Mail Object Migration

• US 20090187632A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Mark W., Draper, Larry H. JR., Alarid, Jason Daniel, Wannenmacher, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

A mail enabled object may be migrated from one hosting server to another by using a temporary buffer that may capture incoming mail during the migration operation. A new mail enabled object may be created and enabled on a target server, and the old mail object may be disabled and forwarded to a buffer that may collect incoming messages. While the buffer receives incoming messages, the contents of the old mail object may be copied to the new mail object. After verifying the transfer of the contents, the buffer may be released to forward any collected messages to the new mail object. The old mail object may then be cleaned up. The migration may be performed from one server to another, from one forest to another, and to and from a remotely hosted messaging service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating a new mail enabled object;

configuring a first forwarding mechanism on an old mail enabled object, said first forwarding mechanism configured to forward messages to a buffer;

transferring at least some contents of said old mail enabled object to said new mail enabled object;

changing said first forwarding mechanism to forward messages to said new mail enabled object; and

forwarding contents of said buffer to said new mail enabled object.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying said contents of said new mail enabled object.

3. The method of claim 2, said verifying being performed during said transferring.

4. The method of claim 2, said verifying being performed after said transferring.

5. The method of claim 1, said creating said new mail enabled object comprising enabling user access to said new mail enabled object.

6. The method of claim 5, said configuring said first forwarding mechanism comprising disabling said old mail enabled object.

7. The method of claim 1, said new mail enabled object being a remotely hosted mail enabled object.

8. The method of claim 1, said contents comprising an identification for said old mail enabled object.

9. A system comprising:

a first mail enabled object server;

a buffer configured to queue messages;

a mailbox migration tool configured to;

create a new mail enabled object on said first mail enabled object server;

configure a first forwarding mechanism on an old mail enabled object hosted on a second mail enabled object server, said first forwarding mechanism configured to forward messages to said buffer;

transfer at least some contents of said old mail enabled object to said new mail enabled object;

change said first forwarding mechanism to forward messages to said new mail enabled object; and

forward contents of said buffer to said new mail enabled object.

10. The system of claim 9, said first mail enabled object server being a remotely hosted service.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a contents verifier configured to verify said transfer of said at least some contents.

12. The system of claim 11, said contents verifier being configured to verify said contents during said transfer.

13. The system of claim 11, said contents verifier being configured to verify said contents after said transfer.

14. The system of claim 9, said buffer being configured to queue messages for a subdomain namespace.

15. The system of claim 14, said buffer being configured to transmit or queue all messages for said subdomain based on a single setting.

16. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions configured to perform the method of:

creating a new mail enabled object on a new mail server;

configuring a first forwarding mechanism to said new mail enabled object, said first forwarding mechanism configured to forward messages to an old mail enabled object;

configuring a second forwarding mechanism to said old mail enabled object, said second forwarding mechanism configured to forward messages to a buffer;

transferring at least some contents of said old mail enabled object to said new mail enabled object and removing said first forwarding mechanism;

changing said second forwarding mechanism to forward message to said new mail enabled object; and

forwarding contents of said buffer to said new mail enabled object.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, said method further comprising:

enabling said new mail enabled object for user access when said new mail enabled object is created.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, said contents comprising an identifier for said old mail enabled object.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, said method further comprising:

verifying said contents.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, said new mail enabled object being a remotely hosted object.