

Instant migration may be better for your organization if the following statements are true:

One-step migration takes extra planning in these areas:

Should you choose to go with a single mail provider, such as Exchange Server, the single provider option provides for these scenarios:

Update the Global Address List and the directory. Mail sent to the old addresses from the Personal Address Books and personal address lists will be returned as nondeliverable (if you delete the old mailbox) or will pile up in the old mailbox.

With a multi-phase migration, you have two "providers": cc:Mail post office and Exchange Server, for instance. A dual provider allows for these scenarios:

The drawback of these options is that the workstation mail profile must be edited three times: first when the client is installed, again when the Exchange Server provider is added, and again when the Lotus cc:Mail (PC) provider is removed.

When a system is configured for dual providers, the function of the Microsoft cc:Mail provider should be limited to retrieving mail from the old mailbox. Mail addressed with the cc:Mail address book will be delivered and can be replied to. However, if a user chooses the Reply to All option on a mail message addressed to both Lotus cc:Mail mailboxes (not as Exchange custom recipients) and Exchange mailboxes, the message will not reach the Exchange mailboxes. If the message is sent to Lotus cc:Mail mailboxes as custom recipients, the client transfers the message to the Exchange Server. This is because the Exchange Server updates the Exchange mailbox address when it transfers the message to the Microsoft cc:Mail connector, so the message can be replied to by Lotus cc:Mail recipients.

Multi-Phase Migration

Large organizations might consider phased migrations, concentrating on more challenging sites prior to the major Exchange rollout. In addition, large organizations require longer periods of coexistence with legacy mail. Smaller organizations, by contrast, would most likely be able to do a very quick migration--almost instantaneous.

If you belong to a large organization, your migration plan will probably take place in these three basic phases:

1. Installing Exchange Server centrally.

2. Migrating users or branch offices and coexisting with legacy systems such as cc:Mail.

3. Completing migration in remote locations.

Following a Sample Migration with Three Phases

A multi-phased approach simplifies the task of migration. Each phase can consist of numerous individual tasks. On a high level, these three phases apply to any organization. The following sample walks you through the migration process for a larger organization.

Software Spectrum has its headquarters in Garland, TX, and also has offices in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dublin (see Figure 9.4). The three American offices are connected over T1 lines. The headquarters and the Dublin office are connected over a wide area X.25 network that uses X.400 services.

FIG. 9.4 Software Spectrum's current cc:Mail system.

Its e-mail system consists of four Lotus cc:Mail post offices, one in each office. In this example, all the PCs are using Lotus cc:Mail and Windows 95.

Phase One: Migrating Headquarters to Exchange  Garland installs a Windows NT and Exchange Server on an existing Windows NT 4.0 network. Then they install the cc:Mail connector and x.400. The connector for Lotus cc:Mail transfers messages between an Exchange organization and Lotus cc:Mail systems, and it provides for directory synchronization between the two systems. An entire cc:Mail network can be connected to an Exchange organization using a single connector or multiple connectors.

You need to test each cc:Mail connector and both the cc:Mail and Exchange clients. Before you send a test message from an Exchange client to a cc:Mail recipient, you need to create a custom recipient address for the mailbox to which you are sending the test message. After the address is created, the recipient appears in your personal address list. You must know the post office name and mailbox name for the recipient, and you can use the cc:Mail Administrator program to find this information. Then to test the outbound side of the cc:Mail connector, you should send a test message from an Exchange client to a cc:Mail recipient.

Next send a test message from a cc:Mail client to an Exchange recipient to determine if the inbound side of the connector is functioning correctly. After the address is created, the recipient appears in your address list. You must know the cc:Mail address for the Exchange recipient, which can be found in the Exchange Server Administrator program. Before you send a test message from a cc:Mail client to an Exchange recipient, you need to create a recipient address for the mailbox to which you are sending the test message.

Using the built-in Migration tool, the company migrates its Lotus cc:Mail post office at headquarters to Exchange. The Migration tool converts cc:Mail messages, attachments, embedded messages, and OLE attached file links. Scheduling data is converted to text and can be imported in Schedule+. The Migration Wizard also enables users of the new system to coexist productively with existing systems during and after the migration process.

