Released: Hybrid Organization Configuration Transfer V2

[The_Exchange_Team]

We are happy to announce Organization Configuration Transfer (OCT) - V2, which includes updates to OCT-Phase 1 that was launched earlier this year. OCT-V2 further reduces the manual work that admins are required to do once the hybrid setup is complete. OCT-V2 is now available as part of the Hybrid Configuration Wizard (HCW).

What does OCT-V2 include?

OCT-V2 not only copies the organization policy objects from on-premises to Exchange Online (EXO), but also updates the values in EXO with the values from on-premises. Seven additional objects have been added to OCT as part of V2. The list of objects considered in OCT so far are:

OCT (available since June 2018)

• Active Sync Mailbox Policy
• Mobile Device Mailbox Policy
• OWA Mailbox Policy
• Retention Policy
• Retention Policy Tag

OCT-V2 (available now)

• Active Sync Device Access Rule
• Active Sync Organization Settings
• Address List
• DLP Policy
• Malware Filter Policy
• Organization Config
• Policy Tip Config

If object values are updated on-premises after they are moved to EXO, admins can re-run OCT to copy over the updated values from on-premises to EXO. Admins will continue to control the process of keeping the objects in sync but with reduced effort by using OCT. How is V2 different from the initial version of OCT that was launched in June 2018? Phase 1 of OCT dealt only with copying objects from on-premises to EXO. However, it did not edit/update the parameters in EXO. As part of V2, if an object with the same name already exists in both on-premises and EXO, admins can now choose to either overwrite the values of the objects in EXO or keep them as is. A rollback script with values of the objects prior to the update in EXO will be available to admins in the log folder. What are the Exchange Server Versions supported? The supported versions are Exchange Server 2019, 2016, 2013 and 2010. OCT-V2 requires the latest cumulative update or update roll-up available for the version of Exchange you have installed in the on-premises organization. If you cannot install the latest cumulative update or update roll-up, the immediate previous release is also supported. Older cumulative updates or update roll-ups are not supported. Kavya Chandra

[#2]

What about the other improvement to the HCW: the use of an agent to reduce the number of firewall rule modifications and eliminate (?) the need to use a separate 3rd party public certificate? When will the agent be available? Do you have at least an estimate? January 2019? June 2019? Thanks!

[#3]

We're in Private Preview for the agent as we announced at Ignite - once that's done we'll move on to a Public Preview. That's planned for the first quarter of next year.

[#4]

Thanks Greg. How would one participate in Private Preview? I imagine for Public Preview, it's just a matter of downloading the agent and trying it - at your own risk?

[#5]

Private Preview is, well, private. We're not asking for participants, we already have enough. Public is just as you describe - we'll make it available, with limited support being available. More details nearer the time.

[#6]

I'd still like an answer to the question of how/when it will be possible to finally remove the onPrem Exchange server while keeping the directory Sync intact? It was announced at Ignite 2017 that something was in the works for that and here we are a year and a half later with no progress...

[Jeroen Dronkers]

OCT also includes remote domains although it syncs them with incorrect settings

[KelJo]

@Jeroen Dronkers  Could you provide details on what is incorrect with the synced settings.