Messaging and
collaboration systems have become unavoidable parts of enterprises.
They help organizations in collaborating effectively to improve
efficiency, and to increase productivity. Today, organizations have
choices like MS Exchange Server, IBM Domino, and Novell GroupWise for
messaging and collaboration systems. The choice of a messaging and
collaboration system by an organization usually depends on the
requirements of the organization, its infrastructure, and cost
considerations.
Is it necessary to migrate from one platform to
another?
Yes, sometimes it is.
Usually investment on the infrastructure messaging and collaboration
platforms is considered for long term. But when there are mergers or
acquisitions between firms that are using different platforms, or
when a company is in need of a more suitable platform than the
present one, migration from one platform to another becomes
essential.
Exchange to Domino migration – what are the
advantages?
Exchange Server, from
Microsoft, is the most popular of all messaging and collaborations
platforms. But Domino/Notes form IBM has its own advantages. Exchange
Server is designed for Windows environment. But IBM Domino supports
Windows, OS X, Linux, AIX and Solaris. Also, IBM domino supports
hardware and software virtualization, and offers some complementary
products along with it. With its application level clustering, it is
more flexible and dependable. Also, many organizations choose Domino
considering its low operational costs.
File formats used by Exchange Server, Outlook and
Domino
Exchange Server stores
its data in Exchange Database (EDB) files and Streaming Database
(STM) Files. These two files together from Exchange store repository.
The EDB file tables mainly contain metadata of email messages, MAPI
messages and attachments. At the same time, MS Outlook, the client of
Exchange Server, stores its email messages, calendar, tasks, and
other items on your system as Outlook Data file (PST).
IBM Notes database uses
Notes Storage Facility (NSF), an IBM proprietary file format, for
storing its Notes information such as data, metadata and design
information. Notes mail stored on Domino Server, and address book
database stored on user system are in NSF format. The NSF files are
read both by the Domino Server and the Notes client.
Exchange to Domino Migration Tools – Domino
upgrade service (DUS) and Notes upgrade service (Nupgrade)
While migrating from MS
Exchange to IBM Domino, one has to move directory information,
mailboxes, mail, and addresses from Exchange to Domino to change them
to Domino /Notes format. There are two methods for the migration
from Exchange to Domino:
How to perform Exchange Server to Domino Server
Migration Using Domino Upgrade Service (DUS)
Domino upgrade server
(DUS), installed in the Domino Administrator client, helps to migrate
Exchange and Active Directory information to the Domino database.
First you import Exchange users, register them as Notes users and
then convert Exchange mails to Domino mail database. You can migrate
all/selected users from Exchange to Domino. Here is the complete list
of what you can migrate:
The main steps involved
(without detailing) are:
Enable Microsoft
Exchange Migration tool in IBM Notes.

Log into Domino
Administrator client with Domino Admin ID.
Migrate users and
their mailbox stores.

Convert the
addresses of migrated Exchange users.
- Migrate group
documents, public folders, shared mailbox stores, and shared data to
Domino.
How to perform MS Outlook to Notes migration
using Notes upgrade service (Nupgrade)
Notes upgrade service
(Nupgrade) works only in the client level and servers are not
accessed at all. It migrates Outlook PST files to NSF files. For
migration, you should have the migration tools features, ‘Exchange
Migration’ and ‘Outlook Express Migration’ enabled in the Notes
client.
The main steps involved
(without detailing) are:
Open the Nupgrade
migration wizard from the command prompt.

Select Administrator
as Exchange profile name.
Select the required
upgrade method- Express/Custom.
Choose the required
upgrade options.
Select MAIL.NTF
AS the template name; select the destination directory.
Click Finish;
enter the user-password when prompted.
- Go to
Notes\data\MAIL\a_PersonalFolders.nsf to view the migrated
documents.
You can perform migration
from MS Exchange Server to IBM Domino in two ways: Exchange Server to
Domino server migration using Domino upgrade service (DUS) and MS
Outlook to Notes migration using Notes upgrade service (Nupgrade). If
you find these methods complex, you can try professional third-party
tools for easy migration, visit here :
http://www.exchangetonotes.com/