Exporting mailboxes from any Exchange version into the Outlook PST is a complex procedure. It involves fulfilling a certain set of requirements and implementing migration strategies. However, this blog will explain how to export the Exchange mailbox to PST along with the pre-requisite to furnish.
There are some reasons behind moving Exchange data into PST file format. Migration & backup are the most common reasons which require users to think of moving their Exchange mailboxes to the PST file. In addition, sometimes, the users need to put up their data for investigation or auditing purposes. It is also the reason behind exporting mailboxes.
The situation arises at any time for the Exchange administrator to migrate the organization mailboxes to the Outlook PST file format. As Exchange users do not have any role during the migration, the admin is only solely responsible for the migration. The admin needs to do lots of preparation to export Exchange mailbox to PST to complete the migration process successfully. Keeping data safer, which involves in migration, is one of the main challenges that Exchange admin needs to face.
This technical write-up aims to educate users about the procedure involved during the migration and the risk of choosing the wrong method.
However, putting the first step to start the migration, there are lots of requirement which needs to be fulfilled before initiating export.
What are all sets of requirements before exporting Exchange mailboxes into PST?
As an Exchange admin, you need to take permission in order to start exporting the mailboxes to the PST file format. We have listed all of them which will help in your migration task.
- Please be informed that by default, the Exchange Server does not provide permission to export the mailboxes, even for admins. However, you need to make a change in the setting.
- It needs to create a network sharing folder with all sets of permissions.
- Admin must create a mailbox export request using the PowerShell commands.
To obtain the export permission request needs to follow certain steps:
Firstly, you need to open the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) on the system. After that, look for permission and need to create a new role. Thereafter, set up the newly generated role and assign the import/export role to them, along with providing permission to the users.
To obtain the permission, admin needs to use Exchange Management Shell. However, before getting permission, it is required to create and assign a new role using the New-Management Role Assignment cmdlet.
New-Management Role Assignment-Role “Mailbox Import Export”- User
New-Management Role Assignment-Role “Mailbox Import Export”- User domain/user new domain/user
After following the above commands, the admin needs to set up the file sharing in order to start exporting data. It is not possible to directly export the data to a folder. You need to utilize the UNC path in order to export data. In addition, after creating the folder, it is required to share it with the Exchange Trusted System and modify the permission settings to Read/Write. After completing the above procedure, users can start looking to export Exchange 2010 mailbox to PST through manual ways.
Export Exchange Mailbox to PST Using the Exchange Admin Center
- Open the Exchange Admin Center and after that, go to the recipient.
- You need to choose the mailboxes and select the more option to continue.
- After that, click on the Export to PST option.
- Now, the admin just required to select the mailbox and can also choose the archive data to export.
- After following the above steps, specify the path to save the resultant PST file.
- In the end, you can also select the users you need to notify the completion of the process.
The method we have explained requires good technical skills to perform it correctly. However, alternatives are available to export Exchange mailbox to PST, such as through PowerShell commands. Moreover, it is tough for the admin who has a piece of less knowledge about preparing the migration environment and performing it correctly.
Certain Drawbacks of the manual export process:
As the coin has two sides, manual methods have advantages and limitations. If we look at its disadvantages, one of them is the time-consuming method. In addition, a single wrong step taken while exporting data can lead the whole process to failure. The manual export methods have the prerequisites, like the one performing export needs to have complete knowledge about export methodologies.
However, it is better to utilize professional third-party software to export Exchange 2010 mailbox to PST without taking such risks.
So, we will now describe one of them, which will come with a lot of advanced features to make the export precise.
Why third-party Software to export Exchange mailboxes into Outlook PST is better?
In the blog’s first section, we discussed the procedure involved in exporting the Exchange mailboxes to PST. However, all of them pose a significant risk to the export Exchange mailbox to PST process because of the complexity involved in them. They also take more time while processing larger mailboxes. Alternatively, a utility like the Shoviv EDB Recovery tool is a responsive platform where it is also more accessible to export larger mailboxes irrespective of their numbers. In addition the software also exports the private and public folders of Exchange into the PST file format.
Check out the complete software functionality by following the given below pointers:
- It has an excellent graphical user interface which plays an important role in completing the export task timely.
- The software preview option lets users to view all the content in the added Exchange mailboxes, which will help to verify the data.
- The filter option of the tool is one of the most advanced features that help to add and remove any selective data from the export process.
- Its incremental export option lets the interrupted process to continue while making sure to eliminate the duplicate items.
- Irrespective of the size of the Exchange mailboxes, the software exports them without changing their data integrity and the export process speed.
- Its search option helps to find out the required data using many criteria such as Cc, Subject, Bcc, and many more.
- This utility also have an option through which the users can easily move their EDB files to various other file formats such as HTML, RTF, and many more.
- After the process completion, the software provides the export report from where it is easier to check the overall log report.
Along with this tool the user will also get the technical support.
This software will make it easier for anyone who doesn’t have excellent technical skills to perform the task. We have listed some of the tool features that help to make Export Exchange mailbox to PST effective. If you want to take a look at all of them, try its free demo version. Its trial edition allows users to carry the export of the first 50 items/folder from Exchange into PST.
Wrap Up
Moving Exchange mailboxes to PST is a common exercise for the Exchange admins. However, exporting Exchange mailboxes to any environment comes with multiple challenges. Exchange admin needs to remain cautious to export Exchange mailbox to PST as any mistake can result in a process failure. This blog is about preparing for export, requirements, and available method to export Exchange mailboxes. However, users can approach a method that suits them and helps to complete the export quickly.