Mimecast Continuity · Oman, UAE and Qatar
Mimecast Continuity:keep email working during an outage
When Microsoft 365 or Exchange is down, your people keep sending and receiving email in Outlook, on the web and on their phones through Mimecast. We plan it, set it up, test it and support it from Dubai, Muscat and Doha.
Why set up Mimecast Continuity with Gulf Infotech
Mimecast partnershipWe deploy and support Mimecast email security, and set up Continuity on new or existing Mimecast accounts.
Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern WorkWe know the Microsoft 365 side of the mail route as well as Mimecast's.
1,500+ active cloud customersand 350,000+ users migrated since 2007, across the Middle East.
A fair recommendationIf a standby mailbox for key users is enough, we tell you, and set up dual delivery instead.
Local officesin Dubai, Muscat and Doha, with support in English and Arabic.
Continuity event
Mail flow while the main service is down
- Microsoft 365 mail flowNormalSlowDownActive
- Mail accepted by MimecastNormalSlowDownActive
- Outlook, web and mobileNormalSlowDownActive
- Continuity eventNormalSlowDownActive
Latest messages
- orders@customer.comAvailable in Outlook
- accounts@supplier.comQueued for sync
- “CEO” <ceo.office@freemail.com>Verify by phone
- tenders@client.govAvailable in Outlook
- you@yourcompany.comSent via Mimecast
Mimecast Continuity, which Mimecast calls Mailbox Continuity, keeps email working while Microsoft 365 or Exchange is down. Because your mail already passes through Mimecast, an administrator starts a continuity event and users keep sending and receiving in Outlook, Mimecast's Mac and mobile apps and its web portal; when the service returns, Mimecast synchronises the mail back.
What is Mimecast Continuity, and how does it work?
Mimecast Continuity is Mimecast's email continuity service. It is part of a Mimecast email security deployment in which your MX records point to Mimecast, so every message passes through Mimecast before it reaches Microsoft 365 or Exchange. When that service fails, Mimecast can keep accepting, holding and sending mail for your users. The API deployment of Mimecast, which leaves MX unchanged, does not offer continuity.
It works in three parts:
Mail routed through Mimecast
Inbound mail arrives at Mimecast first, and outbound mail leaves through it, so Mimecast holds a live copy of your mail flow.
A continuity event
Mimecast's Continuity Monitor watches mail flow and alerts your administrators by email or SMS; an administrator then starts the event from the alert or the Continuity Portal.
Synchronised back
When Microsoft 365 or Exchange recovers, Mimecast reconnects and synchronises the mail sent and received during the outage.
Mimecast customers such as Grant Thornton, which Mimecast says chose continuity to keep its people working even during a Microsoft outage, and Al Abbar Group in Dubai use Mimecast to protect their email.
What happens during an outage with Mimecast Continuity?
Senders
- Monitor alert
- Start event
- Mail accepted
- Outlook and apps
- SMS to staff
- Sync back
The monitor raises the alarm
The Continuity Monitor detects a mail-flow problem and alerts your administrators by email or SMS, and keeps alerting while the problem lasts.
An administrator starts the event
From the alert or the Continuity Portal, so the switch is a decision, not an accident.
Mail keeps arriving
Mimecast accepts inbound mail and queues it for the main service; for a long outage, inbound delivery can be paused so senders get no bounce messages, while users still see the mail.
People keep working
In Outlook with Mimecast for Outlook, in the Mimecast Personal Portal on the web, and in Mimecast's Mac and mobile apps.
Staff are told by SMS
Mimecast can send a short message to a chosen, opted-in group of users when the event starts and ends.
Back in sync
When the service returns, the administrator ends the event and Mimecast synchronises the mail sent and received during the outage.
Synchronised back to Microsoft 365
What do users see during a continuity event?
Users stay in the tools they know, with their company address. Mimecast keeps applying its email security checks throughout the event.
Outlook for Windows
Mimecast for Outlook switches to continuity mode, automatically when enabled or from the Mimecast ribbon; it needs Outlook's Cached Exchange Mode.
The web
The Mimecast Personal Portal shows an online inbox and sent items for the last 30 days during the event.
Mac and phone
Mimecast's Mac and mobile apps give access to mail on the move.
Calendars
Mimecast says users can also reach their calendars during an outage.
Older mail
Anything older than 30 days is found through archive search, if you use Mimecast's archive.
Same company address
Replies leave from your company domain through Mimecast, so customers see nothing unusual.
Which mail platforms does Mimecast Continuity support?
Mimecast's documentation covers Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Exchange; for other platforms, ask us before you plan on it.
- Microsoft 365
- Exchange Server (on-premise)
- Hybrid Exchange and Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
| Platform | Continuity | What Mimecast needs |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 | Yes | Mail routed through Mimecast and a Continuity Connector linking your tenant to Mimecast |
| Exchange Server (on-premise) | Yes | Mail routed through Mimecast, HTTPS access from Mimecast to Exchange Web Services and a service mailbox |
| Hybrid Exchange and Microsoft 365 | Yes | A Continuity Connector, as for Microsoft 365 |
| Google Workspace | Ask us | Confirmed with Mimecast for your account |
Takeaway: on Microsoft 365, continuity needs the gateway (MX) deployment of Mimecast; if you use Mimecast's API deployment today, we plan the move to MX first.
Why choose Mimecast Continuity?