At headquarters in Garland, Texas, they simultaneously start installing the Exchange client on each of the Windows 95-based workstations and migrating mailboxes from the cc:Mail system to Exchange Server. This gives those users access to the Exchange Server. Those still using the Lotus cc:Mail client can continue to communicate with other users of Exchange, but they lack the enhanced functionality provided by Exchange.

Installing Exchange Server consolidates the functions of three machines in the Garland office (the Lotus cc:Mail post office, the cc:Mail router and the X.400 gateway) onto one machine. Exchange users can use cc:Mail gateways, and cc:Mail users can use the Exchange gateways.

It also adds one-stop administration, connection monitoring, and performance monitoring. Windows NT Server Performance Monitor, which comes with Windows NT, is a tool that can be used with Exchange Server. It provides charting, alerting, and reporting capabilities that reflect current activity, along with ongoing logging. You can also open log files at a later time for browsing and charting. Monitoring involves viewing discrete components of the system; the connector for cc:Mail has ten performance counters associated with it.

After the Exchange client is installed on all workstations, users in the Garland office have access to the complete functionality of Exchange, including these features:

Microsoft Exchange users in Garland can continue to communicate with their counterparts in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dublin. This enables the company to migrate in stages, yet maintain the ability for all users to perform the following functions:

Phase Two: Coexistence ext, the company installs Exchange Server in the Los Angeles office. The Exchange Server will be configured with cc:Mail and Exchange site connector. The Exchange Server in Garland will be configured with a site connector to Los Angeles. Seattle and Dublin are still using cc:Mail post offices. Using the Exchange Server as an MTA between the Exchange Servers and the cc:Mail post offices offers different advantages: In the future, after all cc:Mail post offices have been migrated to Exchange Servers, load balancing can be enhanced by adding an additional site connector. The following list outlines reasons to add additional connectors.

Software Spectrum also installs Exchange clients on all PCs in Los Angeles to access the Exchange Server. At the end of phase two, all users in Garland and Los Angeles have access to the complete functionality of the Exchange system. They can also continue to exchange messages with users in Dublin via the X.400, and the cc:Mail connector manages the directory exchange between Exchange and cc:Mail during this coexistence phase.

Phase Three: Completing the Migration  In the final migration phase, the Seattle and Dublin offices install Exchange on both the server and on the Windows 95 workstations. This consolidates the cc:Mail post office and router/gateway onto one server at each site. Now users across the enterprise have full use of Exchange's rich functionality and are able to share information with everyone else in their organization at any time. At this time, all sites exchange e-mail on Exchange Server using site connectors between sites in America and the x.400 connector to Dublin. The Lotus cc:Mail system has been completely migrated over to Exchange Server.

The company has realized the cost savings of consolidating the functions of eight machines into four and has condensed the administration for all four offices onto one Windows NT-based workstation. They have a consistent enterprise-wide messaging and information exchange system and can install additional Exchange gateways to extend these capabilities beyond the enterprise.

Implementing Exchange Client

The migration to the Exchange client will take place after Exchange Server is installed. The Exchange Server requires the appropriate site connectors and cc:Mail connectors to enable communication and directory synchronization between Exchange sites and cc:Mail systems. Once the Exchange Server and all the necessary connectors to support your environment are configured and tested, it's time to migrate your clients.

After the Exchange client is installed on the user workstation, the client's data needs to be migrated. Before migrating groups of users, you should have users delete old messages. Schedule this over a period of a week or so to allow users sufficient time to perform the task. In addition to having the clients clean up the mailbox, administrators should continue to perform normal cc:Mail post office maintenance, such as backups and reclaims.

Using the Exchange Migration Wizard

The Exchange Migration Wizard simplifies the migration process and ensures a smooth transition to Exchange. When using the Exchange Migration Wizard, you are prompted for information such as the pathname for the migration files, the Exchange Server you want the mailboxes added to, the recipient container for the new mailboxes, and the Windows NT domain you want the accounts added to. The Migration Wizard can handle large numbers of recipients; when doing so, you can select a template account that contains default restrictions and properties for created accounts.

