Migration software
Quest On Demand Migration
Suggested in 9 of our migration playbooks, mainly for Microsoft 365 and Identity and security. Here is what it handles, how it treats key settings, and other tools for the same jobs.
What does Quest On Demand Migration handle?
The limits of the built-in tools that Quest On Demand Migration gets around, as covered in our playbooks.
Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID
- Budget for device resets, not device conversionsConverts domain joined or hybrid joined Windows 10 and 11 devices to Entra joined and updates the user profiles during the join.
- Microsoft has no supported way to turn a hybrid joined PC into an Entra joined one without a Windows reset.Converts domain joined or hybrid joined Windows 10 and 11 PCs to Entra joined and keeps user profiles. Not Microsoft supported, so pilot each model.
Configuration Manager to Intune migration
- Do not plan to convert hybrid joined devices in placeConverts domain joined or hybrid joined Windows 10 and 11 devices to Entra joined and updates the user profiles during the join.
- Microsoft has no tool to convert hybrid joined PCs to Entra joined without a reset.Converts domain joined or hybrid joined Windows 10 and 11 PCs to Entra joined and keeps user profiles. Not Microsoft supported, so pilot each model.
Move users between Entra tenants
- Budget for group rebuilds outside syncMigrates dynamic security groups with their rules, and dynamic Microsoft 365 groups with their rules when Group Membership is selected. Quest lists distribution lists as not yet supported in that article, so check them separately.
- Cross-tenant sync creates only static security groups. Microsoft 365 groups, distribution lists, dynamic rules and nested groups are rebuilt.Migrates dynamic security and Microsoft 365 groups with their rules. Distribution lists are listed as not yet supported.
Intune device tenant-to-tenant migration
- Get user data off the device before anyone presses WipeMoves Entra joined Windows devices to another tenant, switches Intune enrolment to the new tenant and updates user profiles.
- A wipe removes all local data, and it cannot be recovered.Moves Entra joined Windows PCs to the new tenant, switches Intune enrolment and keeps user profiles. Not Microsoft supported, so pilot first.
Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online
- Batch delegates with the mailboxes they useMigrates Full Access, Send As and Send on Behalf rights. If the matched delegate does not exist on the target, that delegation fails and is reported as an error.
- Built-in move: Send on Behalf never moves, and other delegate rights survive only when owner and delegate move together.Migrates Full Access, Send As and Send on Behalf rights when the matched delegate already exists in the new tenant.
Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration
- Agree the email outage window for the domain moveDomain Move removes the domain from source objects, adds it to matched target objects and uses a relay service to keep inbound mail flowing while proxy addresses move. It prompts you when MX records need changing.
- The domain can be in only one tenant at a time, so mail to it has nowhere to land between removal and verification. Microsoft says removal takes five minutes to about a day.Domain Move swaps the domain from old to matched new objects and relays inbound mail while addresses move.
Move a custom domain between Microsoft 365 tenants
- Script the whole cutover and rehearse itDomain Move works from your user and group matching, swaps addresses automatically and keeps inbound mail flowing through a relay service while proxy addresses move.
- Microsoft leaves you to clear every reference to the domain yourself.Domain Move swaps addresses from old to matched new objects and relays inbound mail while they move.
Cross-tenant OneDrive migration
- There is no second pass, so time it with the user's cutoverRuns incremental copy jobs to catch up during long projects and a delta migration after the user cuts over, with options for versions and permission updates.
- Built-in move: one-time with no top-up pass, so changes made after it are not picked up.Runs incremental copy jobs during long projects and a delta pass after cutover.
How does Quest On Demand Migration handle key settings?
From the settings checklists in our playbooks: what Quest On Demand Migration carries across.
