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Case Study · Email Migration

Zimbra to Google Workspace:
50+ Users, Zero Disruption

A professional services firm needed to leave their on-premise Zimbra server behind and go fully cloud-first — without losing their archive, domain, or distribution lists. Iron Cove delivered the complete migration in two months.

Call (213) 545-0601
50+Users Migrated
2 moProject Duration
0Lost Emails
100%Cloud-First

The Situation

Our client — a professional services firm with over 50 staff — was running Zimbra as their on-premise email server. Leadership had decided to go 100% cloud-first, and /consulting/microsoft-office-365:microsoft-365-vs-google-workspace:Google Workspace}} was the natural fit: most users were already familiar with Gmail and Docs, and switching to a completely unfamiliar platform wasn't on the table. The challenge wasn't the destination — it was getting there cleanly.

Challenges

  • ✕On-premise Zimbra server with 50+ individual user accounts — costly to maintain and scale
  • ✕Existing email archive had to be preserved and migrated intact
  • ✕Custom domain must stay active with zero disruption during cutover
  • ✕Large volume of Zimbra shared-folder aliases needed to be recreated as Google Groups
  • ✕Team had never completed a full email migration — needed a guided, low-disruption process

What We Did

Iron Cove handled every aspect of the migration — from pre-flight inventory through post-cutover decommissioning. The firm had never migrated a mail platform before, so we built the project plan, maintained full transparency in Teamwork, and answered every question along the way.

Archive Preservation

All historical email was migrated and preserved in each user's Google Workspace mailbox — nothing left behind.

Domain Continuity

The client's existing email domain was retained throughout, with MX records updated seamlessly at cutover.

Alias & Group Mapping

Every Zimbra shared-folder alias was mapped to the equivalent Google Group, maintaining all distribution workflows.

Transparent Communication

All project status, decisions, and milestones tracked in Teamwork — the client always knew exactly where things stood.

How It Unfolded

1

Discovery & Planning

Inventoried all 50+ accounts, aliases, and archive data. Defined cutover plan and success criteria.

2

Google Workspace Provisioning

Created user accounts, groups, and OU structure in the new environment ahead of data migration.

3

Alias & Group Configuration

Rebuilt all Zimbra distribution lists as Google Groups, preserving membership and routing behavior.

4

Data Migration

Ran parallel mail migration, transferring archives in batches to avoid disruption to active users.

5

DNS Cutover & Go-Live

Updated MX records and validated delivery end-to-end. Staff on standby for day-one support.

6

Post-Migration Cleanup

Decommissioned Zimbra server after a stabilization period. All users confirmed fully operational.

The Outcome

The migration completed in two months. Every user account was live in /consulting/microsoft-office-365:microsoft-365-vs-google-workspace:Google Workspace}} with their full email history intact. The domain transitioned without interruption. All Zimbra distribution aliases were recreated as Google Groups and confirmed operational. The on-premise Zimbra server was decommissioned, and the firm is now fully cloud-first — with no plans to look back.

Planning an Email Migration?

Whether you're moving from Zimbra, Exchange, or another platform to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 — we've done it. Let's talk through your situation.

Or call us: (213) 545-0601

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