exchange on premise is necessary?

[pazzoide76]

Hello,
I would have one question regarding synchronization of Active Directory users and exchange online.
My client's infrastructure consists of an active directory domain and a linux-based mail server.
Now he wants to migrate the mail service to exchange online and synchronize AD users in order to use the same credentials.
To synchronize the local directory with o365 I will use AAD connect.
In this architecture, is an exchange on premise necessary in order to manage all user attributes?

Thank you

Regards

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Technically, it's not necessary. However, the only *supported* way to manage Exchange related objects and attributes is via the Exchange tools, thus for any configuration that involves AAD Connect it's recommended to have at least one Exchange box for management purposes. If you don't care about the *supported* bit, you can very well manage everything with the AD tools.

[#3]

@Vasil Michev@Vasil Michev

Vasil Michev thanks for the reply.
I need to understand what it means that the scenario is not *supported*.
Does that mean I am implementing the solution without the exchange on premise in case of a problem, can microsoft support refuse to support me because I am not in a supported scenario?
Can I use aduc and adsiedit to change attributes without the exchange on premise?

Thank you

regards

[#4]

You can use those tools yes, but regarding Microsoft support, yes they can just say it’s unsupported

[#5]

@adam deltinger 

Thanks for the reply.
However the absurd thing is that not even the operators of the microsoft o365 support know this thing.
I happened to speak with several operators of the support of o365 and they don't know this aspect.
A technician risks setting up an environment and then not receiving support in case of problems.
At this point I will always install an exchange as it is still licensed for free by ms with hcw.

Thank you

Regards

[#6]

@pazzoide76 This has always been the case, ever since O365 launched, and you can find multiple articles/discussions online. The fact that you've run into "official" support agents that don't have a clue is hardly surprising, you'll get used to it :)

[#7]

@Vasil Michev  The argument in my opinion is that this is not correct behavior from Microsoft.
In my opinion they leave the discussion in limbo otherwise if it were clear that it is necessary to leave a server exchange to be supported many would not switch to online exchange.
And this in my opinion is not correct towards users.