Migrate Rackspace Emails to AWS: Enterprise Migration Guide

Prerequisites to Switch from Rackspace to AWS

Confirm all the following before touching either mailbox:

• An active Rackspace email account with IMAP access enabled (server: secure.emailsrvr.com, port 993, SSL/TLS)
• Your Amazon WorkMail organization already has mailboxes pre-created for your target users.
• WorkMail IMAP endpoint in the AWS Region (e.g. imap.mail.us-east-1.awsapps.com, port 993)
• Administrator credentials for both platforms, as well as a list of mailboxes and their storage sizes.
• If you prefer the manual method, use a desktop email client such as Mozilla Thunderbird.

Manual Method to Convert Rackspace Webmail to Amazon Workmail

A manual Rackspace to Amazon WorkMail migration can be performed using an IMAP-compatible client such as Mozilla Thunderbird. Since both platforms support IMAP, administrators can configure source and destination accounts and copy mailbox data. This approach requires no specialized third-party transfer permissions but does require an active Amazon WorkMail organization and target mailbox. It is ideal to migrate emails when you have limited mailboxes.

Steps to Migrate Rackspace to AWS Manually

1. Create and enable the destination mailbox in Amazon WorkMail and confirm that the user can access it.
2. Add the Rackspace account to Thunderbird or another IMAP client using secure.emailsrvr.com, port 993 with SSL/TLS, and the account credentials.
3. Add the Amazon WorkMail account using its regional IMAP endpoint, port 993 with SSL/TLS, and configure the regional SMTP settings if required.
4. Copy messages from the Rackspace Inbox to the related WorkMail Inbox, keeping the source messages intact until verification.
5. Repeat the process for Sent, Drafts, and custom folders to preserve the required mailbox structure and messages.
6. Allow synchronization to complete before closing the email client, as large mailboxes may take significant time to upload.
7. Verify the migration by comparing message counts and checking important emails, attachments, dates, and folders in both accounts.
8. Update the domain’s MX records to Amazon WorkMail after verification and monitor the Rackspace mailbox for any messages received during DNS propagation.

Limitations of the Manual Method to Migrate Emails from Rackspace to AWS

Copying folders by hand works, but it does not scale gracefully.

• Every mailbox needs its own session; there is no batch mode.
• IMAP cannot carry contacts, calendars, or rules, only emails and folder structure.
• Interrupted transfers can create duplicates with no built-in way to detect them.
• There is no migration report for a compliance officer afterward.
• Large archives, tens of gigabytes and up, can tie up a workstation for hours.

Before choosing to migrate mailboxes manually, administrators should consider the mailbox volume and available migration time. 

Professional Method to Migrate Rackspace Emails to AWS

SysInfo IMAP Email Backup Tool is a professional solution for IMAP email migration and backup. It supports secure OAuth 2.0 authentication, including Amazon WorkMail. The tool preserves folder structure, sender and recipient details, and timestamps while allowing date-based filtering. This makes it useful for organizations managing multiple mailboxes to migrate mailboxes and avoid duplicate data.

Steps to Migrate Rackspace to AWS Using SysInfoTools

1. Install and launch the tool, select Single or Batch CSV Mode, enter credentials or upload a CSV file, and click Continue.
2. Browse and select the required mailbox folder, view email count and properties, and click Continue Filtering.
3. Select the Email Client from the destination filter option page, then Login to the destination account.
4. Apply the Mail filter and Migration operation filter according to your needs, like Skip Previously Migrated, Date filters, Migration Cleanup, Miscellaneous Option, and more.
5. Track the progress of your migration from your dashboard and view the final report once completed.

Manual Method vs. SysInfoTools to Migrate Emails from Rackspace to AWS

A successful Rackspace to AWS Migration should also include proper verification and documentation before the source accounts are retired. Small teams with a handful of mailboxes can manage the manual route. Past a dozen accounts, or where compliance needs documented proof, the balance shifts toward dedicated software.

Conclusion

Choose a migration method based on your mailbox size and migration requirements. To migrate Rackspace Emails to AWS, manual migration works well for one or a limited number of mailboxes. However, moving multiple mailboxes, large archives, filtering, duplicate management, batch processing, and detailed reporting require specialized professional software. Before migrating mailboxes, organizations should review migrated mailboxes and folder structures to ensure proper inbound and outbound mail flow after migration.

Frequently Asked Questions

About The Author:

Simran Bhatia

Simran Bhatia is a technical content writer engaged in writing clear, concise, and SEO-optimized content. With a background in computer science and a passion for writing, I thrive to deliver complex technical content in simple layman terms.