Technology is growing and so do the various emailing services. Every day something new is coming to enhance the power of communication, and MS office 365 is another feather in the cap. Although this is not something new that Microsoft has come up with, but for a Microsoft user who is working on an MS Exchange server or OWA, Microsoft Office 365 is a game-changer.
The advent of Office 365 has given you the power to work in a more unrestricted and hassle-free manner than earlier. Also, it cut down the cost of server management extensively and provides assurance of 100% uptime without any risk of server failure. Thus, you no more need to worry about the server breakdown; or invest your time & energy to protect the server from any kind of damage or disaster.
Everything to know about MS Outlook Data File
If you are not aware of MS Outlook data files but using MS Outlook for a very long time, you are in the right place to learn. This is because; before you know how to migrate MS Outlook to Office 365, it is important to understand MS Outlook data file to make the concept clear.
MS Outlook data file is the source file created by MS Outlook to store the entire data associated with any MS Outlook profile. Thus if you have an MS Outlook account, you can find MS Outlook data files in your machine. This file is the master file of your MS Outlook and contains everything that you have in your account; which includes email, contacts, calendars, tasks, notes, journals, etc.
Types of MS Outlook Data File
There are two types of MS Outlook data files. One is a PST file (Personal storage table), and another is OST File (Offline storage file). Both the files are known as Outlook data files and contain the same type of information. Out of all the differences in OST & PST, the major one is the scenario in which they get created. PST file is created when you configure the account with some IMAP service. And an OST file is created when you configure the Outlook using the MAPI mail service, specifically the MS Exchange server.
How to Migrate MS Outlook Data File into Office 365?
Now that you know there are two types of MS Outlook data files, migration of these two files needs a different procedure. Thus, before we learn how to do the migration; first decide whether you need to import an OST file into Office 365 or you need to migrate PST files into Office 365.
Since converting PST files into office 365 is a common query, we will show you the process for PST to Office 365, and here you can learn how to import OST files into MS Office 365.
For PST to MS Office 365 migration; Microsoft has already provided you the method, but for that, you need to have complete access to the MS Office 365 account as well as you should have a backup of the entire user PST files which you want to migrate. Once you have it all, you can opt for one of the following methods:
- Use Azure AzCopy
- Drive shipping
- Import/Export Wizard
Out of all three, Network upload is feasible if you have a few small PST’s to upload, but when you have a large PST file and multiple mailboxes, Azure AzCopy or drive shipping is useful.
Using Azure Azcopy is certainly free but, it is a lengthy process, and you need technical expertise to accomplish this migration. Thus, it fits for those who have fewer PST files to migrate along with the technical skills to get into this process.
Drive shipping is a time-consuming job thus if you don’t have a time crunch and are willing to pay the charges, this is the most reliable option. All you need is to ship the PST files to the Microsoft team and, they will do the job for you.
Lastly, if you are looking for a simple yet least cumbersome option; there are many paid solutions available. They help you to directly migrate PST files with many different features to make them more convenient and simplified. So, it is entirely up to you which migration option suits you best, and according to this, you can complete the migration from MS Outlook to Office 365.
