Client overview
Abelian Holdings is a mid-sized enterprise running daily operations on Google Workspace — Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and Workspace Admin tools across 700+ users. As they scaled and matured, the executive team made the decision to consolidate onto Microsoft 365 to align with internal IT direction, security posture, and long-term governance strategy.
The challenge
A migration of this size is not just an email cutover. It's mail, files, calendars, contacts, identity, and admin posture — moving in coordination, with zero tolerance for downtime, data loss, or lost integrations.
In theory, a straightforward platform swap. In practice, a migration that had to be executed without losing data, dropping logins, or leaving the new environment exposed from day one.
Our role
JD Tech was engaged to lead the full migration end-to-end — planning, execution, validation, and post-cutover support — with full ownership of the technical lift and zero disruption to business operations.
What we did
1. Discovery and migration architecture
- Performed a complete environment audit of Google Workspace — accounts, shared drives, calendar resources, group memberships, and active integrations
- Mapped every user, mailbox, file structure, and dependency to corresponding Microsoft 365 services
- Designed a migration sequence that protected business continuity at every phase
2. Identity and access foundation
- Designed and configured Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) for the client's structure and role model
- Created naming conventions, group strategy, role-based access, and licensing alignment
- Configured the M365 environment to a hardened baseline from day one — Conditional Access policies, MFA enforcement, admin role separation, and data loss prevention controls
3. Mailbox migration (700+ users)
- Migrated all user mailboxes from Gmail to Exchange Online with full fidelity (mail, folders, labels → folders, calendars, contacts, rules)
- Maintained mail flow continuity throughout the transition, including DNS / MX management, SPF / DKIM / DMARC alignment, and dual-delivery handling where needed
- No mail loss, no mailbox downtime
4. Drive and SharePoint migration
- Migrated Google Drive content (My Drive + Shared Drives) to OneDrive and SharePoint
- Re-established permissions, ownership, and shared access patterns in their M365 equivalents
- Preserved file history and structure to keep teams productive immediately post-cutover
5. Cutover and stabilization
- Executed cutover with phased waves to control risk and allow validation
- Provided cutover-day support and rapid issue resolution
- Delivered post-migration optimization, training resources, and admin enablement so the internal team could run M365 with confidence
Results
- 700+ users successfully migrated from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365
- Zero data loss across mail, files, calendars, and contacts
- A secure, properly configured M365 tenant from day one — not retroactively cleaned up later
- Internal teams empowered to operate, manage, and grow the new environment confidently
The impact
Abelian Holdings emerged from the migration on a modern, governed, secure, and scalable platform — fully aligned with their long-term IT strategy. What could have been a high-risk, multi-quarter ordeal was delivered cleanly, on schedule, and with no business disruption.
"A true professional with deep expertise and a hands-on, no-excuses approach."
— Joe Mahoney, Abelian Holdings