Migration from the Hosted Exchange Module to the Hosted Exchange Application

The Hosted Exchange application can coexist with the Hosted Exchange module within the same CloudBlue Commerce instance, which enables providers that use the module to gradually migrate their Hosted Exchange customer base from the module to the application.

The following must be considered before migration:

This version of the Hosted Exchange application uses the infrastructure of the Hosted Exchange 2016 module, which includes servers with Microsoft Exchange Server 2016, CloudBlue Commerce packages installed on the servers, up to and including the Hosted Exchange 2016 module's resources.
There is no direct migration path from the Hosted Exchange 2010/2013 module to the Hosted Exchange application. Providers that use the Hosted Exchange 2010/2013 module and want to migrate to the Hosted Exchange application need to first migrate to the Hosted Exchange 2016 module, and then migrate to the Hosted Exchange application.
During migration, the module's resources are replaced with the application's resources. Almost every resource of the module has a counterpart in the application, with the following exceptions:
- The application does not have direct counterparts of the following module resources: ActiveSync Access, IMAP4 Access, Outlook Access, Outlook Web Access, and POP3 Access. Instead of the resources, the respective settings of the application's mailbox types can be used.
- The Maximum Allowed Mailbox Size and Maximum Allowed Public Folder Size resources of the Hosted Exchange module are replaced with the respective settings of the application's configuration profiles.
For the Hosted Exchange module, a subscription can be upgraded so that one Hosted Exchange module resource type is replaced with another Hosted Exchange module resource type without unprovisioning existing resources if both the resource types are based on the same resource class. For instance, if a subscription is upgraded so that a Hosted Exchange Basic / Mailboxes resource type is replaced with a Hosted Exchange Advanced / Mailboxes resource type, all existing mailboxes of the subscription remain on respective Exchange servers. For the Hosted Exchange application, such upgrades are not supported. For instance, if a subscription is upgraded so that a Hosted Exchange Mailbox A resource type is replaced with a Hosted Exchange Mailbox B resource type, where both the resource types are based on the same resource class and intended for the same APS type, all existing mailboxes are removed from respective Exchange servers.
The module is managed through the CloudBlue Commerce XMLRPC API, whereas the application is managed through the APS REST API.
During migration, customer accounts with Hosted Exchange subscriptions are switched from CCP v1 to UX1 for Customers.
In Hosted Exchange application 2.0, the following changes will take effect:
- Instead of using service controllers, such as Exchange and ActiveDirectory, the application endpoint will use Windows Remote Management (WinRM) for performing provisioning operations.
- Instead of using the brand management functionality provided by the system, the application will use its own branding functionality:
  - The application will use a brand configuration method that is based on and complies with Exchange Server configuration methods provided by Microsoft. According to this brand configuration method, each set of branded Exchange service FQDNs requires one or more dedicated Mailbox servers to be deployed in a separate Active Directory site.
  - The application will start using Autodiscover DNS records such as '_autodiscover._tcp.customer.com SRV ... exchange-protocols.vendor.com'. Existing Autodiscover DNS records such as 'autodiscover.customer.com CNAME autodiscover-redirect.vendor.com' will be replaced.
- Instead of using provisioning attributes, the application will use its own method of choosing where to create mailboxes and public folders.
- All Hosted Exchange module resources will be removed from all Hosted Exchange service templates and subscriptions.
In this application version (1.5), after you switch subscriptions from the Hosted Exchange module to the Hosted Exchange application, you must prepare the application for these changes.
The application does not support the following items:
- Shared domains (see the MS Exchange Hosting Guide >> CloudBlue Commerce Hosted Exchange Configuration > Providing Hosted Exchange in Shared Domains). Email addresses based on shared domains can be migrated from the module to the application. After the migration, these email addresses will continue working, but it will not be possible to add or modify such email addresses (removal will be possible).
- Linked mailboxes (see the MS Exchange Hosting Guide >> CloudBlue Commerce Hosted Exchange Configuration > Managing Linked Mailboxes)
- Internal relay domains (see the MS Exchange Hosting Guide >> CloudBlue Commerce Hosted Exchange Configuration > Providing Internal Relay Domain Type Support for Customers)
- IDSync through the CloudBlue Commerce XMLRPC API
- Creating users whose log-in emails (or sign-in emails) are based on International Domain Names.
- Creating users and their mailboxes using information provided in a CSV file if the users' log-in emails are based on International Domain Names.
- Custom email addresses. These email addresses can be migrated from the module to the application. After the migration, these email addresses will continue working, but it will not be possible to add or modify such email addresses (removal will be possible).

To learn how to migrate from the Hosted Exchange 2016 module, please refer to Switching Subscriptions from the Hosted Exchange 2016 Module to the Hosted Exchange Application and Preparing Your Installation for Upgrading to Hosted Exchange Application 2.0.

To migrate from the Hosted Exchange 2010 module to the Hosted Exchange 2016 module, please use the instructions in the MS Exchange Hosting Guide >> Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016 Transition.

To migrate from the Hosted Exchange 2013 module to the Hosted Exchange 2016 module, please use the instructions in the MS Exchange Hosting Guide >> Exchange 2013 to Exchange 2016 Transition.

To learn more about the Hosted Exchange application's APS REST API, please refer to APS REST API.