Over the past 2 months, Exchange Online migrations have been taking place for Island Health users. The M365 Project Team has successfully completed the migration for two pilot groups that are now working in Exchange Online. The M365 Project Team plans to scale up the migrations starting mid-January 2025.
Migration to Exchange Online will affect your Outlook email and calendar. New features will be available on the existing Outlook desktop, and access to your Email and Calendar on your mobile device will be streamlined.
What is Exchange Online?
Exchange Online is a cloud-based email and calendaring service that is part of the Microsoft 365 suite. It offers additional features and functionality as compared to the on-premises Exchange Server. With Exchange Online, you can access your email, calendar, contacts, and tasks from any device and any location as long as you have an internet connection.
What is the migration plan?
Island Health has decided to move all email and calendaring services to Exchange Online, as part of our digital transformation strategy. The M365 project team has been running small-scale Exchange Online pilots since early 2024. The pilots for Exchange Online have assisted in planning and pinpointing any potential problems, ensuring they are addressed prior to the full migration. The M365 Project Teams plans to scale up migrations starting mid-January 2025. We anticipate that the full migration will be completed by late spring 2025.
How can I prepare for the migration?
To ensure a smooth and successful migration, we recommend that you take the following steps:
1. Review your mailbox and calendar:
Before the migration, you may want to clean up your mailbox and calendar, by deleting or archiving any unnecessary or outdated items. This will help you reduce the size of your mailbox and the time required for the migration.
We also recommend that you review your delegation settings within Outlook and ensure they are configured accurately. For instructions on how to view and change your delegation settings, see page 36 of the Exchange Online User Guide .
2. Ensure your mobile device is set up properly:
It is essential that you have set up Multifactor Authentication (MFA) prior to your migration to Exchange Online. For information and instructions on how to complete this, visit the Intranet's Multi-Factor Authentication web page.
3. Consult the Intranet documentation:
We have created a dedicated Intranet page for the Exchange Online migration, where you can find more information and resources, such as user guides, FAQs, and tips. You can access the intranet page here: Exchange Online (EXO).
Who can I contact for support?
If you have any questions or concerns about the Exchange Online migration, you can contact the M365 migration team at M365Info@islandhealth.ca.