Microsoft has announced that Skype for Business Online will be retired on July 31, 2021, after which it will no longer be accessible or supported. It is recommended that organizations migrate to Teams at the earliest, giving their users enough time to adapt to the new application. The following are the steps to upgrade to Teams from a Skype for Business on-premises environment.
Step 1: Configure hybrid connectivity
One of the key prerequisites for Teams upgrade from Skype for Business on-premises is hybrid connectivity. Start by reading Plan hybrid connectivity and then follow the tasks outlined in Configure hybrid connectivity.
Step 2: Configure transitional coexistence mode
The TeamsOnly mode is the final level of upgrade where all your users will be using only the Teams app to chat, make calls, conduct meetings, and more. To make the transition more convenient to your users, you may choose to configure one of the Skype for Business coexistence modes for your users. This step is optional and may not be necessary if your organization is ready to upgrade to the TeamsOnly mode.
Step 3: Upgrade to TeamsOnly mode
Moving your users to TeamsOnly mode may require two or more steps depending on your current environment. For more information, see Move users between on-premises and the cloud and Move users from on-premises to Teams.
Manage Microsoft Teams with M365 Manager Plus.
Once the upgrade to Teams is complete, M365 Manager Plus can help you effectively manage your Teams environment. M365 Manager Plus is a complete Microsoft 365 administrative solution that offers an extensive set of features to effortlessly manage Microsoft Teams from a single, user-friendly console.
Bulk management: Create, update and delete teams, channels, team members, team policies, and more, in bulk by importing a simple CSV file.
Detailed reporting: Gain deep insights into team sizes, user activity, device usage, and more, with pre-configured, comprehensive reports.
Granular auditing: Detect unusual activities or events by auditing team creation, user sign-ins, channel creation, and more.
24x7 monitoring: Ensure around-the-clock monitoring of Microsoft Teams' features and endpoints.
Instant alerting: Get instant alerts for critical events via email. Configure custom alert profiles for Microsoft Teams activities.
Task automation: Automate repetitive management tasks with customized automation policies to save time and enhance productivity.
Help desk delegation: Create custom help desk roles and delegate Teams management, auditing, and more, to non-admin users to reduce admin workload.
To know more about managing your Microsoft 365 environment using M365 Manager Plus, click here.
