What to Expect:
To date, Smarsh has upgraded over 25,000 mailboxes from their legacy platforms to Exchange 2016, including migration of user data. All remaining upgrades and associated data migrations will be completed over the next few months. Please review this FAQ and stay tuned for updates regarding your company’s upgrade!
There is no planned downtime throughout the upgrade process as upgraded services are available online immediately after your company’s upgrade begins. Upgraded services are accessible online from any internet-connected device at www.smarshmail.com.
Administrators will be notified of your company’s scheduled upgrade date 2-weeks prior to your upgrade date. Smarsh will notify individual mailbox users 1-week prior to the upgrade along with reminder notifications occurring the day before, day of and one-hour before your company’s upgrade and mailbox migration is set to begin.
This guide is intended to help provide transparency and clarity around the upgrade process. In addition, our online post-upgrade guide is linked at the bottom of this page and is also included on the end user FAQ page. If you have further questions or require assistance in preparing for your upgrade, please contact Smarsh support.
Smarsh Exchange 2016 Upgrade Administrator FAQ
What will the upgrade process be like?
Smarsh is committed to providing clear and timely communications regarding your company’s upgrade and mailbox data migration. Communications regarding your approximate upgrade date, and more details for what to expect, will be sent at least two weeks in advance of the upgrade.
How will my experience with my email change after the upgrade?
We are excited to offer new features to improve your email hosting experience.
New features for administrators:
- A robust control panel: Easily manage users, add services, reset passwords and control mobile devices all from one location, without having to pick up the phone.
- Enhanced support: Dedicated 24/7 email hosting support for administrators, with typical hold times of 60 seconds or less.
- New upgrade options: Easily add unlimited mailboxes, ActiveSync, Skype for Business, SharePoint, file sharing, and more to your organization’s hosting environment.
- Email that is always up and running: Our Exchange 2016 hosting includes 99.999% service availability.
How will I know it is time for my upgrade?
Administrators will receive a notification of your company’s specific upgrade date 2-weeks prior to the scheduled date. Mailbox users will receive an initial notification 1-week prior. Day-before and Day-of notifications are also provided. Updates will be provided via email directly by Smarsh. Look for emails from “Smarsh Hosted Email Upgrade” to be sure you’re in the loop.
Will my current version of Outlook work with my upgraded email hosting?
If your mailbox is enabled for “Full Exchange” with the MAPI protocol enabled, you will need to use Outlook 2010 (SP1) or newer to access the full features of Exchange. Outlook licenses are available for purchase through the Exchange 2016 Administrator Control Panel. If your mailbox is not enabled for “Full Exchange” with MAPI, Outlook 2007 or newer is required (2010 or newer is recommended).
Will my webmail URL change?
Yes, once upgraded, webmail (also known as OWA or Outlook on the Web) can be accessed by visiting www.smarshmail.com.
Will my Smarsh archiving services be impacted?
There will be no changes to your Smarsh archiving. Your email will continue to seamlessly integrate with your current archive.
Is my spam filtration changing?
Smarsh will be retiring our current email spam filter offering, replaced by Intermedia’s Advanced Email Security. Settings for Advanced Email Security, including whitelist and blacklist settings, are available within the Exchange 2016 Administrator Control Panel.
If you have a login for the current Smarsh spam filtering system, that access will be revoked as the appliance is decommissioned. Current whitelist and blacklist settings will not be carried over to the Exchange 2016 environment. If you have access to the spam filtering system, we recommend logging in to export your whitelist and blacklist so that you can replicate those in the Advanced Email Security settings.
Will my smarshEncrypt service change in any way?
No policy-based encryption nor outbound routing settings will be impacted, as all outbound routing (including smarshEncrypt) will be carried over to your upgraded environment. No action is required to replicate configuration settings, and the same trigger policies will be used post-upgrade.
Will I continue to contact Smarsh for support questions after the upgrade?
After the upgrade, your named administrators will continue to dial the Smarsh number to reach Support. There will also be options in your new control panel to contact Support.
Can I pick my own upgrade date?
Due to volume, Smarsh is unable to accommodate account-specific scheduling requests.
Can I opt out?
No. All Smarsh hosted email accounts will be upgraded to Exchange 2016.
Who do I contact if I have additional questions?
If you have any other questions prior to migration, please contact Smarsh Support by visiting www.smarsh.com/support.
Introduction to the Control Panel
How to Add Services
How to Access the Audit Log
How to Contact Support
How to Create Company Contacts
How to Create Account Contacts
How to Create Distribution Lists
How to Reset User Passwords
How to Manage Users