{"id":60071,"date":"2026-04-21T11:51:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T09:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/?p=60071"},"modified":"2026-04-21T11:51:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T09:51:29","slug":"microsoft-365-migration-from-local-servers-a-practical-guide-for-belgian-smbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/en\/microsoft-365-migration-from-local-servers-a-practical-guide-for-belgian-smbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft 365 migration from local servers: a practical guide for Belgian SMBs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Direct answer:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/en\/services\/microsoft-365\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft 365<\/a> migration is the process of transferring email, files, user accounts and collaboration tools from on-premises servers to Microsoft&#8217;s cloud platform. For Belgian SMBs, it becomes relevant when existing servers are end-of-life, security compliance is under pressure, or teams need flexible remote access. A successful migration follows six structured phases- assessment, tenant preparation, pilot, full migration, validation and aftercare- and requires deliberate security configuration, backup planning and user training. Without these, the new environment carries the same risks as the old one.&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">When is migrating to Microsoft 365 the right choice?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A migration to Microsoft 365 is worth considering when one or more of the following situations apply:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Your server runs Windows Server 2012 or older- Microsoft no longer provides security updates for these versions<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Your on-premises Exchange server causes reliability or security concerns<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Employees work across multiple locations and struggle to collaborate effectively<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">File sharing relies on VPN access or mapped network drives<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Backups are incomplete, unreliable or difficult to restore<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">IT costs continue to rise due to ageing hardware and licences<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">You are planning an office move or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/en\/services\/modern-workplace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">infrastructure refresh<\/a><\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">When is Microsoft 365 not the right choice?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Microsoft 365 is not always the correct answer. If your business depends on software that can only run locally- such as legacy ERP, production or industry-specific systems- a hybrid setup may remain the better option. A technical assessment should determine what fits your environment, not a default preference for cloud.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What does a Microsoft 365 migration actually include?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">A Microsoft 365 migration<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> is the planned transfer of email, files, user identities and collaboration tools from on-premises servers to Microsoft&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/en\/services\/hybrid-cloud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cloud<\/a> services. It typically covers Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD).&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Depending on your environment, a migration typically covers the following components:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<table data-tablestyle=\"MsoNormalTable\" data-tablelook=\"1696\" aria-rowcount=\"6\">\n<tbody>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"1\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Component<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">What migrates<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"2\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Email<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Exchange Online<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Mailboxes, calendars, contacts and shared mailboxes move to Microsoft&#8217;s cloud email platform<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"3\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Files<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; SharePoint &amp; OneDrive<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Shared folders reorganised into SharePoint libraries; personal data moves to OneDrive with controlled access rights<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"4\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Collaboration<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Microsoft Teams<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Internal chat, meetings and video calls, tightly integrated with email and files<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"5\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Identity &amp; access<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Microsoft Entra ID<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">User accounts, permissions and access policies centrally managed in the cloud<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"6\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Device management<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Microsoft Intune<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Laptops and mobile devices secured and managed without relying on a local server<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What does not migrate automatically?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Business applications such as accounting packages and ERP systems that require a dedicated database or local server do not migrate automatically. These can continue to run on-premises, be hosted in a data centre, or be migrated to Azure separately where appropriate.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What are the six phases of a controlled Microsoft 365 migration?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">A structured migration<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> is used when organisations need to move from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud without downtime, data loss or security gaps. It follows a defined sequence of phases, each with a specific scope and validation step before the next begins.&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Assessment<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Inventory of existing servers, applications, users, data volumes and dependencies. Risks are identified and a tailored migration plan is created.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Tenant preparation<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Configuration of the Microsoft 365 tenant: domain linking, base security settings, user creation and access structure.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Pilot migration<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; A small group of users migrates first to validate the approach and fine-tune settings before full rollout.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Full migration<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Phased transfer of mailboxes, files and collaboration tools, with clear communication to employees throughout.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Validation and cut-over<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Data is verified, email routing is switched, and the old environment remains available temporarily as a fallback.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Aftercare, training and managed support<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Users are trained, documentation is delivered, and the environment moves into ongoing monitoring and support.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What mistakes should you avoid during a Microsoft 365 migration?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Most migration problems are avoidable. Common causes of failure include:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Skipping the assessment<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; leads to broken integrations or missing data after go-live<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">No pre-migration backup<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; removes the recovery option if something goes wrong during the process<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Insufficient user training<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; causes operational friction even after a technically clean migration<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Decommissioning the old server too soon<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; removes the fallback before the new environment is fully validated<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Treating security as an afterthought<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; a new Microsoft 365 tenant is not secure by default and requires deliberate configuration<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A migration is as much an organisational change as a technical one.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What happens to Active Directory during a Microsoft 365 migration?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Active Directory (AD)<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> is an on-premises directory service, typically running on Windows Server, that manages user accounts, passwords, group policies and device access within a local network. <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Microsoft Entra ID<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> (formerly Azure Active Directory) is its cloud equivalent, used by Microsoft 365 to manage identity and access. The two are related but not the same system.&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">For most Belgian SMBs migrating to Microsoft 365, Active Directory is one of the most misunderstood parts of the transition. The question is not whether AD disappears- it is how identity is handled during and after the move.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What are the three identity scenarios in a Microsoft 365 migration?