Migrating to Exchange

Creating a Source Extractor

A source extractor extracts directory information, mailboxes, PAB entries, personal distribution lists, mail messages, attachments, calendar data, and public information from your messaging system and creates migration files. Extracting messaging data is the first step of a two-step migration. You then use Migration Wizard for the second step, which imports the information to Active Directory and Exchange.

Exchange has integrated source extractors with Migration Wizard for many popular messaging systems; in addition, several standalone extractors are available. However, if a source extractor for your system does not exist, you can use the information in this section to create a source extractor to copy information from your system to migration files.

Note   This section is intended for developers and experienced administrators.

Understanding Migration Files

Migration Wizard requires the migration files to include a packing list file, a set of primary files, and a set of secondary files. The file types are defined in the table below.

File type Definition
Packing list file Lists primary and secondary files and specifies the code page for all migration files. The filename extension is .pkl.
Primary files Contain directory information, message headers, personal address book entries, personal distribution lists, and pointers to specific entry points in the secondary files. The filename extension is .pri.
Secondary files Contain blocks of data, such as message bodies, attachments, and schedule data. The filename extension is .sec.

Migration Wizard creates Active Directory objects and Exchange mailbox and public folder data according to the types of objects and data that are in the migration files, as described in the following table.

Objects Use
Mailbox names Create mailbox-enabled Windows users, replacing contacts when correctly configured.
Mailbox data Imports messages into the Exchange mailbox.
PAB data Imported as a message in the Inbox for users to import to Outlook Contacts or to a new .pab file.
Public data Creates public folders, imports data, and assigns the current administrator as owner.
Scheduling data Creates a schedule file, attaches the file to a message, and imports the message. It is generally up to the user to import the schedule (.sc2) file to Exchange, although in some cases this process is automated when the user first logs in.

This section contains the following topics:

Related Topics

Import Migration Files Migration Tools Overview Troubleshooting