Post-migration validation answers a simple question:
Did the destination reproduce the data and functionality the organization actually needs?
Data integrity should be checked systematically rather than through a few random folder tests.
1. Folder Structure
Confirm your Public Folder hierarchy includes:
- Parent folders
- Child folders
- Nested folders
- Folder names
- Special folders
2. Message Content
Check representative messages for:
- Subject
- Sender
- Recipient
- Date
- Body
- Attachments
3. Attachments
Open different attachment types from different folders.
An attachment that exists in the message but cannot be opened is a functional migration problem.
4. Permissions
Test users with different roles.
Check:
- Read access
- Create access
- Edit access
- Delete access
- Owner access
5. Mail Flow
For mail-enabled folders, send test messages and verify delivery.
6. Calendar and Contacts
Where relevant, validate:
- Appointments
- Recurring items
- Contact records
- User access
7. Business Owner Sign-Off
Technical validation should be combined with business validation.
Ask the owner of each critical Public Folder to confirm:
“The migrated content is available and usable.”
Keep a Validation Record
A simple validation document should contain:
- Folder
- Validation type
- Expected result
- Actual result
- Exception
- Owner
- Sign-off date
This creates an audit trail and makes future troubleshooting easier.
FAQs
What is data integrity in a Public Folder migration?
It means confirming that migrated content remains complete, accessible and usable at the destination.
Should every message be manually checked?
Usually not. Use automated comparisons where possible and targeted sampling for high-value content.
Who should approve critical folders?
The business owner or department responsible for the data should provide final sign-off.
