Movebot connects to Exchange Servers using service account credentials and the server hostname.
Connecting Movebot to the Exchange Server requires giving Movebot permissions to access data.
Requirements
To connect Movebot to Exchange, you will need:
Exchange Server credentials and server hostname
Service account with Discovery Management Role
Configuration Steps
Login to Movebot, choose Create New Connection, choose Microsoft Exchange (EWS), and set the connection name.
Enter your Exchange Server EWS hostname. Example: exch01.mydomain.comnote: please do not include the https:// prefix.
Provide the username for the service account, typically in the format of <username>@<exchange_domain>, e.g. Administrator@<exchange_domain>
Provide the password for the service account.
Provide Discovery Management permissions to the service account following these steps.
Log in to your Exchange Admin Center (Exchange Control Panel), which can be accessed through the web at <domain_hosting_exchange>/ecp
Log in to the administrator account
Select the 'permissions' tab within the Exchange Control Panel
Under Admin Roles select Discovery Management and click the '+'. button.
Under members, add the user you are using on the Movebot configuration, then click save. It will take a few minutes for the new changes to reflect.
If permissions are incorrectly configured, Movebot will show the error message "The caller has not assigned any of the RBAC roles requested in the management role header".
Click Save and Test connection in Movebot
Common Errors
Movebot supports migration from Exchange On-Prem environments. Below are common errors users may encounter, along with troubleshooting steps and frequently asked questions.
Error: Authentication Issue - UPN Logins Not Allowed
Cause: UPN-based logins are not permitted in the current server configuration.
Resolution: Enable UPN-based logins on your Exchange server to allow authentication using the user@domain.com format when connecting via EWS.
Error: Authentication Issue - Basic Authentication Not Allowed
Cause: Basic authentication is disabled on the Exchange server.
Resolution: Enable basic authentication for EWS access. This is required for Movebot to successfully authenticate and perform migrations from Exchange On-Prem.
Error: Hostname Issue
Cause: The default hostname or URL used to connect to EWS is not resolving correctly or is incomplete.
Resolution: If the default URL format exch01.domain.com doesn't work, try using the full EWS path instead: exch01.domain.com/ews/exchange.amsx
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I handle the cutover?
Movebot simplifies cutover using delta migrations. You can migrate while users are active, then run a final delta to capture any changes after they stop using the source—minimizing downtime.
If your domain changes during cutover, use "Remap Domains for Cutover" from the Run Action menu. This allows you to specify the old and new domains for source/destination mailboxes, ensuring mappings remain accurate. After remapping, you can continue running delta migrations post-cutover.
How do I transfer one specific folder within a mailbox?
Answer: You can use the CSV Import feature to map the specific folder.
Example:
source,destination
/mailbox:user@domain.com/@MAIL/Important Mail,/mailbox:user@new-domain.com/@MAIL
How can I migrate only mail that was received before a specific date?
Answer: From your Step 6 of your project settings, add a content exclusion rule to ignore
"Files/Objects modified after UTC time".
Once I've migrated the historical mail, can I run a migration for only mail received after a certain date?
Answer: Yes. Use the Start Delta Migration option from the launch menu, then specify how far back you'd like the delta to cover.
Does Movebot support merging multiple mailboxes into a single mailbox?
Answer: Yes. It is possible to use a CSV import to map multiple source mailboxes into a single destination mailbox. You can assign each source to a custom sub-folder.
Be sure to enable "Migrate folder contents" when importing the CSV.