To create a remote mailbox for an existing user, you can convert the on-premises user to a hybrid Azure user with an Office 365 automation workflow and a hybrid migration script, based on the built-in Sample Azure Hybrid Migration script.
The Sample Azure Hybrid Migration script is available at the following location in the Active Roles Console:
Configuration > Script Modules > Builtin > Sample Azure Hybrid Migration
The remote mailbox workflow, on the other hand, is available at the following location in the Active Roles Console:
Configuration > Policies > Workflow > Builtin > Sample Azure Hybrid Migration
Prerequisites
To create remote mailboxes via hybrid migration with the Sample Azure Hybrid Migration script, your organization must meet the following requirements:
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To enable remote mailboxes, the Exchange management tools of an on-premises Exchange 2013 (or later) installation must be available.
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The Active Roles service account must be a part of the Recipient Management management role group to run Exchange hybrid commands.
To configure and run the Sample Azure Hybrid Migration script
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Depending on whether you want to enable or disable remote mailboxes, use one of the following functions:
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EnableRemoteMailBox: Use this function to enable remote mailboxes for the users in the workflow scope. Select EnterExchangeCreds_params as the function to declare parameters in the script, then provide the Exchange user name and password to run the EnableRemoteMailBox function in workflow.
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DisableRemoteMailBox: Use this function to disable remote mailboxes for the users in the workflow scope. Select EnterExchangeCreds_params as the function to declare parameters in the script, then provide the Exchange user name, password and Exchange recipient type details to run the DisableRemoteMailBox function in workflow.
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Make sure to specify the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of the Exchange Server in the script, and that you modify the required code blocks. For more information on declaring script parameters, see Script activity.
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After the script is modified, enable or copy the default Sample Azure Hybrid Migration workflow and run it.
By default, a remote mailbox is created for users with a valid Exchange Online license and who have no on-premises Exchange mailbox. For more information on creating a remote mailbox for new users, see Creating a new hybrid Azure user with the Active Roles Web Interface.
NOTE: One Identity provides the Remote mailbox migration (RemoteMailbox.ps1) script as a sample script to illustrate the required steps of creating remote mailboxes.
Do not use the script in a production environment without the required modifications and enhancements. Using security credentials within a script in clear text is never secure. When testing the script, consider the appropriate authentication and use of credentials. After testing, do not leave any credentials in clear text in the script.
For more information, see Knowledge Base Article 310525.
After creating a remote mailbox, you can manage it through the Active Roles Console and the Web Interface. Console supports the following administration actions:
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Exchange General
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View or change the alias
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View or change the option to use MAPI rich text format
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Hide the user or contact from Exchange address lists
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View or change custom attributes
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Exchange Advanced
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View or change the simple display name
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Downgrade high priority mail bound for X.400.
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View or change the Internet Locator Service (ILS) settings
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Email Address
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View, add, edit or remove email addresses
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View or change the default reply address for each address type
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View or change the external email address
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Set the option to update email addresses based on email address policy
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Mail flow Settings
For more information on Exchange Online Properties, see Viewing or modifying the Exchange Online properties of a remote mailbox.
To import Azure or M365 Windows PowerShell modules, and run their corresponding M365 services within existing Active Roles workflows, configure M365 automation workflows. These workflows support running scripts from the following Windows PowerShell modules:
Creating a new M365 automation workflow has the following steps:
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In the Configuration > Script Modules node of the Active Roles Console (also known as the MMC Interface), create the new M365 script that you want to run with the new M365 automation workflow.
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In the New Workflow wizard, configure the new M365 automation workflow.
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With the O365 script execution configuration activity of the Workflow Designer, specify the Azure tenant to which the configured workflow will apply.
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Import the new M365 script into the workflow created in the first step.
NOTE: By default, Active Roles does not select any Azure tenants automatically after you configured a new workflow with the New Workflow wizard. After the workflow is created, configure one in the Workflow Editor, otherwise the workflow will fail with the following error message:
Select a configured Azure tenant from the Select a Tenant to configure O365 Services drop-down list. Alternatively, under Parameter values, provide a valid Tenant ID, Tenant Name, Application (Client) ID and Application (Client) Certificate Thumbprint to override Azure tenant details from the workflow.
For more information on how to configure an M365 automation workflow, see Creating a Microsoft 365 automation workflow. For a list of sample M365 workflow scripts, see Sample Office 365 workflow scripts.
To import Azure or Microsoft 365 Windows PowerShell modules, and run their scripts within existing Active Roles workflows, configure a Microsoft 365 (M365) automation workflow.
Prerequisites
Before starting the configuration of an M365 automation workflow, make sure that the following conditions are met:
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The following Windows PowerShell modules are installed on the system running Active Roles:
If these PowerShell modules are not installed, Active Roles cannot run workflows that include M365 PowerShell script execution activities.
NOTE: Consider the following when planning to use the Exchange Online Management module:
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To run a Sample Azure Hybrid Migration script, an on-premises Microsoft Exchange deployment must be available.
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As Exchange Online is connected to Exchange Online PowerShell, make sure that the https://outlook.office365.com/powershell-liveid/ URL is not blocked in your organization domain, and that network connectivity is available.
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You already created the M365 script module to use as a script activity with the M365 automation workflow. For more information, see Script activity.
To create a Microsoft 365 automation workflow
- In the Active Roles Console (also known as the MMC Interface), expand Configuration > Policies.
- To launch the New Workflow wizard, right-click Workflow, and select New > Workflow in the context menu.
- On the Name and Description page, enter a Name and optionally, a Description for the new workflow.
- On the Workflow Type page, under This workflow is intended to start, select On user demand or on a scheduled basis (automation workflow).
- On the Completion page, click Finish.
- To configure the Azure tenant connection settings of the new M365 automation workflow, double-click the workflow to open the Workflow Designer, then click Basic Activities > O365 script execution configuration.
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Specify the Azure tenant with one of the available methods:
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Under Select a Tenant to configure O365 Services, select the Azure tenant you want to use with the automation workflow. This setting lists all Azure tenants that are configured in the Active Roles Configuration Center, as described in Configuring a new Azure tenant and consenting Active Roles as an Azure application.
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Alternatively, to provide the Azure tenant connection details manually, click the parameters under Parameter values, and specify the Tenant ID, Tenant Name, Application (Client) ID, and Application (Client) Certificate Thumbprint of the Azure tenant as they appear on the Azure portal.
NOTE: Providing the Azure tenant details manually overrides the selection of the Select a Tenant to configure O365 Services drop-down list.
To apply your changes, click OK.
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To specify the M365 script to use in the workflow, click Basic Activities > Script.
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In the Script Activity window, in the General tab, specify the Name (and optionally, the Description) of the M365 script.
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To select the M365 script to use in the automation workflow, click Script to use > Browse, then select your M365 script in the Script Modules tree.
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To apply your changes, click OK.
NOTE: The configured workflow will run successfully only if the specified script is well-formed and complete.