| Migration | << | >> |
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You can use Microsoft Outlook running under Windows platforms as clients for Microsoft Mail (PC) postoffices by adding the Microsoft Mail information service to the profile. This can be done either before migration or before and during phased migration, to move users to the new client while retaining the postoffice infrastructure. Users will benefit from new features such as rich text formatting, AutoSignature, and views. In addition, your users will work with a consistent user interface, whether they have migrated or not.
However, before you roll this upgrade out, you may need client hardware upgrades. For example, remote clients that upgrade require Remote Access Service (RAS) or the equivalent rather than EXTERNAL.EXE. Also, two configurations of the client software must be performed on every desktop¾one during Setup to connect to the postoffice and another after migration to connect to the server.
Depending on your overall migration strategy, there are several ways to use the information service:
| Strategy | Using the MS Mail (PC) information service |
|---|---|
| Single-phase migration | Use it before migration to give users some of the features while you are planning and testing the enterprise design. |
| Multiphase migration | Move the company over to a consistent user interface as you migrate mailboxes in stages. |
Use the Setup Editor to make the Microsoft Mail (PC) information service the default for the profile, and install the Microsoft Exchange Server information service. When the user installs Microsoft Outlook, the Profile Wizard pulls most of the default information for connecting to the postoffice from the MSMAIL.INI file.
The user then needs to import the contents of the mail message files (MMFs). If the MMF is in the postoffice, the user should first connect to the postoffice with the old client and move the MMF to the local disk or a viewable network share before importing the contents. If the MMF file is left on the postoffice, the contents will be migrated to Microsoft Exchange Server when the mailbox is migrated.
Note Once a user begins using Microsoft Outlook, there is no easy way to migrate the messages they receive to an MMF or mailbag file. They can copy the messages to a shared folder and then retrieve them with the old client. However, this does not guarantee privacy.
If users previously used the MS-DOS or Apple® Macintosh client, the contents of their inboxes will be automatically transferred to personal folder files by Microsoft Outlook. If users have private folders, Microsoft Outlook with the MS Mail information service can't access these folders. Before switching to Microsoft Outlook, the user can either install the Microsoft Mail Windows client and migrate these folders into an MMF or move the folders to the server (if they are stored locally) and wait until they are moved to Microsoft Exchange Server when the mailbox is migrated.
Microsoft Outlook users must migrate their MMFs to a personal folder file. When MMFs are stored on a postoffice, you can use the MMFClean utility to manage their size and the age of messages. Personal folder files should not be stored on the postoffice because after the administrator migrates everyone from the postoffice, the postoffice share should be made inaccessible.
The MMF migration tool does not delete the MMF when it creates the personal folder file. Move MMF files locally, or delete them after their contents are migrated to personal folder files.
Users who switch to Microsoft Outlook must also switch from Schedule+ 1.0 to Outlook Calendar. When they run Outlook Calendar for the first time, it migrates their CAL (Schedule+ 1.0 calendar format) file to SCD (Outlook calendar format) file.
Outlook Calendar can read CAL, POF (Schedule+ 1.0 postoffice free/busy times) and SCD files, but Schedule+ 1.0 can read only CAL and POF files. If you have heavy Calendar users, switch everyone over to the new client at the same time. If only some switch to Outlook Calendar, the rest cannot view their calendars or act as delegates.