Hosted Exchange FAQs

If you have any questions that aren't covered here, please give us a call on 0161 850 0491

What is the setup process?

The setup varies depending on how you want to approach it. We can setup the mailboxes, migrate your client's historic email and even change the DNS on their behalf.

Alternatively, we can give you the full access to everything at our side and you can setup and migrate the client yourself and just lean on us for support if you need it.

Regardless of which way you choose, you will be assigned a Dedicated Migration Manager to oversee your project and we can be as involved as you need us to be.

Will there be any downtime?

We work with you to plan the migration carefully to ensure your client has no downtime, or very minimal downtime as a worst case scenario.

We work together with you and your client and agree on a time to make the switchover - usually a Friday night to give the DNS time to propagate. By this point, your client will already have access to the new mailboxes (with historic mail if a migration has been done by Channel Host) and will simply be instructed to use them once the DNS has propagated.

Is backup included with your Hosted Exchange plans?

All of your client's email data is backed up using two different methods: Database Level Backup and Archiving Backup.

Exchange Database Level Backup

Method: We use Microsoft DPM (Data Protection Manager) technology to backup all exchange databases.

Purpose: This allows us to restore individual databases in case of corruption or email deletion.

Retention: We keep full mailbox backups for 30 days.

Exchange Archiving Backup

Method: Every email is journaled to a SQL database.

Purpose: This allows users to log on to the archive to restore individual messages directly.

Retention: Indefinite as long as user stays on the system; archive is emptied 90 days after a user is removed from the system.

If we chose Channel Host to perform the email migration for our client, how is that done?

There are multiple ways we can migrate your client's email data but it comes down to their personal preference, what works best and their budget.

We can simply import/export PST files on their local Desktops, get a backup from their Exchange Server if they have one or use more sophisticated methods such as MigrationWiz.
MigrationWiz simply connects to their current mailbox and seamlessly syncs all of their data in realtime.

Once the migration is complete and we would then change the DNS at a time agreed with you and your client and run one final migration pass to ensure no data was lost during the switchover.