How to Apply Batch Mailbox Move in Exchange Server 2013

Microsoft introduces a new concept of MigrationBatch in 2013 version of Exchange server. The New-MigrationBatch feature provides some advanced architectural improvement and also relies on MRS (Mailbox Replication Service) along with enhanced management ability. If you’re in Co-Existence mode with Exchange server 2013 and you want to move mailboxes then need to apply MigrationBatch feature.


Start the Mailbox Migration Process in Exchange server 2013

When Exchange server 2013 installed in organization, Arbitration Mailbox called Migration mailbox GUID is also created.  Now we need to check the migration mailbox using Get-Mailbox-Arbitration command.

Arbitration Mailbox/Migration Mailbox is placed in user container in AD users and computers. The used of this mailbox is it play major role for mailbox migration activities in 2013 server 

For performing the batch mailbox move in Exchange 2013 using MigrationBatch command then Migration Mailbox must be presented and enabled.

Now start Batch Mailbox Move process 

MigrationBatch procedure can be done using two ways 

1. EAC (Exchange Admin Center- GUID Mode) 

2. EMS (Exchange Management Shell- Command Line Mode)

Before proceeding, need to generate a CSV file that includes a single column along with the mail address for the mailboxes which you want to move.

Note: The name of the header column must be EmailAdress and save it as CSV file format. 

• Now we Start Batch Migration task with Exchange Admin Center-GUID Mode

Step1) Login EAC in Exchange 2013 >> Click on Recipient tab from the left pane 

Then hit on Migration tab from the right pane and click on "+" symbol and then choose “Move to a different database” option.

Step2) Select the created CSV file for moving bulk mailboxes

Step3) Enter the Migration Batch under the “New Migration Batch Name” column and also choose the Archive and a Target Database option. 

• Archive: Select the “Move the primary mailbox and the archive mailbox if one exists”. 
• Target Database: “Enter the database name you’d like to move this mailbox to:” then click on next tab from the bottom left.

Step4) Enter the user who will receive a report once batch migration task is done. 

• Select the “Automatically start the Batch” option under the “Please select the preferred option to start the batch:”
• Select the”Automatically Complete the Migration Batch” option under the “Please select the preferred option to complete the batch:”

Step5) Once the above mentioned process done successfully and move process has begun then syncing progress status will be show on the screen 

Step6) After completing the syncing process it shows the Synced status and also shows the Migration Batch option where you need to select the “Complete the Migration Batch “option from the right pane. 

Step7) It will change the status of Synced as “completing” and ultimately complete the Batch Migration process.

Step8) Once entire process successfully completed and batch move shows the “Completed” status then user receives email notification.

Now Batch Move Mailboxes process is done using Exchange Admin center-GUID Mode

• Now Start Batch Migration task with Exchange Management Shell-Command Line Mode

Step1) New-Migration Batch
Run below mention command for creating new migration request for a batch of users

Step2) Begin Migration Batch
For the beginning of the actual move, need to run this “Start-MigrtaionBatch” command, it also continues the pending batch migration request which was created in step number first.

Run the below mention command If you've created multiple batches 

Step3) Monitoring the Batch Moves

• Use this command for getting the process status of migration for single mailboxes 

• Use this command for getting the process report of migration for multiple batches

When it’ll show the “completing” status than mean migration batch is done

Step4) Complete-MigrationBatch Process
Now need to use complete-MigrationBatch command to confirm the migration procedure

Once you confirm the migration process then you can use –NotificationEmails parameter it send the status report on your mail after completing the batch migration process.

Step5) Remove-MigrationBatch

Run Remove-MigrationBatch command it helps to delete migration batch when batch move process is done or is not running

Now Batch Move Mailboxes process is done using Exchange Management Shell-Command Line Mode

Summary 

In this post I described the manual process how to move multiple mailboxes in Exchange Server 2013 using Exchange Admin Center and Exchange Management Shell these both ways helps to move local mailbox database to another database in Exchange 2013 Server. In other case if you have corrupted EDB file and you want access its database in Exchange 2013 server then I would suggest you try Exchange Recovery software for recovery of corrupted EDB file mailbox database this application also restores its data into Online Exchange server EDB file format or Outlook PST File format.