Moving to Microsoft 365 at UB

This project will provide UB’s students, faculty and staff with a unified suite of essential apps, including email (Exchange), cloud storage (OneDrive) and collaboration (Teams).

UBIT is working closely with your department’s support staff to ensure a smooth transition. Your department will have its own timetable for introducing new Microsoft 365 features, in order to ensure that proper preparations are made. Check with your departmental support staff to see when specific features will be available to you.

You will be notified in advance before any changes are made to your services, or any action is required from you.

The transition to Microsoft 365 will accomplish the following goals:

• Transition student and employee UBmail to Exchange Online. Currently, UB student email is powered by Google, while employees use a version of Exchange mail hosted at UB. After this project, students and employees will all use Exchange Online, a cloud email service included with Microsoft 365, for their UBmail.
• Provide Microsoft Defender ATP anti-virus for faculty and staff. Defender ATP will replace Symantec Endpoint Protection on UB-owned devices to provide better security features that are integrated into UB’s email and documents. Windows’ built-in Defender anti-virus is recommended for personal Windows devices; see our recommendations for anti-virus software on personal macOS devices.
• Offer the Microsoft 365 suite of software to UB students and employees. Microsoft 365 is a powerful collection of apps and services you can use from any device. Many of these apps, like Word, PowerPoint and Excel, are available as desktop downloads on the UBIT Software page. However, some of these apps—like Microsoft Teams collaboration software—are entirely new. Visit the Microsoft 365 Service Guide on the UBIT website for information about which apps will be available, and how to access them.

The transition to Microsoft 365 at UB is a large-scale project that will affect everyone at UB. It’s critical that you have a way to provide input and help steer the project.

The first of many opportunities to do so will happen in Spring 2021, when UBIT hosts a series of information sessions designed to provide updates on the project and allow UB faculty and staff to share their comments and concerns about the project.

We hope you’ll join us for one of our virtual Microsoft 365 information sessions, held throughout February and March 2021 via Zoom (click the links below to register):

• March 2 at 2 p.m.
• March 17 at 1 p.m.

For help or answers to questions about UB technology, contact the UBIT Help Center Online at buffalo.edu/ubit/help, or call 716-645-3542.