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Admin Guide

Lotus Notes to Microsoft 365 Migration Guide

This guide explains how to configure a Lotus Notes Connector and migrate mailboxes from Lotus Notes/Domino to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

12 min read Updated: 2025-12-18 Lotus Notes to Microsoft 365

Overview

This guide explains how to configure a Lotus Notes Connector to use the Cloudiway Platform Mail migration product and migrate to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

Important: Cloudiway migrates between existing user mailboxes and does not provide a tool to provision user mailboxes. Therefore, the user mailboxes must be created in Microsoft 365 prior to the migration.

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How It Works

The Lotus Notes migration requires a local agent installed on a dedicated workstation within your network. This workstation acts as the bridge between your Domino server and the Cloudiway cloud platform.

Pre-Migration Configuration

Before starting the migration, you must set up a migration workstation with the following configuration:

1

Install Lotus Notes Client

Install the Lotus Notes client (version 8.0 or later) on the migration workstation. This client will be used to access mailboxes on the Domino server.

2

Configure Administrator Notes.id

Configure the Notes client with an administrator Notes.id file that has access to all mailboxes on the Domino server. This is essential for the agent to read mailbox content.

3

Install Cloudiway Agent

Download and install the Cloudiway agent on the same workstation. The agent uses the Notes client to access mailboxes remotely.

Migration Architecture

The migration is performed entirely from the workstation:

Workstation runs the Cloudiway agent with Notes client
Agent accesses mailboxes on Domino server via Notes protocol
Data is extracted and sent to Cloudiway cloud platform
Cloudiway writes data to Microsoft 365 target mailboxes

Data Flow Process

The agent connects to the Notes mailbox databases and dumps them locally. Then, it zips and uploads the data to the Cloudiway server. All exchanges are performed over a secure channel (TLS 1.2). Once uploaded to the Cloudiway server, the data is pushed to the target (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Exchange). At the end of the migration, the data uploaded to the Cloudiway server is removed.

1

Local Data Extraction

The agent connects to the Notes mailbox databases on the Domino server and dumps the data locally to the workstation.

2

Compression & Secure Upload

The extracted data is compressed (zipped) and uploaded to the Cloudiway server over a secure TLS 1.2 channel.

3

Push to Target

Once uploaded, Cloudiway pushes the data to the target platform (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Exchange).

4

Data Cleanup

At the end of the migration, all data uploaded to the Cloudiway server is automatically removed.

How it works: The Cloudiway agent uses the Lotus Notes client installed on the workstation to remotely access mailboxes stored on the Domino server. The agent authenticates using the configured Notes.id and reads mailbox content using the native Lotus Notes protocol. The extracted data is then securely transmitted to Cloudiway for migration to Microsoft 365.
Secure Architecture: The Cloudiway platform never connects inbound to your environment. All connections are outbound from your local agent to our cloud platform. Your Domino server does not need to be exposed to the internet.

Prerequisites

To perform the Lotus Notes to Microsoft 365 migration, you need the following:

Workstation with Lotus Notes Client

Lotus Notes client version 8.0 or higher must be installed

Notes.id with Full Access

A Notes.id file that has access to all mailboxes on the Domino server

Domino Server Access

Network access to your Domino server from the agent workstation

Microsoft 365 Target

Microsoft 365 tenant with mailboxes already provisioned

System Requirements

The migration agent workstation must meet the following minimum requirements:

Component Requirement
Lotus Notes Client Version 8.0 or later
.NET Framework Version 4.7.2 minimum
RAM At least 4 GB
Hard Drive At least 100 GB free space
32-bit Limitation: Lotus Notes client is a 32-bit application. Therefore it cannot use more than 4 GB of RAM. This is a Lotus Notes limitation, not a Cloudiway limitation.

