Migration from mail.mil to army.mil
The United States Army has undergone a significant migration from its old email system, mail.mil, to its new email system, army.mil. Here's a brief overview of the migration process:
Why the migration?
The Army's old email system, mail.mil, was outdated and no longer met the needs of the modern Army. The system was slow, unreliable, and lacked advanced features. The Army needed a new email system that was more secure, scalable, and user-friendly.
The new email system: army.mil
The Army's new email system, army.mil, is a cloud-based email platform that provides a more modern and secure way of communicating. The system is built on the Microsoft Office 365 platform and offers a range of features, including:
- Advanced security features, such as multi-factor authentication and data loss prevention
- Improved collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint
- Enhanced mobility and accessibility, allowing users to access their email from anywhere
- Better spam and malware protection
- Integration with other Army systems and applications
Migration process
The migration process was a complex and phased effort that involved several steps:
- Planning and preparation: The Army's IT team worked with various stakeholders to plan and prepare for the migration. This included identifying and addressing potential issues, developing a migration plan, and training users on the new system.
- Domain name system (DNS) changes: The Army updated its DNS settings to point to the new email system.
- Email account creation: The Army created new email accounts for all users and migrated existing mail.mil accounts to the new system.
- Data migration: The Army migrated user data, including email messages, contacts, and calendar information, from the old system to the new system.
- Testing and validation: The Army tested the new system to ensure it was working correctly and validated that all user data had been successfully migrated.
- Rollout: The Army rolled out the new email system to all users, with a phased approach to minimize disruptions.
Challenges and benefits
The migration process was not without its challenges. Some of the challenges included:
- User resistance to change
- Technical issues, such as connectivity problems and data corruption
- Integration issues with other Army systems and applications
However, the benefits of the migration have been significant. The new email system has improved the Army's ability to communicate and collaborate, and has provided a more secure and reliable way of exchanging information. The system has also improved user productivity and has reduced the Army's IT costs.
Overall, the migration from mail.mil to army.mil has been a significant achievement for the United States Army, and has positioned the organization for success in the digital age.