Page 263 - MS Office 365 for Dummies 3rd Ed (2019)
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Throwing the switch
After you have migrated both email and portal data, you’re ready to throw the switch and direct all traffic to the new Office 365 environment. Throwing the switch is accomplished by updating your Domain Name System (DNS) records in your domain registrar. The results of this simple procedure are enormous. After you update DNS, every user of your current system is directed to the Office 365 system.
A DNS record is a translator from human readable computer names to computer readable computer names. For example, if you type www.microsoft.com into your web browser, the Microsoft home page appears. How does this happen? Your com- puter sees microsoft.com and knows it is a text entry. Computers talk to other computers by using numbers known as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Your com- puter needs to find out the IP address of the computer running the microsoft.com website. It does this by querying a DNS server. The DNS server looks up the text-based address (known as a domain name) and sends back the IP address. Your computer can now use the IP address to contact the Microsoft computer.
When you update the DNS records for the email, for example, you’re telling the DNS lookup system that when someone wants to send you an email, their com- puter should use the IP address of Office 365 rather than the one you were using before. In essence, after you update DNS you have thrown the switch and are using Office 365 rather than the old system.
Configuring mobile phones
The cloud offers the advantage of being fully connected at all times to your impor- tant data and communications. There is no better way to access your Office 365 environment on the go than with your mobile phone. Mobile apps are available for both iOS and Android, which allows you to connect with your SharePoint and Office documents as well.
Microsoft has taken the approach that they will make Office 365 available to people regardless of the device they use. Gone are the days when you needed a Windows device to use Microsoft products. Today you can get Office 365 apps for your iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, and Android Tablet. You can even get Office for your Mac.
Microsoft has worked hard to make Windows 10 a seamlessly integrated experi- ence with Microsoft Office, but that doesn’t mean you have to choose Windows 10. Microsoft is taking the approach that they want you to choose Windows 10 because it’s a better and more integrated experience. However, if you don’t choose it, they’re still spending billions of dollars to make Office 365 apps available on Apple and Android phones.
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