At FortiTech, we love helping businesses upgrade their technology to improve efficiency and address long-standing frustrations. Recently, we worked with a small law firm of five staff to overhaul their IT setup, moving them away from GoDaddy’s Microsoft 365 services to a full-featured Microsoft 365 tenancy.  They were a new client introduced to us via referral from one of our existing clients and we were happy to help them with their technology needs.

GoDaddy is often a convenient starting point for small businesses due to its bundled offerings and simple setup. However, for growing businesses like this law firm, GoDaddy’s version of Microsoft services quickly becomes restrictive. Their Microsoft 365 accounts lacked essential features and flexibility, making day-to-day tasks unnecessarily cumbersome.

Some key limitations with GoDaddy’s Microsoft services that can be "gotchas" for businesses down the track include:

• Limited Administrative Controls: Businesses have restricted access to certain admin settings, which can hinder the ability to customize accounts, manage permissions or configure advanced security settings such as geolocation blocking or audit logs.
• Minimal Integration Options: Advanced integrations with other business-critical applications are often difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
  
• Difficult Migration Process: Transitioning away from GoDaddy’s Microsoft services isn’t straightforward. Their proprietary setup locks customers into their ecosystem, making it a complex and time-intensive task to migrate mailboxes, calendars, and data to a standalone Microsoft 365 tenancy.
  

For this law firm, these limitations were holding them back. They needed a more flexible, secure, and professional solution to support their practice, and that’s where we stepped in.

The Requirements

Our new client wanted to have full control of not only their emails and files, but also their computers, they were about to start recruiting new staff and wanted to have the ability to secure their data and devices easily. Along with GoDaddy's services, they had been using laptops with Windows Home operating systems logged in using the Directors Hotmail account, realising that this was going to be an issue long term they wanted our help in setting up their devices according to best practice.

Preparation

Every migration project is unique, and this one was no exception. Here’s how we handled the transition:

Initial Consultation and Planning

We started with an in-depth consultation to understand the firm’s challenges and requirements. During this stage, we identified all accounts and data tied to their GoDaddy tenancy and created a detailed plan for the migration. The planning process is essential when dealing with GoDaddy services due to the complexity of extracting data from their ecosystem.

We also offered to create new Document Libraries in SharePoint for Management restricted access, as the GoDaddy setup was just a single SharePoint library which everyone had access too, meaning files related to HR & Finance for example, weren't securely separated from the general documents.

Audit and Preparation

We conducted a thorough audit of their accounts, including email addresses, shared mailboxes, and calendars. This allowed us to identify potential pitfalls, such as large mailbox sizes or complex permissions structures.

We also ensured the firm’s devices met the requirements for a smooth transition their operating systems to Windows 11 Professional, which would then allow each user to sign in with their business email account under Microsoft EntraID, therefore allowing the devices to be controlled centrally and in the worst case scenario remotely wiped of company data.

The Process

Data Migration

Migrating data from GoDaddy’s Microsoft services to a standalone Microsoft 365 tenancy is a delicate process. GoDaddy’s proprietary setup often results in timeouts or errors during data transfers. To address this, we used specialised tools to extract and migrate email, calendar, and contact data securely and accurately. This step required careful monitoring to ensure no data was lost or corrupted during the process.

Computers

As the firm’s devices were running on a mix of older Windows editions, which lacked support for features like Microsoft account sign-ins and advanced security options. We upgraded all devices to Windows 11 Professional, therefore enabling enhanced security features and better compatibility with Microsoft 365, this also involved setting up the devices under each of the users Microsoft 365 accounts transferring data such as browser bookmarks and documents over to the new login ID and setting up OneDrive for Business to backup their desktop, documents and photos folders by default in case of loss of a device or a failed hard drive, this feature also allows documents to easily be accessed via the cloud on mobile or browser anywhere.

Setup and Training

Once the migration was complete, we configured their new Microsoft 365 tenancy, including setting up shared mailboxes, assigning licenses, and enabling advanced security features like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and geolocation blocking (to prevent logins from anywhere but Australia). We also provided training to help the staff familiarise themselves with their new setup.

The Result

The move away from GoDaddy’s Microsoft services to a full Microsoft 365 tenancy delivered significant benefits for the firm:

• Greater Flexibility: The firm now has full administrative control over their Microsoft 365 environment, allowing them to tailor their setup to their specific needs.
  
• Enhanced Security: Features like MFA and advanced threat protection provide robust security for their data. We also implemented our Backups for Microsoft 365 for added peace of mind.
• Streamlined Workflows: The upgraded devices and improved Microsoft 365 features enable the team to collaborate more effectively and securely, whether in the office or working remotely through the use of SharePoint and OneDrive.
• Future-Ready Technology: With a dedicated Microsoft 365 setup, the firm is well-equipped to scale their operations as they grow and have control over the security of their devices in the event of a lost laptop or when offboarding an employee.

Our new client was really impressed with the migration process and has since onboarded 2 new team members to their systems without a hitch.

Are you ready to make the move from GoDaddy?

Migrating away from GoDaddy’s Microsoft services can be daunting, but with the right expertise, it doesn’t have to be. At FortiTech, we specialise in handling complex migrations, ensuring minimal disruption to your business operations.

If you’re ready to upgrade your IT environment and unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365, give us a call at 1300 778 078. Let’s make your technology work for you.