What is Migrated

When migrating from Lotus Notes, the following mail-related items can be migrated:

Emails
Contacts
Calendars
Folders
Shared Mailboxes
Archives
Contacts: Lotus Notes contacts are stored locally. However, it is possible to synchronize them on the Notes database stored on the Domino server. Once in the Domino server, contacts can be migrated. Learn how to synchronize Lotus Notes contacts.

Step 1: Create Lotus Notes Connector

First, create a new Lotus Notes connector in the Cloudiway platform:

1

Create New Connector

Go to Connectors > New and select LotusNotes as the connector type.

2

Select Product

Set a connector name and select Mail as the product.

3

Enter Server Name

Enter your Domino server name in the Server Name field. The server name is case-insensitive.

4

Complete Setup

Click NEXT, review your settings, then click COMPLETE.

Lotus Notes connector configuration - Enter Domino server name
Lotus Notes connector configuration: Enter your Domino server name

Step 2: Install Local Agent

After connector creation, click on the Lotus Notes connector to access the download page. You will see both the Agent download and the Configuration file:

Lotus Notes agent download and configuration panel
Agent download and configuration file for Lotus Notes migration
1

Download Agent

Click DOWNLOAD AGENT to get the migration agent. Unzip the downloaded file on the migration workstation.

2

Download Configuration File

Click DOWNLOAD CONFIGURATION FILE to get the JSON configuration file. Place it in the same folder as the agent.

3

Install Agent

Install LotusNotesAgent.exe on a workstation where Lotus Notes client version 8.0 or higher is installed.

4

Configure Notes Identity

Open the Notes client and login with a Notes.id that has access to all mailboxes. Close the Notes client when done.

Configuration File Parameters

The configuration file contains the following important settings:

Parameter Description
AliasDns Cloudiway API endpoint URL
Security.Name API token name (configured in Step 3)
Security.Token API token value (configured in Step 3)
ServerName Your Domino server name
MigrateArchives Set to true to migrate archive mailboxes
MigrateMailboxes Set to true to migrate user mailboxes
TempDirectory Local folder for temporary data storage during migration
Threads Number of parallel migration threads (default: 8)
ExclusionFolders Array of folder names to exclude from migration
Important: The Cloudiway agent will connect to the Domino server using the last logged-in Notes identity. Make sure you login with the correct Notes.id before running the agent.

Step 3: Configure API Token

The agent needs an API token to authenticate with the Cloudiway platform. You must create a Personal Access Token and add it to the configuration file.

Access the APIs Page

Login to the Cloudiway portal and navigate to Account > Apis in the top-right menu:

Personal Access Tokens page in Cloudiway portal
Personal Access Tokens management page

Create a New Token

1

Click + NEW TOKEN

In the Personal Access Tokens section, click + NEW TOKEN to create a new API token.

2

Configure Token Settings

Enter the following information:

  • Token Name: A descriptive name (e.g., "Test_Migration")
  • Project: Select your migration project (e.g., "Mail Migration")
  • Expiration Date: Set a future date for token validity
  • Permissions: Enable Lotus Notes access
3

Save and Copy Token

Click Create. The token value will be displayed only once - copy it immediately!

4

Update Configuration File

Open the configuration file and update the Security section with your token:

"Security": {
    "Name": "Test_Migration",{'
'}    "Token": "your-token-value-here"{'
'}{'}'}
Important: The token value is displayed only once when created. If you lose it, you will need to create a new token.

Step 4: Create Target Connector

Create a target connector for your destination platform. You can migrate to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

Option A: Microsoft 365 Target

Microsoft 365 target connector configuration
Microsoft 365 target connector configuration
1

Create New Connector

Go to Connectors > New, select Microsoft 365 as connector type.

2

Configure Authentication

Choose Automatic mode and enter your Microsoft 365 Global Administrator credentials, then click GRANT ADMIN CONSENT.

3

Complete Setup

Review settings and complete the connector creation.

Documentation: For detailed instructions, refer to our Microsoft 365 Connector Configuration guide.

Option B: Google Workspace Target

Google Workspace target connector configuration
Google Workspace target connector configuration
1

Create New Connector

Go to Connectors > New, select Google Workspace as connector type.

