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EMAIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Business email migration
controlled from start to finish.

Inventory, copying, testing, reconciliation and a rollback plan: migration to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 is prepared to reduce risks and control every stage.

Discuss your migration
Illustration of protected digital communications.
Prepare your migration and its checks. Editorial illustration.
THE SITUATION

What puts an email migration at risk

The visual guide

SPF, DKIM, DMARC: complementary roles

  • FPS

    Declare the sources authorised to send on behalf of the domain.

  • DKIM

    Sign messages with a key linked to the domain.

  • DMARC

    Apply a policy based on authentication alignment.

Settings are tested with legitimate senders, alongside copying and reception checks.

A migration may start from an IMAP server, shared hosting, Exchange or another collaboration suite. Volume, archives, aliases, calendars and connected applications do not always transfer in the same way. Three points need particular attention.

Point 1: an incomplete inventory. Folders, attachments, aliases or unsupported items may be missing if the source, tool limitations and scope are not checked before copying.

Point 2: an unprepared cutover. Changing MX records without tests, a change window or a rollback plan can disrupt reception. For a law firm, notary or accountant, continuity must be organised and monitored.

Point 3: incomplete email authentication. SPF, DKIM and DMARC have complementary roles in authorising sources, signing messages and applying an alignment policy. Their configuration must be tested with all legitimate senders. It contributes to security, but is not sufficient on its own to establish GDPR compliance.

4-PHASE METHOD

A sequenced migration, with checks and reconciliation

PHASE 1 · SCOPING

Audit + mapping

Inventory of existing mailboxes (volume, archives, aliases, mailing lists, forwarding), assessment of current DNS quality, identification of sensitive points (legal signatures, CRM integrations, contact forms). Scoping document validated by you.

PHASE 2 · PREPARATION

Setup + dry runs

Provisioning Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 (alongside the old system), creating mailboxes, configuring aliases and mailing lists, sending/receiving tests on a test mailbox. No actual cutover at this stage.

PHASE 3 · COPYING

Data migration

Copying using a method compatible with the source and target. Logs, volumes, folders and samples are compared, and identified discrepancies are documented before cutover. Unsupported items are handled separately.

PHASE 4 · CUTOVER

DNS cutover + authentication

Planned changes to MX and authentication records, sending and receiving tests, monitoring of both environments and final reconciliation. The old source is retained for the period defined during scoping before any cancellation.

WHICH TOOL SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 · a neutral comparison

Google Workspace

Worth considering if your team already works with Google Drive and Google Docs, after checking requirements, licences and administration constraints.

  • Integrated Gmail, Drive, Calendar and collaboration tools
  • Simultaneous collaboration in Docs, Sheets and Slides
  • Account administration, MFA and security rules depending on the edition
  • Licences to check against official pricing when choosing

Microsoft 365

Worth considering if your team already uses Microsoft applications and Exchange Online, after checking collaboration, administration and compliance requirements.

  • Exchange Online and Microsoft applications depending on the edition
  • Integrated Teams, calendars and file spaces
  • Administration and security features vary by licence
  • Licences to check against official pricing when choosing

There is no universal answer: the decision depends on your existing tools, team and constraints. We help you decide during the audit phase.

CLIENT CASE

G-Law · A prepared and controlled migration

3

Mailboxes migrated

Copying

Before cutover

Tests

Sending and receiving

DNS

Authentication reviewed

Brussels law firm. Migration of three OVH email accounts to Google Workspace with target preparation, copying, testing, planned DNS cutover and user documentation.

View the full case study →
INVESTMENT

Ranges based on volume and complexity

SME with 1 to 3 people

1 500 - 2 200 €

Excluding VAT · Schedule after inventory

  • 1 to 3 mailboxes
  • Total volume up to 30 GB
  • Standard DNS cutover
  • Full SPF/DKIM/DMARC configuration
  • User documentation
Most requested

SME with 4 to 15 people

2 500 - 4 500 €

Excluding VAT · Schedule after inventory

  • 4 to 15 mailboxes
  • Total volume of 50 to 150 GB
  • Gradual cutover with a rollback plan
  • SPF/DKIM/DMARC configuration + aliases
  • Mailing lists + groups
  • 1-hour team training

SME with 15+ people or a complex setup

On quotation

Excluding VAT · Schedule in the quote

  • 15+ mailboxes
  • Volumes > 150 GB
  • Existing CRM/ERP integrations
  • Specific compliance requirements (healthcare, finance)
  • Multiple domains
  • Audit before quotation (free)

Prices exclude Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 licences. Licence prices and features must be checked on the official pages when choosing. Free preliminary audit to scope your situation precisely.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about email migration

How long does an email migration take for a Brussels SME?
Timing depends on the number of mailboxes, volume, source, items to migrate, tool limitations and connected applications. The schedule is established after an inventory and includes the initial copy, tests, cutover window and reconciliation.
Is there a risk of losing emails during migration?
Every migration carries risk, particularly with unsupported items, corrupted data, source-side limitations or incomplete access. To reduce it, we inventory the scope, retain the source, copy before cutover, check logs and volumes, test samples and document discrepancies before approval.
Will my emails remain accessible during migration?
The aim is to keep the old environment accessible during preparation and copying. Reception after DNS changes depends on propagation, caches and server configuration. We therefore monitor both environments, test flows and do not disable the source before reconciliation and approval.
SPF, DKIM, DMARC: why configure them?
Requirements vary by provider and sending volume. SPF authorises sources, DKIM signs messages and DMARC checks alignment while defining a policy. Google and Microsoft guides recommend configuring them together and checking all legitimate senders. This improves authentication without, on its own, guaranteeing deliverability or preventing all impersonation.
Can you recover a lost email domain (a former employee has left)?
If the organisation controls the domain and administration access, a new mailbox, alias or autoresponder can be configured as needed. Recovering old messages, however, depends on a backup or accessible source mailbox existing. If the domain is registered in a third party's name, the procedure depends on the registrar and evidence of ownership.
What happens to my current email hosting after migration?
The old hosting remains active for a period defined during scoping. It is cancelled only after checking flows, reconciling data, user approval and confirmation that no application still depends on the old server.
GO FURTHER

Resources and relevant sectors

Before considering a migration, identify why your business emails end up in spam. The assessment helps distinguish an authentication, configuration or reputation problem.

Sector

Law firms →

Sector

Notarial practices →

Sector

Accountants & accounting firms →

Sector

Doctors & medical practices →

Case study

G-Law · email migration →

Related service

GDPR scoping →

Ready to migrate your emails with peace of mind?

A free 30-minute video audit to inventory the source, volumes and dependencies and prepare a detailed quote.

Discuss my project Free audit (30 min)