Google Goes Hard at Microsoft with Exchange Migration Tool

Today, Google announced a new tool that makes it simple for current Microsoft Exchange customers to move into the cloud and switch to Google Apps. Tensions between Microsoft and Google have been mounting in this arena. Each has come out with videos basically going at the other. Microsoft directly down-playing Googles cloud-based services and Google hinting that Microsoft’s solutions are too complicated and costly.

With this new tool, companies entangled with Exchange who have been looking for a way out can be freed. “Google Apps Migration for Microsoft® Exchange is a new server-side tool that migrates your company’s email, calendar and contact data from Microsoft Exchange to Google Apps.” Google says that the tool makes migrations:

• Easy: set it up in just 4 steps
• Efficient: select the combination of mail, calendar and contact data that you want to move, with the option of doing so in phases
• Fast: migrate hundreds of users at the same time
• Painless: employees can continue to use Microsoft Exchange during the migration without interruption or any involvement on their part

“We work with companies with 100 to 20,000 employees. This tool will help us move our clients to Google Apps faster and more efficiently, helping us save them time and money.” -Mayooran Rajan, CTO of Revevol Consulting

Google Apps Migration for Microsoft® Exchange is compatible with both Microsoft Exchange 2003 and 2007, and both on-premise and hosted Exchange. Google has created an entire website devoted to helping companies make the switch from Exchange. This latest tool is just the tip of the iceberg.

The site is titled “Switch from Microsoft Exchange” and offers all types of resources for helping companies feel more comfortable in making the switch, as well as technical information about how to do so. They even have testimonials, and videos from major companies who have made the switch. If that’s not enough, you can join a live webcast that goes over the details of Google Apps Migration for Microsoft® Exchange.

It looks like the gloves are officially off, here. Google had released tools for migrating from Outlook, Lotus notes, and Blackberry enterprise in the past, but this is going at the core of Microsoft’s business. I wonder if MS will do anything in response.

About the Author
Rahsheen has been a certified geek since before it was the thing to do. He started programming and tinkering in the 4th grade. Now, Rahsheen mostly writes on various sites about technology trends in social media and mobile. . He is also a musician, singer, rapper, writer, and producer. @rahsheen - +Rahsheen Porter - coachrah.com
See all posts by rahsheen.