2

Configure Service Account

Choose Automatic mode and sign in with your Google Workspace Super Admin account to authorize access.

3

Enable Domain-Wide Delegation

Follow the prompts to enable domain-wide delegation for the Cloudiway service account in your Google Admin Console.

4

Complete Setup

Review settings and complete the connector creation.

Documentation: For detailed instructions, refer to our Google Workspace Connector Configuration guide.

Option C: Exchange On-Premises Target

You can also migrate Lotus Notes to an on-premises Exchange server using EWS (Exchange Web Services).

1

Create New Connector

Go to Connectors > New, select Exchange On Premises as connector type.

2

Enter EWS URL

Enter your Exchange Web Services endpoint URL: https://your-exchange-server/EWS/Exchange.asmx

3

Select Authentication Mode

Choose your authentication method:

  • Impersonation: Migration account impersonates each user (requires ApplicationImpersonation role)
  • Delegation: Migration account has Full Access rights to each mailbox
  • Self Service: Each user provides their own credentials
4

Complete Setup

Enter the migration account credentials and complete the connector creation.

Documentation: For detailed instructions, refer to our Exchange Configuration guide.

Step 5: Run Migration

Now you can configure the migration settings, populate the user list, and run the migration.

Configure Global Settings

Navigate to Mails > Global Settings to configure your migration options:

Mail migration global settings
Mail migration global settings configuration

Key settings to configure:

Setting Description
Source Connector Select your Lotus Notes connector
Target Connector Select your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace connector
Migration Scope Choose what to migrate: Emails, Contacts, Calendars, or all
Date Filter Optionally filter items by date range

Populate User List

Navigate to Mails > User List to add users for migration. There are three ways to populate the user list:

Discovery (Get List)

Automatically discover all users from the Domino directory.

Import User List

Upload a CSV file with the list of users to migrate.

Create Manual Entry

Manually add individual users one by one.

Option 1: Discovery (Get List)

Under MIGRATION, click on the Get List option:

Get List menu option
Migration > Get List option

Specify the following parameters:

1

Source Pool

Select the Lotus Notes source connector you created earlier.

2

Target Pool

Select the Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace target connector.

3

Matching Rule

Choose how source emails should be mapped to target emails:

  • Mail Exact Match: source email = target email
  • Keep Email Prefix Same as Source: only the domain changes
  • FirstName.LastName: (e.g., [email protected])
4

Target Domain

Specify the target domain for the migrated users.

Agent Required: The Get List feature for Lotus Notes requires the local agent to be running. The agent queries the Domino directory (names.nsf) to retrieve the list of users.

Option 2: Import User List

Click on MANAGE > Import to upload a CSV file containing the users to migrate.

Import users dialog
Import users from CSV file
1

CSV File

Click on BROWSE to select your CSV file. You can click Download sample csv to get a template file.

2

Source Connectors Pool

Select the Lotus Notes source connector.

3

Target Connectors Pool

Select the target connector (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace).

CSV Format: For more details on the syntax of the CSV file, read our guide: How to Fill the Users/Groups CSV File

Option 3: Create Manual Entry

Click on MANAGE > Create to manually add individual users. Enter the source Lotus Notes email address and the target email address for each user.

Run Audit (Recommended)

Before migrating, run an Audit task to assess mailbox sizes and identify potential issues:

1

Select Users

Select the users you want to audit using the checkboxes.

2

Start Audit

Click MIGRATION > Audit to start the audit process.

3

Review Results

Check the audit results to see mailbox sizes, item counts, and any errors.

Execute Migration

Once you have reviewed the audit results, you can start the migration:

1

Select Users or Batches

Select the users you want to migrate. You can migrate all users at once or create batches for phased migration.

2

Start Migration

Click MIGRATION > Start to begin the migration process.

3

Monitor Progress

Monitor the migration progress in the dashboard. You can see the status of each user and any errors that occur.