| Setting | How it handles it | Playbook |
|---|---|---|
| Device join type | Converts domain joined or hybrid joined Windows 10 and 11 PCs to Entra joined and keeps user profiles. Not Microsoft supported, so pilot each model. | Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID |
| Existing hybrid joined PCs | Converts domain joined or hybrid joined Windows 10 and 11 PCs to Entra joined and keeps user profiles. Not Microsoft supported, so pilot each model. | Configuration Manager to Intune migration |
| Groups | Migrates dynamic security groups with their rules, and dynamic Microsoft 365 groups with their rules when Group Membership is selected. Quest lists distribution lists as not yet supported. | Move users between Entra tenants |
| Path per device type | Moves Entra joined Windows PCs to the new tenant, switches Intune enrolment and keeps user profiles. Not Microsoft supported, so pilot first. | Intune device tenant-to-tenant migration |
| User data on each device | Moves Entra joined Windows PCs to the new tenant, switches Intune enrolment and keeps user profiles. Not Microsoft supported, so pilot first. | Intune device tenant-to-tenant migration |
| What moves and what does not | Lists mail, calendars, tasks, notes and folder permissions as migrated. Lists deleted items, including recoverable deleted items, safe sender and blocked lists, and Quick Steps as not migrated. | Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online |
| Inbox rules | Lists rules as migrated, but excludes some custom rules, such as colour categorisation. | Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online |
| Holds and records | Not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online |
| Archives and large mailboxes | Archive handling: not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online |
| Delegates and mailbox permissions | Migrates Full Access, Send As and Send on Behalf when the matched delegate already exists in the new tenant. Otherwise that delegation fails and is reported. | Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online |
| Top-up copies and completion time | Re-running a migration copies only new or missing items, using a hidden marker. A full re-migration or a reset can create duplicates. | Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online |
| Sensitivity labels | Not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Cross-tenant mailbox migration in Exchange Online |
| User mapping | For OneDrive, authors and editors map by primary email address only. External people keep access only if they already exist as guests. | Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration |
| Top-up copies (delta passes) | Re-running a mailbox migration copies only new or missing items, using a hidden marker on items already copied. | Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration |
| File versions | For OneDrive, migrates version history, except that only the latest version of frequently updated files, such as PST and database files, moves. | Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration |
| Sharing links | For OneDrive, turns sharing links into direct permissions in the new tenant. External people must already exist there as guests. | Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration |
| The email domain | Domain Move swaps addresses from old to matched new objects and relays inbound mail while they move. You still change MX records. | Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migration |
| Every object that uses the domain | Domain Move removes the domain from old objects and adds it to matched new objects at cutover. You still change MX records when it prompts you. | Move a custom domain between Microsoft 365 tenants |
| Mail during the gap | Domain Move uses a relay service to keep inbound mail flowing while addresses move. | Move a custom domain between Microsoft 365 tenants |
| File versions | Migrates version history, except that only the latest version of frequently updated files, such as PST, database and log files, moves. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| Size, item count and path length | Copies files up to 100 GB each and cannot migrate paths over 400 characters. Quest advises splitting OneDrives with hundreds of thousands of files. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| Permissions and user mapping | Migrates document and folder permissions for internal users, groups and guests. Authors and editors map by primary email address only. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| Sharing links | Turns sharing links, active or expired, into direct permissions in the new tenant. External people must already exist there as guests. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| Created and modified dates and authors | Migrates documents with authorship details. Authors and editors map by primary email address only. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| Recycle bin | Does not migrate the user's OneDrive recycle bin. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| Top-up copies (delta passes) | Runs incremental copy jobs during long projects and a delta pass after the user cuts over. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| Holds, retention and labels | Does not migrate legal holds, retention labels or information protection labels. | Cross-tenant OneDrive migration |
| File versions | Version history is optional, and Quest warns it greatly increases migration time. Library version settings are not copied: target libraries take the target tenant's version history limits. Whether you can choose a number of versions: not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. Source: https://support.quest.com/technical-documents/on-demand-migration/current/user-guide/23 | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Recycle bin content | Not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Created and modified dates and authors | Copies created date, created by, last modified date and last modified by for documents and list items. If a person is not matched in the target, their source email address is used instead. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Permissions and user mapping | Lists site, list, folder, list item and document permissions as supported. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Sharing links | Not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. Quest says it supports the Shared with me view for shared items. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Checked-out files | Checked-out documents are copied as their last checked-in version. A file that was never checked in is not copied. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Site size and path length | Copies files up to 250 GB each. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Top-up copies (delta passes) | Re-running a task is controlled by a Conflict resolution setting for items already copied. A separate delta mode: not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Sensitivity labels | Not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
| Scheduling and throttling | Throttling: not stated in Quest's documentation: test it in your pilot. | Cross-tenant SharePoint migration |
Which tools do the same jobs as Quest On Demand Migration?
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.