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Move to Microsoft Exchange

FAQs About Moving to UVa’s Centralized Exchange Service

Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs) about Moving to Exchange

Considering moving to UVa’s Centralized Exchange Service? The answers to the FAQs on this page should help you determine the benefits of getting an Exchange account and how to proceed with moving to Exchange at UVa.

Questions about Moving to Exchange

Questions about Switching from the CMS to Exchange

Answers

Questions about Moving to Exchange

What benefits do I gain by having an account on the Centralized UVa Exchange Service?
Microsoft Exchange has many features, among them:
  • tight integration of calendaring and email;
  • the ability to reserve shared University resources such as conference rooms;
  • a sophisticated Web interface; and
  • wide-ranging support for mobile devices;
which all make it much more efficient than single-function products like the older UVa Central Mail Service (CMS). The UVa Centralized Exchange Service also features a pre-populated Global Address List (GAL) of contacts, which includes all University faculty, staff, shared resources such as conference rooms, and distribution lists for MyGroups. If you would appreciate a sleeker Web interface than CMS WebMail and want to be able to schedule meetings with others or reserve conference rooms across Grounds, you would benefit from a UVa Exchange account.
If I get an Exchange account, will my UVa email address change?
No, your @virginia.edu address will continue to work. Note, however, that:
  • If you request a UVa Exchange account in addition to your UVa CMS account, your new UVa Exchange Service email address will be your computing ID @eservices.virginia.edu (e.g., mst3k@eservices.virginia.edu), and your CMS email address will remain unchanged (e.g., mst3k@virginia.edu). (Learn more about requesting an Exchange account.)
  • If you opt to migrate from the CMS to Exchange, though, Exchange will become your primary UVa email address, so all emails sent to your CMS account (e.g., mst3k@virginia.edu and mike@virginia.edu) will be redirected to your new Exchange mailbox. (Learn more about migrating from the CMS to Exchange.)
If I get an Exchange account, do I need to buy Outlook? Can I keep using my own preferred email program instead?

If you don’t have Outlook currently on your computer, you do not have to purchase a copy to use Exchange, but you will have a better user experience if you do.

Because you can also access your UVa Exchange account with any Web browser using the Outlook Web App (OWA), you could opt to forgo installing the Outlook email program and just access your Exchange account online instead. (Though all Web browsers work, Internet Explorer provides greatest functionality for OWA.) This approach is strongly recommended over using other, non-Outlook email programs and connecting to Exchange via IMAP.

As a side note, though, for most users at UVa, if you are upgrading your Microsoft Office (including Outlook for the PC or the Mac) on a University computer for work related to your job, then the license for upgrading is totally free because of UVa’s partnership with Microsoft. (See the Microsoft Software Chooser Wizard to help you identify what software you are eligible for, at what cost.) Since Outlook provides the optimal Exchange user experience, you may want to consider installing and using it—it’s certainly a recommended best practice for using Exchange.

Is there a fee to have an Exchange account?

UVa Centralized Exchange Service accounts are offered at no charge to all UVa faculty, staff, and students who are paid or work on a voluntary basis (i.e. fulfill a business need) for an academic department.

Departments must use administrative tools to provision accounts for non-employee students; a fee is charged and a PTAO is required for these. (Read more about Exchange accounts for students.) See the Exchange fees webpage for more information.

If I get an Exchange account, where can I get help or training on using Outlook?

If you would like to become more familiar with using Microsoft Exchange in Outlook, take advantage of free Exchange training for UVa. You may also want to read the General FAQs about Using Exchange at UVa and the Best Practices for Exchange at UVa.

For tech support, ask your LSP, if you have one. (See the departmental LSP list.) Or, contact the UVa Help Desk.

How do I request a UVa Exchange account?
  1. First, follow the steps listed on Getting Started with Exchange.
  2. Then, decide whether you would like to:
    • simply request a UVa Exchange account, which means you will now have two UVa email accounts (one on Exchange, one on the CMS). If you choose this option, be aware that you will need to check both accounts regularly from now on, in order to get all your UVa email. (If you choose this, you are done.)
    • Or, opt to fully migrate from the CMS to Exchange, so that you have only one UVa email account to check—in which case your final step is to migrate from the CMS to Exchange, as explained below.
How large can my Exchange mailbox be? Is there a quota?
See the Exchange FAQ, “What is my mailbox quota?”.

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Questions about Switching from the CMS to Exchange

What does it mean to “migrate” from UVa’s Central Mail Service (CMS) to the UVa Exchange Service?

If you opt to simply request and start using a UVa Exchange account (to take advantage of the many benefits of using Exchange at UVa) in addition to using your already-existing CMS email account, you are not migrating—you will have two UVa email accounts (one on Exchange, one on the CMS) to check and maintain. If you choose to do this, be aware that you will need to check both accounts regularly in order to get all your UVa email from now on!

On the other hand, if you choose to migrate from the CMS to Exchange, you will have only one UVa email account to check, and it will be Exchange. See more information about migrating to Exchange using the automated email migration tool below.

How do I migrate from the CMS to Exchange using the automated email migration tool? What does it do?
If you decide to migrate fully from the UVa Central Mail Service (CMS) to Exchange, you can use ITS’s email migration tool to make the transition very easy. The tool does all the work for you! It will:
  • Copy all your CMS email and folders, including your Inbox, to the Exchange server; and
  • Register Exchange as your primary account, so all email sent to your CMS address (e.g., mst3k@virginia.edu or to mike@virginia.edu) will be directed to your new UVa Exchange mailbox.

Please be aware of the things this tool will not do:

  • Migrate CMS mail folders stored locally on your computer;
  • Copy over your mail filtering (server-side) rules; or
  • Move any contacts in your CMS address book. (See more information about the tool not moving contacts and rules below.)

Read more about the email migration tool. Note that if you have the technical know-how, you may also opt to migrate yourself manually rather than using the tool. See Moving to Exchange: DIY for more information.

Can I migrate myself manually rather than using the automated email migration tool?
Yes, you can. See Moving to Exchange: DIY.
If I migrate from the CMS to Exchange, will my mail filtering rules and address book contacts be brought into my new Exchange mailbox?

No, the email migration tool does not bring over contacts from the Central Mail Service (CMS) address book. However, UVa's Central Exchange service offers a fully pre-populated Global Address List (GAL), which includes University faculty, staff, shared resources (such as conference rooms), and distribution lists for MyGroups. Exchange also automatically builds personal contacts for you if you use Outlook, Entourage, or the Outlook Web App (OWA). You can add any additional personal addresses and distribution lists you desire using the address tools within your email program or OWA.

Any pre-set mail filtering rules you have in place for the CMS will also not translate directly to rules for Exchange. You will need to use Outlook or the Outlook Web App (OWA), to re-configure these rules for your new account.

If I migrate from the CMS to Exchange, will I lose all my old CMS email and folders?
No. If you opt to migrate to Exchange using the email migration tool, it will automatically copy your CMS mail and folders to your new Exchange account.
Now that I have migrated to Exchange, I have questions about...?

Be sure to read the General FAQs about Using Exchange at UVa and the Best Practices for Exchange at UVa. And, if you would like to become more familiar with using Microsoft Exchange in Outlook, take advantage of free Exchange training for UVa.

For tech support, ask your LSP, if you have one. (See the departmental LSP list.) Or, contact the UVa Help Desk.

  Page Updated: 2012-02-03

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