Changing Message Storage from cc:Mail to Exchange

You now know one method for migration to Exchange. This section covers migrating the cc:Mail files from cc:Mail into the Exchange format.

Migrating cc:Mail Files to the Exchange Server  Microsoft Exchange client users must migrate their mail message files to a personal folder file (.PST). Again, you should have users delete old messages, and it is a good idea to allow some time for users to perform this task. Administrators should continue to perform their normal cc:Mail post office maintenance of backups and reclaims. The Migration Wizard does not delete the cc:Mail files when it creates the personal folder file; after their contents are migrated and the client has been tested, you should delete the old files.

Migrating Partial Post Offices  Migrating everyone off of a post office at the same time is not always possible. When migrating partial post offices, the following considerations are necessary:


NOTE:The routing changes are required or allowed during a partial post office migration. Mail must continue to be delivered to the mailboxes remaining on the original post office.

Part of your migration plan is knowing how many mailboxes at a time will migrate to Exchange Servers. As a general rule, migration of the whole post office (every mailbox) is easier to plan for, implement, and maintain than the migration of a partial post office. A partial post office migration is more likely during a pilot or limited rollout, when the number of users is small and the issues are easier to solve or work around. The following section explains why this is so.

Migrating Whole Post Offices  If you migrate every mailbox on a post office, you can maintain the original Network/Post Office/Mailbox format of Lotus cc:Mail addresses for each old mailbox as one of the proxy or e-mail addresses of the new mailbox. This has many advantages:

Mail Pass-Through  Retaining the original e-mail address provides for pass-through from Lotus cc:Mail gateways. The Microsoft cc:Mail connector to the post office must have an access component for the gateway installed. Because the Lotus cc:Mail type addresses for migrated mailboxes have not changed, the mail will be routed from the gateway to the Microsoft cc:Mail connector and from there to the Exchange mailbox.

Personal Address Books for Users Who Haven't Migrated  Personal Address Book entries function similarly to replies. For cc:Mail users, their Personal Address Book addresses continue to work for migrated mailboxes because the addresses are the same.

Migrated Personal Address Book entries will work for cc:Mail mailboxes that have not migrated. This means that if you do not update your Personal Address Book with the new Exchange e-mail addresses, some e-mail will still be directed to cc:Mail mailboxes that no longer exist. Mail addressed to mailboxes that have since migrated will be routed to the Microsoft cc:Mail connector. The Microsoft cc:Mail connector does not have a post office configured with that address and will return the mail as undeliverable. This undeliverable mail can be re- addressed from the Exchange Server Global Address List and can be delivered.

There is no tool that updates the user's Personal Address Book entries as changes are made in the Exchange Server Global Address List. After the cc:Mail client is migrated to Exchange mailboxes, to avoid addressing undeliverable mail, users should remove from their Personal Address Books all entries referencing clients who have been migrated.

Migration Package Elements

The following sections cover the main elements of Exchange's Migration package. This package enables you to implement Exchange into environments with legacy mail systems. These tools assist with the extraction of e-mail addresses from the legacy systems and the importing of addresses into Exchange.

Source Extractor  There is a Source Extractor for many systems such as Microsoft Mail, Lotus cc:Mail, Novell GroupWise, and PROFS. The Source Extractor extracts users, inboxes, folders, and address books from the source mail systems. One of the enhancements of Exchange 5.5 is the source extractor for DB8 post offices. The DB8 migration used to require a backwards migration to DB6 before the move to Exchange.

The following list contains the components of the source extraction tool used to convert extracted addresses into the Exchange format and provide support information for the migration process:

Pass-Through Connectivity  Microsoft Exchange Server offers group distribution list support and enables cc:Mail users to send messages to X.400 and SMTP environments through the Microsoft cc:Mail connector. Messages sent from the cc:Mail users through the Exchange Server computer could use the Exchange X.400 connector and the Internet Mail Connector to interchange messages with these environments. Alternatively, Exchange users can send messages through any of the Lotus cc:Mail gateways through the Microsoft cc:Mail connector.

After Using the Migration Tool

Depending on your migration strategy, you will need to delete the cc:Mail mailboxes or hide the post office. It is possible to make a full backup of the updated information store. l


Previous chapterNext chapterContents