4

Delta Migration (Optional)

Run a delta migration to sync any new items that were created after the initial migration.

Tip: For large migrations, we recommend migrating in batches and running delta migrations to minimize downtime and ensure all recent data is synchronized.

Other Migration Options

Shared Mailbox Migration

Shared mailboxes can also be migrated in a similar way.

For this, create a file named LotusSharedMailboxes.csv in the same directory than the agent.

Here is the format (header row):

email;servername;sharedmailbox path

Example: [email protected];domino01;mail\sharedmailbox1.nsf

email is the email address of the shared mailbox.
servername is the Domino server name where the shared mailbox is stored.
path is the folder location on the shared mailbox on the Domino server.

Archive Migration

Cloudiway solution allows to migrate Lotus Archives.

First, you need to enable this setting in the configuration.json where you must set MigrateArchives = true.
Lotus Notes archive migration is managed directly from the Notes agent, not from the Cloudiway platform. The Archive view under mail migration is not used by Lotus Notes migration.

Instead, you must create a file named LotusArchives.csv in the same directory than the agent. This is where you will define the location of the archives.
Archives can be stored in a Domino server or in a network path.

Format of LotusArchives.csv

The CSV file must contain a header row with the following data:

email;NetworkFile;servername;archive path

email is the user email address associated with the archive;
NetworkFile is a boolean (true | false) that specifies if the archive is hosted on a network share (true) or on a Domino server (false);
Servername is the Domino server name where the archive is stored.
path is the folder location on the archive.

On a Domino server, it would be the relative path of the nsf archive file, for instance, archive\archivefile.nsf
On a network drive, it would be the path of the archive. For example, if the file is stored in \\NasServer\Archives, you can first map it to a drive (net use h: \\NasServer\Archives)
the path of the archive in the CSV file would then be h:\archivefile.nsf

Example of csv file:

email;NetworkFile;servername;archive path
[email protected];true;;h:\bobarchive.nsf
[email protected];false;domino01;archive\johnarchive.nsf

If a user has multiple archives, you must reference all the archives in the csv file, for instance:

email;NetworkFile;servername;archive path
[email protected];true;;h:\bobarchive1.nsf
[email protected];true;;h:\bobarchive2.nsf
[email protected];true;;h:\bobarchive3.nsf
Important note: Lotus archives are always migrated to the Microsoft 365 online archive. If your target user does not have an archive, the migration will fail.

Running Multiple Agents

If you want to run more migrations in parallel, you need to setup several workstations.
Let's say that you want to run 4 agents simultaneously:

Install 4 Workstations and configure 4 Notes clients.
Create 4 Notes Connector.
On each workstation, download the agent of 1 connector and its associated configuration.json.
Warning Do not use the same configuration.json on multiple agents/computers.

It would have unpredictable results such as automatically stopping migrations running on other agents.

In the cloudiway User List, dispatch your users among the different connectors.
Now, when you will schedule the migration of 1 user, it will start on the associated agent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cloudiway connect directly to my Lotus Notes server?

No. Cloudiway uses an on-premises agent that you install on a workstation with Lotus Notes client. The agent communicates outbound to the Cloudiway platform - the platform never connects to your environment.

What Lotus Notes version is required?

You need Lotus Notes client version 8.0 or higher installed on the workstation where the Cloudiway agent runs.

How do I migrate personal contacts from Lotus Notes?

To migrate personal contacts, each user must first replicate their personal contacts into their mailbox (NSF database) stored on the Domino server by starting the Lotus Notes Client and logging in.

What if I get "Database names.nsf not found" error?

This error typically means the server name configured in your source connector is incorrect. Check the name and correct it if wrong, or verify server accessibility from the agent workstation.

What if I get "user mailFile Not found" error?

This error occurs when the platform cannot find the NSF file of a migrating user. Make sure the user exists in your source domain and is spelled correctly in the platform, then restart the migration.

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