The Basics: Migrating Encrypted Messages
Our client, a global leader in security software, prides itself on innovation. So, it makes sense that their migration to the cloud would require some innovation and creative problem-solving. They were looking to move from on-premises/cloud Exchange (Office365) to Google Workspace, a cloud-based system by Google (includes Gmail and Google Calendar).
The Goal: Migrating 10,000+ users and 200+ TB of encrypted data from on-premises Microsoft Exchange to Google Workspace.
Migration Type(s)
On-Premises to cloud, Email and calendar
Source
On-Premises Microsoft Exchange (O365)
Target
Google Workspace
Data Volume
10,000+ users / 200+ TB of data
Tools/software used
ArchiveMASH™ + modifications
Company
A global leader in cybersecurity
Industry
Software
Size
10,000+ Employees
Headquarters
USA
“Our initial vendor, even though recommended by Google, couldn’t move the project forward once they hit our encrypted mail. That setback put our entire user community at risk.”
The Roadblocks: Expired Encryption Certificates
The migration was not going to be simple. The client faced:
A large volume of data in encrypted mailboxes with expired encryption certificates. Google rejects any messages with expired certificates.
Requirements for zero data loss, full fidelity, and a tight timeline.
Complex calendar structures, including recurring meetings, shared calendars, and resources.
For a client with years of encrypted emails, the combination of policies effectively locked their data out of their new home with Google Workspace.
At the surface, this migration seemed like an impossible task, and standard migration tools couldn’t bridge the gap. But the risks of business disruptions, massive levels of frustration, and implications for eDiscovery and data compliance meant the client needed a solution.
Bluesource Steps In
The client had faced delays and setbacks when a Google-recommended migration vendor failed to deliver. They were looking for a migration expert they could rely on. Luckily, a member of their team had worked with Bluesource at a previous job and made the necessary introductions.
Complex migrations are nothing new to Bluesource. Even though ArchiveMASH™ couldn’t fully address this encryption scenario going to Google, we’ve tackled similar edge‑case workflows before, so we built the enhancements needed to overcome it.
The Solution: Software Innovation
The tools in the market didn’t work the way we needed, so what did we do? Build something new. Not completely new … we just needed to update our connector to meet this specific need. The Bluesource team are true masters in what the market calls “Edge Cases,” the unusual or unique situations where something doesn’t work quite the way you need it to. In under three weeks, our team provided a full end-to-end proof of concept for this software update to address and move quickly through all the roadblocks. One week later, we were in full production.
Software Capabilities
The modifications enabled our software to:
- Identify the blocked encrypted emails
- Decrypt messages using the expired certificate
- Convert messages into standard EML files
- Migrate everything to Google using their API
“This migration forced us into problem-solving mode. Within just two weeks, our team reconfigured and tested a new workflow in a full proof-of-concept, enabling ArchiveMASH to identify, decrypt, convert, and migrate Microsoft Exchange data to Google Workspace at scale using a historical catalogue of over 25,000 certificates.
The result spoke for itself, the project was a success, with over 10,000+ users migrated in just eight days.”
– Tom Lounsbury, Director of Business Development at Bluesource.
| Detection and Processing | Mail Migration | Calendar Migration |
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The Results: Success on Schedule
With the right tools in place, the actual migration moved quickly. Bluesource moved over 10,000 users in just eight calendar days. The client promptly settled in with Google Workspace.
- Zero data loss: all the encrypted messages migrated into Google Workspace
- Defensible data: full audit logs and chain of custody
- Data integrity: item‑level tracking and hash validation
- Compliance: continuity of retention policies and legal hold
- They had no disruption to day-to-day operations
Plus, we had the opportunity to enhance our software in a way that we can use for future clients facing similar challenges.
Working with Bluesource
This client didn’t allow the thought that “legacy data is stuck in legacy systems” to hold them back from moving to Google Cloud. They found a vendor with the skills and the commitment to solve a seemingly impossible migration. Bluesource succeeded where other vendors couldn’t.
“Bluesource stepped in and immediately changed everything. Their professionalism, clear communication, ArchiveMASH software and deep expertise enabled us to migrate tens of thousands of users on a tight timeline. Their commitment is the reason this migration was ultimately a great success.”