Mimecast Continuity is the most reliable way to keep everyone on email during an outage, because the mail never depends on the service that failed:
- every user keeps working, not only a chosen few
- people stay in Outlook, the web or their phone, with no new mailbox to learn
- inbound mail is held by Mimecast, not bounced back to your customers
- security checks keep running during the outage, when phishing attempts rise
- the same Mimecast subscription also protects your email every other day
Mimecast Continuity or dual delivery: which fits?
We offer both. The table uses what Mimecast, Google and Zoho publish.
| Feature | Mimecast Continuity | Dual delivery to a standby mailbox |
|---|---|---|
| Who keeps working | Every user on Mimecast | The key users you choose |
| Where they work | Outlook for Windows, Mimecast's Mac and mobile apps, and its web portal | A standby mailbox on Zoho Workplace or Google Workspace |
| Calendars | Available, Mimecast says | Not copied |
| How the switch happens | An administrator starts a continuity event | Key users sign in to the standby |
| After the outage | Mimecast synchronises mail back | Waiting mail reaches the main mailbox |
| Also included | Mimecast email security | Nothing else |
| Price | On request | Cost-optimised; ask us |
Takeaway: choose Mimecast Continuity when nobody can stop using email; see email continuity for dual delivery, our cost-optimised option for key users.
What should you prepare before an outage?
Continuity works best when the switch has been practised. Before you need it:
- Name who can start an event, and make sure their phone numbers and email addresses are current in Mimecast
- Deploy Mimecast for Outlook with Cached Exchange Mode, and the mobile app for people who travel
- Collect SMS consent from the users who should hear about an outage
- Run a test event with a few users, so everyone knows what continuity mode looks like
- Agree how requests are verified during an outage: call back on a known number before acting on "our email is down, use this address" or new bank details
Read our note on the November 2026 Microsoft 365 outage for what happened and what we advised customers.
How do we set up Mimecast Continuity?
Setup is as fast as your requirements allow: adding Continuity to a Mimecast account that already routes your mail is quicker than a new deployment.
Continuity check
Your mail platform, domains, user count, how you use Mimecast today, and who must be told in an outage.
Quote
Mimecast Continuity with the Mimecast subscription you need, priced on request in OMR, AED, QAR or USD.
Route mail through Mimecast
MX and outbound connectors moved at a quiet time, with SPF, DKIM and DMARC aligned. See DMARC setup.
Connect continuity
The Continuity Connector for Microsoft 365, or Exchange Web Services access for Exchange, plus the Continuity Monitor and its alert contacts.
Roll out the apps
Mimecast for Outlook, the mobile and Mac apps, and the Personal Portal, with a short guide for users.
Test and support
A test continuity event with your team, then monitoring, policy changes and escalation to Mimecast, with a yearly test.
Mimecast Continuity in Oman, the UAE and Qatar
- Cybersecurity in OmanSet up from our Muscat head office, billed in OMR. Call +968 2200 6677.
- Cybersecurity in the UAEMany UAE companies work on Friday, so continuity matters at the end of the week. Supported from Dubai, billed in AED. Call +971 4 447 5814.
- Cybersecurity in QatarSupported from our Doha office, billed in QAR. Call +974 7471 2837.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mimecast Continuity?
Mimecast Continuity, which Mimecast calls Mailbox Continuity, keeps email working while Microsoft 365 or Exchange is down. Your mail already passes through Mimecast, so during an outage users keep sending and receiving in Outlook, Mimecast's Mac and mobile apps and its web portal. When the service returns, Mimecast synchronises the mail sent and received during the outage.
How is a continuity event started?
Mimecast's Continuity Monitor watches your mail flow and alerts your administrators by email or SMS when it sees a problem, but it does not switch anything on its own. An administrator starts the continuity event from the alert or from the Continuity Portal, and ends it when the service is back. Mimecast for Outlook can then switch users to continuity mode.
Does Mimecast Continuity work with Microsoft 365?
Yes. For Microsoft 365, your MX records point to Mimecast and a Continuity Connector links your tenant to Mimecast. The API deployment of Mimecast, which leaves MX unchanged, does not offer continuity. Mimecast also supports on-premise and hybrid Exchange. For Google Workspace, ask us and we will confirm with Mimecast for your account.
Can users keep using Outlook during an outage?
Yes. With Mimecast for Outlook installed and Cached Exchange Mode on, Outlook switches to continuity mode and users keep sending and receiving from their company address. On the web, the Mimecast Personal Portal shows the last 30 days of mail; Mimecast's Mac and mobile apps work too, and Mimecast says calendars stay available.
How fast can Mimecast Continuity be set up?
As fast as your requirements allow. If Mimecast already routes your mail, adding Continuity means connecting your tenant, setting up the monitor and alerts, rolling out the apps and running a test event. A new Mimecast deployment takes longer because the MX change and policies come first. We plan the timing with you in the continuity check.
How much does Mimecast Continuity cost?
The price is on request: it depends on your user count and the Mimecast subscription you choose. We quote in OMR, AED, QAR or USD. If you need cover only for a few key people, dual delivery to a standby mailbox is our cost-optimised alternative.
Keep email working through the next outage
Tell us your mail platform, your user count and how you use Mimecast today. We will plan Mimecast Continuity, or tell you if dual delivery for key users is enough. Call Dubai +971 4 447 5814, Muscat +968 2200 6677 or Doha +974 7471 2837.