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<table data-tablestyle=\"MsoNormalTable\" data-tablelook=\"1696\" aria-rowcount=\"4\">\n<tbody>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"1\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Scenario<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">What it means<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Best suited for<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:2,&quot;335551620&quot;:2,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"2\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Cloud-only identity<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">User accounts are created and managed directly in Microsoft Entra ID. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">No on-premises AD is involved.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Organisations with no existing AD, or those doing a clean break from on-premises infrastructure<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"3\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Hybrid identity with Entra Connect sync<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">On-premises AD remains in place and syncs user accounts to Entra ID using Microsoft Entra Connect. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Users log in with the same credentials on-premises and in the cloud.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Organisations that still run local servers, applications or devices that depend on on-premises AD<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr aria-rowindex=\"4\">\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Full cloud migration (AD decommission)<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">On-premises AD is replaced entirely by Entra ID. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Devices are joined to Entra ID directly (Entra Join). Group policies are replaced by Microsoft Intune policies.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<td data-celllook=\"0\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Organisations ready to remove all on-premises servers and move to a fully cloud-managed environment<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">Which scenario is most common for Belgian SMBs?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Most SMBs start with a hybrid identity setup during the migration- keeping on-premises AD running and syncing it to Entra ID via Entra Connect. This allows the Microsoft 365 migration to proceed without disrupting existing logins, devices and applications. Once the migration is complete and local dependencies are resolved, the organisation can decide whether to decommission on-premises AD entirely or maintain the hybrid model long-term.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A full cloud-only identity model is realistic for smaller organisations with no legacy applications and a willingness to re-enrol devices to Entra ID. It requires more upfront planning but eliminates the need to maintain a local domain controller.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What happens to group policies and device management?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">On-premises Active Directory uses Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to enforce settings on Windows devices. In a cloud-managed environment, GPOs are replaced by <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Microsoft Intune policies<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, which apply to devices enrolled in Entra ID regardless of location. Migrating from GPOs to Intune policies is a separate workstream within the broader migration and should be included in the assessment phase.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">How is Microsoft 365 secured after migration?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Microsoft 365 security configuration<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> is the process of deliberately enabling and tuning the platform&#8217;s built-in security controls to match an organisation&#8217;s risk profile and compliance requirements. A new tenant is not secure by default- controls must be explicitly configured based on the chosen licence plan.&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Depending on the chosen Microsoft 365 plan, a secure setup typically includes:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Multi-factor authentication (MFA)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Conditional Access based on user, device and location<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Endpoint protection via Microsoft Defender<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Email protection against phishing and malware<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and sensitivity labels<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Audit logging for compliance and incident investigation<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A correctly configured Microsoft 365 environment also forms the technical foundation for capabilities such as Microsoft Copilot.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">Does Microsoft 365 include backup- and why does it matter?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Microsoft 365 backup<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> is an independent solution- either a third-party tool or a Microsoft add-on- that creates point-in-time copies of Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams data. Microsoft&#8217;s native retention policies are not equivalent to backup: deleted or overwritten data can become permanently unrecoverable after retention limits expire.&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Independent backups of mailboxes, files and collaboration data<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Granular restores- individual emails, files or folders<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Protection against ransomware, accidental deletion and retention gaps<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Backup planning should be part of the migration project from the start, not a decision made after go-live.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What determines the cost of a Microsoft 365 migration?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">There is no fixed price. The cost depends on:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Number of users<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Volume and structure of existing data<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Complexity of the current environment and Active Directory setup<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Hybrid or phased migration requirements<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Security and compliance requirements (e.g. NIS2, GDPR)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A technical assessment produces a defined scope, a project estimate and licence recommendations based on actual usage- not a default package.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span data-contrast=\"none\">Frequently asked questions<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\"> (FAQ)<\/span><\/h2>\n<h4><span data-contrast=\"none\">Can we keep working during the migration?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Yes. A phased approach limits disruption. The final cut-over is typically planned outside business hours.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Will files be lost during the migration?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">No. Data is migrated methodically, verified at each step, and the old environment remains available as a fallback during the transition period.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What happens to our Active Directory when we move to Microsoft 365?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">It depends on your environment. Most organisations maintain on-premises AD during the migration and sync it to Microsoft Entra ID using Entra Connect. Whether AD is decommissioned afterwards depends on remaining local dependencies such as servers, applications and devices.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Do all employees need the same Microsoft 365 licence?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Not necessarily. Licence mixes are common and are assigned based on role and actual usage. Recommendations are made after the assessment.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What happens to our accounting or ERP software?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Cloud-native tools migrate directly. Applications that require a local or dedicated server are assessed individually- they can remain on-premises, move to a hosted environment or migrate to Azure.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Is Microsoft 365 secure enough for sensitive data?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Yes- when configured correctly. Security controls must be deliberately set up based on your risk profile and compliance obligations (GDPR, NIS2). The default configuration is not sufficient.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Does Microsoft 365 include backup?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">No. Microsoft&#8217;s native retention policies are not a backup. A dedicated backup solution should be planned as part of the migration, not added after go-live.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How long does a Microsoft 365 migration take?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Duration depends on the number of users, data volume and environment complexity. A phased migration for a typical SMB (15\u2013100 users) generally takes between two and eight weeks from assessment to aftercare.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Request a free technical assessment to receive a migration scope, realistic timeline and licence recommendations based on your actual environment.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Direct answer: A Microsoft 365 migration is the process of transferring email, files, user accounts and collaboration tools from on-premises servers to Microsoft&#8217;s cloud platform. For Belgian SMBs, it becomes relevant when existing servers are end-of-life, security compliance is under pressure, or teams need flexible remote access. A successful migration follows six structured phases- assessment, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":60080,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-microsoft-solutions"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Microsoft 365 migration from local servers: a practical guide for Belgian SMBs - ITAF IT Partner<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Microsoft 365 migration is the process of transferring email, files, user accounts from on-premises servers to Microsoft&#039;s cloud platform\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/en\/microsoft-365-migration-from-local-servers-a-practical-guide-for-belgian-smbs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Microsoft 365 migration from local servers: a practical guide for Belgian SMBs - 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