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Moving off Google Workspace or Microsoft 365: how to migrate without downtime or panic

A migration plan from Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 to a Russian platform: inventory, test transfer, DNS, training, and monitoring the first month.

Migration 3 min
Diagram of a migration from Google Workspace or Microsoft 365

Migrating off Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 is not just “moving the mail.” Calendars, contacts, files, shared mailboxes, forwarding rules, and employee habits usually live alongside the email.

To keep the move from halting work, split it into stages: inventory, testing, the main migration, the switch, and support.

Migration

A safe move is built around a test transfer

  1. 01Inventory
  2. 02Test mailbox
  3. 03Main transfer
  4. 04Support
  • Old access is best kept during the testing period
  • Large archives are migrated separately
  • Employees need short guides

What to inventory

Before the migration, it is important to understand which data is truly needed: active mailboxes, executive archives, shared addresses, calendars, contacts, department files, and external integrations.

Some of the old data can stay in an archive rather than be moved into the new work environment. This speeds up the launch and reduces the number of errors.

Why a test transfer is needed

The first launch reveals the real quality of the migration: whether folders are preserved, whether messages display correctly, and whether there are issues with attachments and Cyrillic.

After the first launch the team understands the transfer speed and can honestly assess the switch window.

How to choose the switch day

It is better to switch DNS at a low-load moment: in the evening, on a weekend, or in a pre-agreed window. But what matters is not only the time but the team’s readiness.

By the switch moment the mailboxes should be created, sending verified, instructions prepared, and a support owner assigned.

What to monitor after the migration

After launch you need to check inbound and outbound deliverability, employee requests, mobile devices, signatures, shared mailboxes, and integrations with the accounting system or website.

Such monitoring turns the migration from a stressful event into a managed project.

Quick checklist

  • Build the data map
  • Pick a test mailbox
  • Verify archive transfer
  • Agree on the DNS window
  • Arrange 30 days of support

What to do next

KMVSG helps plan the migration, run a test transfer, and support the team after the switch.

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