This article refers to the Barracuda PST Enterprise version 3.1 or higher.
Barracuda PST Enterprise provides a number of options for moving PST files into Microsoft Exchange, to meet the needs of medium to large enterprises.
Barracuda PST Enterprise runs as a client-side application, typically launched via a login script or executed using tools like SCCM. Each client reaches out to the central server and asks the server for instructions on a regular basis. Clients report into the PST Enterprise central server and their actions are reported centrally and follow pre-defined policies. As PST files are discovered on clients, an administrator can define the criteria used to map these to individual users and then apply default policies. The workflow for the policies can be set to automatically import data into Exchange, or leave some options open, such as allowing end-users to categorize PST files based on what they know about their old content.
Once you have identified what retention policies should be applied, you can begin the physical migration process. If you are migrating to an Exchange server or a hosted solution, watch that do not overload your own enforced (or licensed, in the case of Office 365) mailbox quotas. Applying retention policies aids greatly in this process; so, too, will a staged migration.
You will want to stage migration to occur in phases for a number of reasons. The first is simply for quality control and monitoring, so you can evaluate the results and make any adjustments before you migrate the next phase. The second is that you probably want to schedule migrations to occur during non-peak network hours, since any migration requires physical movement of files across your network by only migrating necessary data. The risk is that you may incur storage bloat. You can work to avoid storage bloat by using the archive to retain any data that is not in active use. Advanced automated solutions allow PST migration to be scheduled and automated with very little IT staff intervention.