How can I transfer a domain name with more than 15 characters from GoDaddy to Azure?

Question

I'm new to Azure and currently working on migrating a domain, website, and email from GoDaddy to Azure. However, I'm encountering an issue when trying to create the domain in Azure; it doesn't allow domain names with more than 15 characters. This has left me stuck and unable to proceed with the migration. Any guidance on how to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hello,

Migrating a domain, website, and email from GoDaddy to Azure can present challenges, especially when dealing with domain name length restrictions in Azure. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) has a NetBIOS name limit of 15 characters. This restriction is specific to the internal network naming and doesn’t affect the ability to host a website or manage email services with longer domain names. Following is suggested:-

Guide for Migration

1. Domain Name Registration and DNS Management
   • Keep Domain Registered with GoDaddy: Since the domain name length exceeds the Azure AD NetBIOS limit, you should keep the domain registration with GoDaddy.
   • DNS Management: You can manage DNS records either through GoDaddy or migrate them to Azure DNS.
2. Setting Up Azure DNS
   • Create a DNS Zone in Azure:
     1. Sign in to the Azure Portal.
     2. Navigate to DNS Zones.
     3. Click + Add to create a new DNS zone.
     4. Enter your domain name (e.g., yourlongdomainname.com).
     5. Choose the appropriate resource group and click Create.
   • Update DNS Records:
     1. After creating the DNS zone, you will get Azure nameservers.
     2. Log in to your GoDaddy account.
     3. