When it comes to business-critical systems like email, stability and integration are key — especially for law firms that rely heavily on reliable communication and secure data management.

We recently helped a legal services client migrate away from Crazy Domains' hosted Microsoft 365 platform to a dedicated Microsoft 365 Business tenancy. The result? A seamless, fully integrated system that better suits their business needs — with fewer headaches and more control.

Crazy Domains offers Microsoft 365 mailboxes through a hosted reseller arrangement, they call their product Email Exchange and it only covers emails, not the rest of the Microsoft 365 suite of products. While this may seem like a convenient and low-cost option at first glance, it comes with some significant limitations for professional businesses:

• Limited Access to Admin Controls:
  With Crazy Domains, clients don’t have access to the full Microsoft 365 admin portal. This severely restricts the ability to manage users, licenses, security settings, or integrations with other software. Essential features like Conditional Access, advanced security policies, and Entra ID permissions are often unavailable or locked down by the reseller.
  
• Unreliable Service Stability:
  Our client reported ongoing outages and service disruptions with Crazy Domains’ hosted environment — a risk no business wants to take, especially when dealing with sensitive legal communications.
  
• Inefficient Licensing:
  To retain historical data, Crazy Domains required the client to keep paying for mailboxes of former staff members. This was both costly and unnecessary, an unlimited plan was a whopping $81 a month vs ~$50 for Microsoft
• Integration Roadblocks:
  The client was looking to integrate their Microsoft 365 mailboxes with their line-of-business software and a new 3CX VoIP phone system, particularly for transcription services to integrate with Smokeball. Crazy Domains' hosted environment couldn't provide the necessary app permissions or flexibility within Entra ID, making this impossible.
  

Our Solution

To ensure a smooth transition, we started the migration project three weeks ahead of the client’s go-live date. This allowed plenty of time to manage one particularly large mailbox — over 300GB of email history (our biggest mailbox yet!) — without compromising the timeline.

Here’s what we delivered:

• A True Microsoft 365 Tenancy:
  We set the client up with a direct Microsoft 365 Business tenancy, giving them full admin access and control over their environment. This unlocked advanced security settings, proper user management, and the ability to integrate cleanly with other business applications.
  
• Proper Business Licensing — No Personal Accounts:
  We discovered the client had been paying for a Microsoft 365 license tied to a personal Microsoft account — a common mistake that limits security, functionality, and support. We consolidated this into their business tenancy, saving them money and eliminating the risks associated with using personal accounts for business operations.
  
• Seamless Migration with Zero Downtime:
  Over a weekend, we preconfigured all their computers, Outlook profiles, and mobile devices, ensuring that come Monday morning, everything was running smoothly without disruption to their team or clients.
  
• Cost-Effective Mailbox Management:
  Historical mailboxes from former staff members were migrated and converted into shared mailboxes — preserving access to old communications without incurring ongoing license costs.
  
• Supporting Integrations with 3CX and Line of Business Applications:
  With full access to Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), we worked alongside their other technology partners to grant the required app permissions for their new 3CX VoIP system. This ensured their transcription service integrated perfectly — something Crazy Domains’ restricted environment simply couldn’t offer.
  

Preparation

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

Initial Consultation and Planning

We began with an in-depth consultation to understand the law firm’s challenges, particularly their frustrations with Crazy Domains' unreliable service, limited admin control, and lack of integration support.

During this stage, we identified all user accounts, mailboxes, and data tied to their Crazy Domains subscription. Like many Crazy Domains customers, the client had limited visibility of their account setup — a common issue due to the restricted access Crazy Domains provides to admin portals. We developed a detailed migration plan to ensure a seamless transition, including timelines, mailbox prioritisation, and integration needs.

Audit and Preparation

A comprehensive audit of their existing accounts, shared mailboxes, and calendars was critical. This allowed us to identify potential migration risks — such as large mailbox sizes (including one mailbox exceeding 300GB) and legacy permissions that could impact data access.

The Process

Data Migration

Migrating data from Crazy Domains’ hosted Microsoft 365 environment to a standalone Microsoft 365 tenancy presents unique challenges. Crazy Domains’ reseller model often means mailbox access is routed through their backend systems, which can introduce delays, timeouts, or errors when extracting mailbox data.

To overcome this, we used specialised migration tools capable of handling large data volumes securely and reliably. This included email, calendar entries, and contact data. We closely monitored the process, ensuring the integrity of critical legal communications and client records throughout. 

Setup and Training

Once the migration was completed, we configured their Microsoft 365 tenancy to suit their business needs.

Key tasks included:

• Setting up shared mailboxes, including historical mailboxes converted to shared access (saving on licensing costs).
  
• Assigning appropriate licenses across users.
  
• Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) and enforcing geolocation restrictions, limiting access to Australian-based logins only.
  
• Working with their other technology providers to integrate Microsoft 365 with their 3CX VoIP phone system, including setting the necessary app permissions in Entra ID to enable transcription services.
  

We also provided hands-on training for the firm's team to help them adapt to their upgraded systems, ensuring they could take full advantage of the new tools and security features available in a standalone Microsoft 365 environment.

The Result

This migration transformed the way the law firm manages its IT systems:

• They now have full administrative control over their Microsoft 365 environment.
  
• Their email is more reliable and secure, with Microsoft’s direct SLA backing their service.
  
• They’re saving money on licenses while retaining essential data access.
  
• They’ve enabled seamless integration with critical business tools like 3CX VoIP.
  

Why Choose a Full Microsoft 365 Tenancy Over a Hosted Service?

For small and medium-sized businesses — particularly those in professional services — using a hosted Microsoft 365 platform like Crazy Domains may work for basic email needs, but it quickly falls short when:

• You want to integrate with third-party software.
  
• You require advanced security features.
  
• You need administrative control for compliance and governance.
  
• You expect enterprise-grade stability and support.
  

A full Microsoft 365 tenancy unlocks the true potential of your business systems. You get direct access, more flexibility, and better support — allowing you to future-proof your IT environment.

Are you ready to make the move from Crazy Domains?

If your business is stuck on a limited hosted Microsoft 365 platform, and you’re tired of service outages, hidden costs, or integration headaches, we can help.

Talk to us today about migrating to a full Microsoft 365 Business tenancy, give us a call at 1300 778 078. Let’s make your technology work for you.