Migration problems

[andrewl]

I would like to share my migration to Zimbra frustration.

Last week I installed OS Zimbra server for a small workgroup of users.
Installation went great and I had the server running in no time. It was really pleasant and good experience. Server is fast and responsive. UI is very modern and pretty.

Unfortunately I am unable to get my user's data to the system:

1. I used Thunderbird to copy local folders to Zimbra imap, but dates were lost. I searched forums and found out about the user/tb workarround.
I managed to import Inboxes, but Send arrived with messed-up "To" field.

2. I moved mailboxes to Evolution and imported again - same problem
3. Exported to ems and Outlook Express - same problem.
4. Exported to Communigate imap server and used imapsync. - same problem.
5. Exported to Outlook and used wizard to import - "To" field arrived OK, but dates are all the same.

I exhausted all the possible migration paths I could think of. It is really a shame, but I was so close..

Me feels bad.

[dkarp]

At present, we only track "To" information for messages that were "sent by me". When you use IMAP to add messages to your mailbox, we check the From: header against the email address and aliases of the mailbox you're adding the message to. If the From: header matches, it's marked as "sent by me" and the "To" column should be set properly.

So I'd think that if you create an alias for your user that matches the From: header on the imported messages, everything should work properly. You can even get rid of the alias once you're finished with the import.

[tbullock]

Well I'll tell you what. I am probably going to get some really negative feedback here, but what the hell. I am a 'tough love' administrator.

So, what was my solution to my "Outlook" users? I didn't import squat except for contacts, including my own email history. Lead by example right?

I like the saying, "It's e-mail, not rocket science."

Most people have a load of crap stored up over years in their POP3 clients anyway in my opinion. I imported contacts and left their POP3 clients intact for "reference", when they wanted to look back and "see what I sent" etc.

After a few weeks, enough history is built up in their webmail client that these reference checks become fewer and farther between. I can't remember the last time I checked my old POP3 client for an old message.

And I saved myself a big headache and Gigabytes of disk space that would have been wasted with 'x' number of years of e-mail history.

[andrewl]

dkarp,
Thank you for the workarraound. I will try it tonight and let you know if it worked.

EDIT:
Zimbra alows to create aliases only for one domain, so I am back in square one.
All the messages are @myprovidersdomain.com.

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by andrewl

dkarp,
Thank you for the workarraound. I will try it tonight and let you know if it worked.

EDIT:
Zimbra alows to create aliases only for one domain, so I am back in square one.
All the messages are @myprovidersdomain.com.

No it doesnn't. You can create an alias for any domain in the system, create a new domain then add the alias to a user account for that domain. What you can't do is add an alias for a domain that doesn't exist in Zimbra.

[andrewl]

Bill,
I was under the ipression that user cannot be a member of multiple domains.
Thanks.

[phoenix]

Obviously you can't have an alias on a user account that is already on another account or as a user. What you can do is create a user that belongs to domain1.com and give them an alias for domain2.com, domain3.com and so on. It's on the Accounts/Alias tab in the admin gui. I have my system set-up to handle two domains, one internal and one external all users belong to the primary internal domain and I have aliases to users for the external domain.

[andrewl]

Bill,

I just imported a small batch and it works as a charm.
Every day we learn something new.

Thanks for all your help. Zimbra rocks.

[phoenix]

Glad it works, enjoy.