Google Apps for Education Migration Under Way! - Going Google!

We have followed many blog posts, viewed webinars, asked questions, read documentation and have decided to lead our region in converting to cloud-based email and groupware solution.

We have officially announced to our staff and administration that we are preparing for a summer migration to Google Apps for Education to replace our existing messaging and groupware solution.

To date we have:

• Set up two Google Apps for Education domains. One for staff and one for students.
• Registered a new, shorter domain name for shorter, easier email addresses. (may as well complicate the migration by changing everyone's email address. If I have to take two shots, give them to me all at once.)
• Transitioned our Technology Services team to the new system for testing and familiarity.
• Begin working with Directory Sync to tie user accounts into the Active Directory system for user account management and account deployment.
• Enacted a communications plan including our Technology Services blog, NASDtech wiki, email announcements to all staff, several administrative meeting announcements, and more.
• Set up the support site template and started customization. We'll use this in the transition and hopefully as part of the training plan.
• Established a Diigo list to share Google Apps bookmarks, articles, and resources.
• Researching our archiving solution.
• Monitoring the impact that hosted email might have on our bandwidth

There are many tasks being done and so many more to do. I hope to outline our journey here.

We have hit our first snag. Apparently Google Apps Directory Sync does not sync password changes from Active Directory. We may need a 3rd party to assist with the APIs.

Please check back frequently to follow our journey to the clouds!