Microsoft 365 Connector Configuration

8 min read Updated on December 1, 2024 Cloudiway Team

Overview

The Microsoft 365 connector enables Cloudiway to access your Office 365 tenant for migration, coexistence, and synchronization operations. This guide covers both automatic and manual configuration methods.

Connector Capabilities

  • Email migration (Exchange Online)
  • File migration (OneDrive/SharePoint)
  • Teams migration
  • GAL synchronization
  • Free/Busy coexistence
  • Mail routing

Configuration Methods

Cloudiway offers two ways to configure your Microsoft 365 connector:

Automatic Configuration (Recommended)

The automatic method is the fastest way to set up your connector. It uses Global Administrator credentials to:

  • Automatically retrieve tenant information
  • Create the required Azure AD application
  • Configure all necessary API permissions
  • Grant admin consent
  1. Log in to the Cloudiway Portal
  2. Navigate to Connectors → Add Connector
  3. Select Microsoft 365
  4. Choose Automatic Configuration
  5. Click Sign in with Microsoft
  6. Authenticate with a Global Administrator account
  7. Review and accept the permissions
  8. The connector is automatically configured
Automatic connector configuration interface
Automatic connector configuration in Cloudiway portal

Credential Security

Your Global Admin credentials are used only during the configuration process and are not stored on Cloudiway servers. Only the application credentials are retained.

Manual Configuration

Manual configuration provides more control and is required when:

  • Security policies prevent automatic app registration
  • You need specific permission configurations
  • Working with government or specialized cloud environments

Tenant Settings

For manual configuration, you'll need to provide the following tenant information:

Tenant Name

Your tenant name is used to generate service URLs:

  • OneDrive: https://tenantname-my.sharepoint.com
  • SharePoint: https://tenantname.sharepoint.com

Server Region

Select the appropriate cloud environment:

  • Public - Standard Microsoft 365 (default)
  • US Government - GCC, GCC High, DoD
  • China - 21Vianet operated
  • Germany - German sovereign cloud

Domain Names

Domain requirements vary by product:

  • Files & Sites: Default tenant domain
  • GALSync: List of all domains to synchronize
  • Free/Busy: Single domain per connector

Geo Location (Optional)

If your tenant uses Multi-Geo capabilities, specify the geo location for File and Site migrations.

Azure AD Application

For manual configuration, you must create an Azure AD (EntraID) application and provide its credentials.

Required Information

  • Application (Client) ID - Found in the app's Overview page
  • Client Secret - Or certificate-based authentication
  • Certificate File (.pfx) - If using certificate authentication
  • Certificate Password - Password for the .pfx file
Manual connector configuration with certificate
Manual connector configuration with certificate authentication

Certificate Authentication Recommended

For enhanced security and to avoid password expiration issues, we recommend using certificate-based authentication. See our EntraID Application Guide for detailed instructions.

Administrator Account

A dedicated administrator account is required for migration operations. Requirements vary by product:

Product Requirements
Mail Migration
  • Exchange Administrator role
  • PowerShell execution capability
  • Application Impersonation rights
Files & Sites
  • SharePoint Administrator role
  • SSO disabled
  • MFA disabled or excluded
Teams
  • Teams Administrator role
  • Teams license assigned
GALSync
  • Global Administrator role
  • Directory read/write access

MFA Considerations

If your organization enforces MFA for all accounts, you'll need to either create an exclusion for the migration account or use certificate-based authentication. See our MFA compliance guide.

Dedicated Service Account

Create a dedicated cloud-only account (not synchronized from on-premises AD) specifically for migration. This provides:
  • Better security isolation
  • Easier audit tracking
  • No impact from on-premises changes

Test Connection

After configuring the connector:

  1. Click Save to store the configuration
  2. Click Test Connection
  3. Verify all connection tests pass:
    • Authentication test
    • API access test
    • Permission verification
  4. If any tests fail, review the error message and adjust settings

Configuration Complete

Once all tests pass, your Microsoft 365 connector is ready for use. You can now create migration projects and start migrating data.

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