Systems and methods for migrating mailbox data from systems with limited or restricted remote access

Abstract

Examples described include software hosting systems able to provide software as a service to client systems through a firewall and/or to client systems which do not have web service capability. Examples include mailbox migration systems for migrating mailboxes from a source messaging system (e.g. a Lotus Notes system) to a destination messaging system. Software hosting systems described herein may maintain an action buffer including a next action to be performed by the source messaging system, and wait for data (e.g. messaging system content) to be returned and stored in a data buffer. Communication between the software hosting system and the source messaging system may occur over a communication channel which may be operated through a firewall using HTTP.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A software hosting system for performing mailbox migrations, the software hosting system comprising:
 at least one action buffer associated with a mailbox migration;   at least one data buffer associated with the mailbox migration;   at least one computing device programmed with:   a migration service configured to open a communication channel with a source messaging system, the communication channel associated with the mailbox migration, wherein the migration service is further configured to store a next action to be performed for the mailbox migration in the action buffer, and is further configured to migrate received messaging system content to a destination messaging system;   a communication service configured to communicate with the source messaging system over the communication channel, the communication service configured to read the next action to be performed in the action buffer and provide the next action to be performed to the source messaging system, and wherein the communication service is further configured to read messaging system content from the data buffer received responsive to the next action to be performed and provide the messaging system content to the migration service.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication channel comprises a communication channel through a firewall using HTTP. 
     
     
         3 . The system of claim I, wherein source messaging system does not support web services. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the source messaging system comprises a Lotus Notes messaging system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is further programmed with a web API configured to receive configuration information related to the mailbox migration including an identity of the source messaging system, an identity of the destination messaging system, a number of mailboxes for migration, and authentication parameters for the mailboxes. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system further includes a plurality of action buffers and a plurality of data buffers, each of the action and data buffers associated with a respective mailbox migration. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the migration service is further configured to open a plurality of communication channels, wherein each of the communication channels is associated with a respective mailbox migration. 
     
     
         8 . A method for migrating mailboxes, the method comprising:
 opening a communication channel with a source messaging system, wherein the communication channel is associated with a mailbox migration;   providing a next action to perform in an action buffer;   providing the next action from the action buffer to the source messaging system over the communication channel;   waiting for data responsive to the next action from the source messaging system to be stored in a data buffer; and   copying the data out of the data buffer to begin migration to a destination messaging system and providing a further next action to perform in the action buffer.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising timing out the mailbox migration if said waiting for data occurs for longer than a maximum time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the communication channel comprises a channel through a firewall using HTTP. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , the method further comprising:
 providing an executable file for installation on the source messaging system, the executable file configured to install software on the source messaging system for receiving the next action, performing the next action, and returning the data responsive to the next action.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said providing a further next action to perform in the action buffer is performed after said migrating the data from the data buffer to the destination messaging system is complete. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising receiving the data responsive to the next action and storing the data responsive to the next action in the data buffer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising storing a wait action in the action buffer after storing the data responsive to the next action in the data buffer. 
     
     
         15 . A source messaging system comprising:
 a mail server configured to provide messaging services, including a plurality of mailboxes, to mail clients;   a mail database configured to store messaging system content associated with the plurality of mailboxes;   at least one computing device programmed with an extractor, wherein the extractor includes a coordinator configured to initiate a migrator for each of a plurality of mailbox migrations, wherein the at least one computing device is further programmed with the migrator, wherein the migrator is configured to connect to a software hosting system and request a next action to be performed, receive the next action to be performed, perform the action, and return messaging system content responsive to the action to the software hosting system.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein communication between the at least one computing device and the software hosting system occurs over a firewall using HTTP. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said perform the action comprises connect to the mail database through the mail server to retrieve the messaging system content. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said mail server comprises a Lotus Domino mail server without web service capability. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of computing devices programmed with respective extractors, wherein each extractor is configured to facilitate migration of a maximum number of mailboxes. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the extractor is programmed on the at least one computing device by launching an executable file.