Free/Busy Coexistence
Enable cross-platform calendar availability lookups between Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Exchange during migration.
Overview
Free/Busy is part of Cloudiway's coexistence tool suite. It manages cross-platform communication with no impact on end-users, enabling calendar availability lookups across different email systems seamlessly.
Seamless User Experience
Users can schedule meetings with colleagues on different platforms without knowing which system they use. The Free/Busy lookup happens transparently in the background.
Supported Systems
Free/Busy coexistence supports the following platforms:
Google Workspace
Gmail & Google Calendar
Microsoft 365
Exchange Online
Exchange On-Premises
2013 and later
How It Works
When a user schedules a meeting and adds an attendee from another platform, the following process occurs:
The originating platform (e.g., Google Calendar) detects the recipient doesn't belong to its user directory.
The free/busy request routes to Cloudiway's intermediary service.
Cloudiway identifies which system hosts the recipient's mailbox.
The appropriate system queries the recipient's calendar for availability.
Free/busy information returns through Cloudiway back to the originating user.
Architecture Types
Cloudiway supports multiple deployment architectures for Free/Busy coexistence:
Full Cloud
Connects two SaaS platforms, such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
On-Premises/Cloud
Links a SaaS platform with Exchange 2013 or later on-premises.
Hybrid
Integrates Google Workspace with Office 365/Exchange hybrid environments.
Shared Domain
Manages availability when both platforms use the same email domain.
Multi-System Support
The system supports multiple connectors simultaneously, enabling three- or four-way communication across different messaging systems.
Limitations
The following scenarios are not supported:
- Google-to-Google lookups - Both users on Google Workspace
- Shared SMTP domains - When O365 and Google share the same domain without proper routing
- Free Gmail accounts - Consumer Gmail accounts associated with work emails