Notes migration

Notes migration is moving mail, calendar and applications from HCL Notes and Domino to another platform. The target is almost always Microsoft 365 with Exchange Online, SharePoint and Teams. Some choose Google Workspace.

Two different migrations

It is important to separate mail from applications. They are two completely different projects.

Mail migration

Mailboxes, calendars, contacts and archives are moved to Exchange Online. It is a known task with good tools, such as Transend, Quest or BitTitan. The challenges are mailbox sizes, encrypted mail, old archives on users' PCs and calendars with recurring meetings. A mail migration for 200 users typically takes a few weeks including preparation.

Application migration

Here there is no button. Each Notes application must be analysed: Is it still used? What does it do? Where should the data go? The options are SharePoint lists, Power Apps, Dataverse, a standard system or a custom solution. In practice 60 to 80 percent of the applications in an old environment can be archived because nobody uses them. The rest require a real project per application.

The pitfalls

• No overview. Nobody knows how many databases there are or what they do. We have automated the analysis of NSF files, so you get a list with usage, size, owner and complexity from the start.
• A messy directory. Users in Domino Directory do not match Active Directory. Mail ends up in the wrong place.
• A server that is too old. Migration tools typically require Domino 9 or newer. Upgrade first.
• Applications that send mail. When mail moves, Notes agents stop sending. That must be planned.
• Management expecting everything to be gone in three months. Applications take time.

The typical plan

1. Analysis of environment and applications, with a report for management.
2. Clean up and upgrade of Domino.
3. Mail migration, often in waves per department.
4. Coexistence, where Notes applications keep running with mail in Microsoft 365.
5. Applications are migrated or archived one at a time.
6. Domino is switched off, or kept as an archive.

Common questions

What does a Notes migration cost?

Mail is predictable and priced per mailbox. Applications depend on number and complexity, which is why we always start with the analysis.

Can we keep Notes for applications?

Yes. It is the most common model. Mail in Microsoft 365, applications in Notes through Nomad on the web.

What about archives and GDPR?

Old data must either be deleted or moved to a searchable archive. We advise on retention and deletion.

Our migration service

We have carried out migrations for multinational groups and Danish companies. Read about Lotus Notes migration to Microsoft 365.