Migration software
Cloudiway
Suggested in 5 of our migration playbooks, mainly for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. Here is what it handles, how it treats key settings, and other tools for the same jobs.
What it handles
The limits of the built-in tools that Cloudiway gets around, as covered in our playbooks.
Gmail to Exchange Online migration
- Move people who share calendars togetherMigrates calendar permissions and mailbox delegations. Out-of-office messages and signatures still need setting up again.
- Share free/busy while users are split across both systemsFree/busy lookups from Google Calendar to Exchange or Office 365 users through its EWS endpoint.
- Built-in migration batches: shared calendars and room bookings do not move, and Microsoft does not list delegate access among what moves.Migrates calendar permissions and mailbox delegations. Room calendars still need room mailboxes.
- While users are split, Gmail and Outlook users cannot see each other's free/busy (availability).Answers free/busy lookups from Google Calendar users against Exchange or Office 365.
Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration
- Plan for what Microsoft's tools do not moveMoves Google Chat spaces to Teams channels and direct messages to Teams chats, keeping original timestamps and authors. Meeting-linked spaces are not supported and only the latest 1,000 messages per space move by default.
- Google Sites, Google Maps, Chat history, shortcuts and external sharing links do not move with Microsoft's tools.Moves Google Chat spaces to Teams channels and direct messages to Teams chats. Meeting-linked spaces are not supported, and only the latest 1,000 messages per space move by default.
Move a custom domain between Microsoft 365 tenants
- Native tools cannot hold mail while the domain is in neither tenantMX points to Cloudiway before you detach the domain, mail is queued during the transfer and MX returns to Microsoft 365 afterwards. Meant for windows of about 48 hours, and Cloudiway notes DMARC needs adjusting while it routes mail.
- Microsoft 365 cannot accept mail for the domain while it is in neither tenant, and a long gap turns delays into bounces.MX points to Cloudiway before you remove the domain, mail is queued, then MX returns to Microsoft 365. Meant for about 48 hours, and DMARC needs adjusting.
Slack to Microsoft Teams migration
- Tell people that DMs and group chats stay in SlackMigrates Slack 1:1 direct messages into Teams chats. Its guide does not say where group DMs land, so confirm that before you plan for them.
- Plan one main pass, not repeated deltasDelta passes add new Slack messages to channels already migrated, without starting again.
- Microsoft's tool does not move direct messages or group chats on any plan.Migrates Slack 1:1 direct messages into Teams chats. Confirm where group DMs land before you plan for them.
- Microsoft's tool: a second pass (a top-up run from a newer export) brings new messages, but not edits, deletions or new replies to messages already moved.Delta passes (top-up runs) add new Slack messages to channels already migrated, without starting again.
Teams tenant-to-tenant migration
- Agree how much channel history you really needMigrates channels, messages, replies and threads between tenants.
- Microsoft's tool: teams, channels and channel conversations do not move. They stay in the source tenant.Migrates channels, messages, replies and threads between tenants.
How it handles key settings
From the settings checklists in our playbooks: what Cloudiway carries across.
| Setting | How it handles it | Playbook |
|---|---|---|
| What moves, and what stays behind | Also migrates calendar permissions, mailbox delegations and Google Chat (spaces become Teams channels). Out-of-office settings and signatures are not migrated. | Gmail to Exchange Online migration |
| Labels | Each label becomes a folder, and each email goes into its most relevant one. | Gmail to Exchange Online migration |
| Large messages | Attachments are capped at 35 MB each. | Gmail to Exchange Online migration |
| Gmail filters | Converts filters to Outlook rules. | Gmail to Exchange Online migration |
| Shared calendars, delegates and rooms | Migrates calendar permissions and mailbox delegations. Room calendars still need room mailboxes. | Gmail to Exchange Online migration |
| Free/busy between Gmail and Outlook users | Answers free/busy lookups from Google Calendar users against Exchange or Office 365. | Gmail to Exchange Online migration |
| Google Chat history | Moves Google Chat spaces to Teams channels and direct messages to Teams chats. Meeting-linked spaces are not supported, and only the latest 1,000 messages per space move by default. | Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration |
| Mail during the gap | MX points to Cloudiway before you remove the domain, mail is queued, then MX returns to Microsoft 365. Meant for about 48 hours, and DMARC needs adjusting while it routes mail. | Move a custom domain between Microsoft 365 tenants |
| What your Slack plan can export | Reads Slack through its API (Cloudiway recommends this) or from an export ZIP. Private channels are read only if the migration account is a member of each one. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Direct messages and group chats | Migrates 1:1 direct messages into Teams chats. Group DMs: not stated in Cloudiway's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Which channels, and where each one lands | Moves public and private channels. Archived and Slack Connect channels: not stated in Cloudiway's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Threads, reactions, mentions and formatting | Threads are kept and reactions are migrated. Custom emojis become text. Pinned status and bookmarks are not kept, and app and bot messages may not be fully preserved. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Message authors and dates | Message timestamps are migrated. Created-by and modified-by addresses are converted through the mapping table; an address not in the table is not converted. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Files, canvases and lists | Files and attachments are migrated. Where they are stored in Teams: not stated in Cloudiway's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| User mapping, including former staff and guests | Discovery fills the mapping table for you to check. Any address not in the table is not converted to the target address. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Date range for very busy channels | Date filters: not stated in Cloudiway's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Top-up passes (delta passes) | Delta passes copy only new messages since the last run. Moving DMs, and delta passes into channels, need MFA turned off on the target migration account. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Throughput and scheduling | Throughput: not stated in Cloudiway's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Apps, workflows and webhooks | Automated workflows are not migrated. | Slack to Microsoft Teams migration |
| Which chats move, and what users see afterwards | Cloudiway says it migrates 1:1 and group chats. | Teams tenant-to-tenant migration |
| Channel conversations | Cloudiway says it migrates messages, replies and threads. | Teams tenant-to-tenant migration |
| Reactions and @mentions | Cloudiway says reactions are migrated. | Teams tenant-to-tenant migration |
| Private and shared channels | Cloudiway says it migrates private channels. Shared channels: not stated in Cloudiway's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Teams tenant-to-tenant migration |
| Batches, timing and top-up copies | Cloudiway says later passes transfer only new messages (a delta pass: a top-up copy of only what changed since the last copy). | Teams tenant-to-tenant migration |
Tools for the same jobs
Other tools our playbooks suggest for the same migrations.
We write these notes from the vendor documentation cited in each playbook. Tools cannot pay to be included or to change them. Check the vendor's current documentation and terms before you buy.