Will transferring some GoDaddy emails to IONOS cause issues?

Ensuring a Seamless Transition When Migrating Company Emails from GoDaddy to IONOS

Managing a company’s email infrastructure is vital for maintaining seamless communication and operational efficiency. When considering switching or dividing email services between providers, it’s natural to have concerns about potential disruptions such as email deliverability, synchronization issues, or service interruptions. A common situation faced by IT administrators involves migrating certain email accounts from providers like GoDaddy to IONOS, while still retaining some services on the original platform.

Understanding the Context

In this scenario, the organization intends to transfer specific Email Essentials accounts from GoDaddy to IONOS, while maintaining Business Email services on GoDaddy. This tiered approach aims to optimize existing investments and tailor services to particular user needs. However, splitting email services across multiple providers introduces questions about potential compatibility issues and workflow disruptions.

Potential Challenges of Splitting Email Providers

1. Email Deliverability: Sending emails from different providers may sometimes trigger spam filters, especially if SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are not correctly configured across all domains and subdomains.

2. Synchronization and Consistency: Maintaining synchronized email environments can be complex, particularly if users access mailboxes from various devices or via multiple protocols (POP3, IMAP, SMTP).

3. Configuration Complexities: Managing multiple DNS records, especially MX records, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, across different providers requires careful planning to prevent misconfigurations.

4. User Experience: Ensuring that users experience minimal disruption during the transition—such as missed emails or login issues—is essential for maintaining productivity.

Strategies for a Smooth Transition

To mitigate potential issues and ensure a successful migration, follow these best practices:

1. Thorough Planning and Audit
2. Review current email setups, including DNS records, user accounts, and email workflows.

3. Identify which accounts are moving and which will remain on GoDaddy.

4. Update DNS Records Carefully

5. Modify MX records to reflect the new email routing, ensuring that they point correctly to IONOS for transferred accounts.

6. Adjust SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to include both providers if necessary, preventing deliverability issues.

7. Communicate with Users

8. Notify affected employees of upcoming changes and expected timelines.

9. Provide instructions on reconfiguring email clients if needed.

10. Coordinate Migration Steps

11. Use IONOS migration tools or manual transfer methods to move email data smoothly