Rackspace to Office 365 Migration – A Quick Guide with Top 3 Ways
This write-up guides you through all the necessary steps required to perform Rackspace to Office 365 migration. Moreover, three different ways are explained to execute this task without any downtime or communication gaps. Go through this step-by-step guide to learn multiple techniques to migrate Rackspace email to Office 365 accounts safely.
Table of Content
Have you heard Rackspace was recently hit by a massive security breach? This however has caused chaos among Rackspace webmail users from across the world. To deal with this situation, Rackspace has also provided free access to the Microsoft 365 E1 license to the affected users up until further guidelines. If by any means, your Rackspace-hosted server is affected or the email service simply becomes deranged, it is better to move them to another platform. After taking a look at the recent update, the best alternative would be to migrate mailboxes from Rackspace to a reliable cloud platform. And when it comes to reliable and trustworthy platforms or cloud services, Microsoft 365 comes out as a savior. A user is also posted his query on Microsoft Community regarding the migration.
We are attempting, but failing, to transfer sixteen accounts from Rackspace Exchange to 365 Exchange. Since none of the migration techniques will initiate the process, we have tried them all without success. We create a Full Access account at Rackspace and enter it as the account authorization; however, it requests the Exchange server’s FQDN, and all Rackspace provides is the proxy address. Has anyone successfully performed a move similar to this, and if so, how did they achieve it?
Now before getting into the solution let’s understand the most prominent reasons for users to be inclined towards Microsoft 365.
What Reasons Influence Users to Choose Microsoft 365 Over Rackspace?
Most users opt for Rackspace to Office 365 migration as Microsoft Office 365 is a popular choice for almost all businesses either for replacement or for implementing a new intranet system. As it provides various features to manage data securely in the cloud.
Here is a detailed Rackspace vs Office 365 comparison:
| Factor | Microsoft 365 | Rackspace |
|---|---|---|
| Productivity Suite | Full suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive) | Primarily email hosting and cloud services, no full suite |
| Integration | Deep integration with Microsoft products (Azure, Windows) | Limited third-party integrations |
| Updates & Innovation | Frequent updates, new features regularly added | Reliable, but slower pace of innovation |
| Scalability | Flexible plans for small to large businesses | Scalable, but fewer options |
| Security & Compliance | Advanced security features, compliance with global standards | Robust security, but not as comprehensive |
| Collaboration Tools | Integrated tools like Teams and SharePoint for real-time work | Focus on email/cloud, fewer collaboration features |
| User Experience | Familiar Office apps, easier transition | Reliable but less familiar for Microsoft users |
| Support | Extensive resources, global support network | Strong support, but more focused on cloud services |
| Cost-Effectiveness | Inclusive, can be more cost-effective over time | Lower upfront costs, but may need additional tools |
From the above comparison table, you can easily understand why users are more inclined towards Office 365. Now let’s have a quick look at how we can proceed.
Pre Migration Steps
Follow the pre-migration steps for a flawless migration process.
1. Setup a Rackspace Admin Account
Before performing the Rackspace to Office 365 migration, you need to set up an admin account in your Rackspace. This admin account has permission to access all of the mailboxes.
2. Unhide All Objects
Do not forget to unhide the other objects in Rackspace prior to migration. For instance, distribution lists for sending and receiving emails in bulk.
3. Collect Data
There might be several accounts in the Rackspace, but not all are crucial ones. So, deselect the unimportant ones and prepare a list of the accounts that matter to you the most.
4. Internet Connectivity
Verify your Internet connection to meet the specific requirements for an error-free and efficient migration.
5. Backup your Rackspace Account
Take a backup of your Rackspace account to protect it from accidental loss.
6. Rackspace Server Details
Collect the details of the Rackspace server on which the mailboxes are hosted. These details will be required while migrating mailboxes from IMAP to Office 365.
7. Pick an Office 365 Plan
Among the numerous Office 365 plans, pick the best one as per your requirements. You can also upgrade your Office 365 plan whenever you want.
8. Create Users in Destination Office 365 Account
After taking the Microsoft subscription plan, create the users in the destination Office 365 account. Assign the valid licenses to them. Train them about M365 for quick user adoption.
After understanding the pre-migration steps. Now is the time to discuss the possible methods to accomplish the task. Let’s start discussing each one of them sequentially.
Method 1. Quick & Direct Rackspace to Office 365 Migration Solution
To save yourself some time and effort, it would be wise to simply go for a quick or professional solution. For that, we suggest you just opt for the safest and most reliable SysTools IMAP to Office 365 Migration Tool to easily migrate from Rackspace to Microsoft 365.
This is the best automated solution that helps in quick migration to all Rackspace account emails with all the features. In short, with the help of this tool, all users including novices or beginners can operate this tool because of its simplest GUI interface.
Furthermore, it is the best tool to provide instructions for every step of migrating bulk emails from the source Rackspace account to the destination o365 account. To take care of all the concerns, the tool has a support facility with availability to resolve queries.
Step-by-Step Software Guide to Migrate Rackspace Email to Office 365
Step 1. Download & run this Rackspace to Office 365 Migration Tool on your local version of Windows OS.
Step 2. You have to select the IMAP and Office 365 options as source and destination accounts to migrate Rackspace webmail email data.
Step 3. Now, hit on the Other tab and then choose the Next button after validating the Rackspace user account.
