Validation
Post-migration testing and verification procedures.
Overview
Validation ensures that migrated systems and data are functioning correctly in the new self-hosted environment. A thorough validation process catches issues early and builds confidence in the new platform before full cutover.
Key Areas to Validate
User Access
The first priority is confirming that users can authenticate successfully. Verify that login works with the correct credentials and that permissions are properly assigned based on user roles. If single sign-on was configured, test the SSO flow to ensure tokens are being issued and validated correctly.
Data Integrity
Data integrity validation confirms that all files transferred completely and accurately. Compare file counts between source and destination systems, verify that file sizes match the originals, and check that timestamps were preserved during migration. Spot-check important documents by opening them to confirm content integrity.
Email Functionality
Email validation requires testing both sending and receiving capabilities. Confirm that folder structures and existing messages transferred intact. Verify that email aliases and distribution lists function as expected, and test that mail routing delivers messages to the correct destinations.
Document Search
Search functionality depends on proper indexing of migrated content. Verify that searches return expected results for known documents. Confirm that all documents are accessible through search results, and check that indexing has completed for the full document corpus.
Testing Approach
Smoke Testing
Smoke testing provides quick verification of basic functionality before deeper testing begins. Run a login test to confirm authentication works, send a test email to verify mail flow, search for a known document to test the search index, and access several key files to confirm storage connectivity.
User Acceptance Testing
User acceptance testing has actual users verify the system meets their needs. Users should confirm their data is present and accessible, verify that their daily workflows still function correctly, and assess whether performance is acceptable for their tasks.
Load Testing
Load testing validates system behavior under realistic usage conditions. Test concurrent user access to identify bottlenecks, transfer large files to verify storage performance, and run search queries under load to ensure the search infrastructure scales appropriately.
Common Issues
Authentication Problems
Authentication failures typically stem from incorrect credentials, certificate validation issues, or domain configuration problems. Check that usernames and passwords were migrated correctly, verify SSL certificates are valid and trusted, and confirm DNS records point to the correct servers.
Missing Data
Missing data usually results from incomplete transfers, permission errors during migration, or format incompatibilities between systems. Re-run transfer jobs for missing items, check source system permissions, and verify file format support in the destination system.
Performance Issues
Performance problems often manifest as slow searches, network bottlenecks, or resource constraints. Review search index configuration, check network bandwidth between components, and monitor CPU, memory, and disk usage to identify resource limitations.
Validation Checklist
Before declaring migration complete, confirm that all users can authenticate successfully, email send and receive functionality works correctly, files are accessible with proper permissions, search returns accurate results, backup jobs are running successfully, and monitoring systems are actively tracking the new environment.
Next Steps
Once validation completes successfully, proceed to user communication and training. Review the migration overview for next steps, and consult the common concepts guide for ongoing maintenance procedures.