Office 365: MigrationPermanentException: Error: MapiExceptionAmbiguousAlias: Unable to synchronize manifest

Problem

Sometimes when performing Remote Move mailboxes from Exchange 2007 to Office 365 (using Exchange 2013 Hybrid server as proxy) you may face following error:

Error: MigrationMRSPermanentException: Error: MapiExceptionAmbiguousAlias: Unable to synchronize manifest. ‎(hr=0x80004005, ec=2202)‎ Diagnostic context: ...... Lid: 52176 ClientVersion: 15.0.1104.8 Lid: 50032 ServerVersion: 8.3.389.2 Lid: 23226 --- ROP Parse Start --- Lid: 27962 ROP: ropOpenFolder [2] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropIncrCfg [112] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropUpldStStrmBegin [117] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropUpldStStrmEnd [119] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropUpldStStrmBegin [117] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropUpldStStrmEnd [119] Lid: 27962  ROP: ropUpldStStrmBegin [117] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropUpldStStrmEnd [119] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropUpldStStrmBegin [117] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropUpldStStrmEnd  [119] Lid: 27962 ROP: ropFXSrcGetBufferEx [156] Lid: 17082 ROP Error: 0x89A Lid: 23137 Lid: 21921 StoreEc: 0x89A Lid: 27962 ROP:  ropExtendedError [250] Lid: 1494 ---- Remote Context Beg ---- 

Move request for the mailbox is failing and if you restart the move, same error appears again.

If you will download migration log, you will see following lines inside it. But despite it saying about “transient error” this happens all the time for these particular mailboxes.

18/9/2015 10:10:45 AM [AMXPR03MB230] Transient error MapiExceptionAmbiguousAlias has occurred. The system will retry (1/600).
18/9/2015 10:11:17 AM [AMXPR03MB230] The Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication service 'AMXPR03MB230.eurprd03.prod.outlook.com' (15.1.403.17 caps:03FFFF) is examining the request.
18/9/2015 10:11:17 AM [AMXPR03MB230] Connected to target mailbox 'ameygroup.onmicrosoft.com\e6739eef-1c8a-47dc-9190-6d23937e3322 (Primary)', database 'EURPR03DG015-db031', Mailbox server 'AMXPR03MB230.eurprd03.prod.outlook.com' Version 15.1 (Build 403.0).
18/9/2015 10:11:17 AM [AMXPR03MB230] Sync state for request 4db51761-0af4-4bd3-95ac-350f19c1ef49 is null. 

Troubleshooting

This is related to issues with source mailbox.

  • First thing you need to check if all attributes, like Alias, UserPrincipalName, PrimaryEmailAddress, SimpleDisplayName have allowed values, i.e there are no prohibited characters and they are within allowed length.
  • If everything is OK, then you need to make local move of this mailbox from one database to another. Please make sure that you making this between DBs on servers of same generations. Mailbox move is effectively re-creation of mailbox so all possible issues with the mailbox instance (and particular database) will be excluded.

After local move is done, try to perform Remote Move to Office 365 again. This time is should work correctly.