Step 4. Thereafter, select the Office 365 radio button, and enter all required credentials for account validation.
Step 5. At last, import the required users and hit the Start Migration option to migrate mailboxes from Rackspace to Office 365.
How to Operate Rackspace to O365 Migration Tool on a Mac Device?
Download the software on your Mac computer of the supported version, follow the below steps-
Step 1. First of all, check all the prerequisites if fulfilled or not, and hit Continue to proceed.
Step 2. Then, select the Rackspace option as the source IMAP account but if not available then click Other. Enter Rackspace user details and tap Validate.
Step 3. Likewise, select the Office 365 / Microsoft 365 option and provide credentials to validate the account.
Step 4. Now, apply the customized features from the software panel by clicking the Advance Settings tab.
Step 5. Finally, hit the Start Migration option and begin the Rackspace to Office 365 migration on a Mac desktop.
And you are done!
Post Migration Steps
- Update the DNS records to receive the email messages on the destination Office 365 server.
- After the users can access their email accounts, decommission the Rackspace email accounts.
- Update the passwords of all the user accounts.
- Test the platform by sending and receiving the test emails
Method 2. Setting Email Forwarding to Migrate Rackspace Email to Office 365
In this scenario where Rackspace is cordially trying to restore its email services which have created havoc. It looks like there are plenty of users who are distressed by this sudden security breach and need an instant fix.
For those users, Rackspace has offered free access to Microsoft 365 E1 to simply set up a Microsoft 365 renter and then move forward with the create tenant for a Rackspace to Office 365 migration later.
What this trick does is it permits you to recover the email services and you will be able to send/receive emails and messages from now on.
Steps
- Open the mailbox to be forwarded at apps.rackspace.com.
- Hit your username from the upper right-hand corner, then choose Settings.
- From the Settings window, Click the Incoming Email tab.
- To the right, click the Forwarding tab.
- Enable the On option for Status.
- Tick the checkbox of Save a copy of forwarded email.
- Provide the destination email address and Save.
But, here comes the twist.
Even after following this key method, you won’t be able to access your old mailboxes or any other items.
But, do not lose hope yet we have many more surprises for you along the way. So, stay tuned.
Method 3. Use “Archive Subscription Service” for Rackspace to Office 365 Migration
Even though the Rackspace Hosted Exchange outage, the Rackspace Archive service is still unaffected by all this and is working properly.
Now, this Rackspace to Office 365 migration method will only work for those who have subscribed to the Archive services for their users and mailboxes.
They can use this method to restore their emails or save the emails into a PST file. Once done with that, they can simply import the PST file into a Microsoft 365 profile. This way, users will be able to recover the mailboxes and provide them with access to their old mail items.
To do that, there are 3 steps that you can follow which are:
- Log in to the Rackspace Archive Manager
- Create an Archive Search
- Choose and export mailboxes to the PST file.
Note:- One can also download the search emails from the archive to either EML or PDF format accordingly.
Carefully repeat the steps if needed to find and export the mailboxes of all the users to PST format.
Once you are done with that, you need to read this guide and import PST to Office 365.
Ending Lines
In this article, we have discussed the security breach of Rackspace. The incident has wreaked havoc as many users are now trying to restore their emails. So, we have managed to discuss the major methods that can be useful for Rackspace to Office 365 migration and the alternative solutions provided by Rackspace itself.
However, these mentioned methods can take hours to migrate each user’s mailbox from Rackspace to Microsoft 365. So, to save you some time, we have suggest the automated tool that will help you migrate Rackspace email to Microsoft 365 in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions by Different Users
Q 1: How can I bulk migrate emails from Rackspace to a Microsoft 365 account?
Follow the 5 quick steps to migrate Rackspace email to Office 365 in bulk:
- Step 1. Download, & Run the Tool on a PC.
- Step 2. Select IMAP & Office 365 Platforms.
- Step 3. Validate Rackspace User Credentials.
- Step 4. Authenticate the O365 user account.
- Step 5. Click Start Migration to complete.
Q 2: How long does it take to migrate Rackspace email to an Office 365 account usually?
Migrating mailboxes from Rackspace to Office 365 using manual or traditional ways will take a lot of time or days to complete. But, the suggested automated software will provide instant results with complete data security.
Q 3: What is the email limit for Rackspace mailboxes?
In total, Rackspace email addresses are limited to 10,000 total recipients per day. For instance, if you are sending a single message that includes 100 recipients, then this email will be counted as 100 total recipients against your daily limit for sending emails.
Q 4: How do I cancel my Rackspace subscription?
Manual steps to know how to cancel Rackspace subscription:
- Sign in to the Cloud Control Panel first.
- Then, click ‘Account: yourUserName‘
- Now, Menu >> Account Settings
- Scroll down the Account Settings page, and tap ‘Cancel My Account‘.
Q 5: How to delete Rackspace user’s mailboxes?
Follow the below steps to do so
- Sign In to the Rackspace Cloud Control Panel
- Click Mailboxes from the Email section.
- Choose the mailboxes.
- Hit on the Manage option to the right of the mailbox and then click the Delete Mailbox option in the upper-right corner.
Q 6: What items can we not migrate from Rackspace to Microsoft 365?
Here is a list of them
- Aliases
- Alternate addresses
- Group lists
- Distribution lists
- Public folders
- Custom groups created via Outlook
- Custom color-coded calendar items
- Local data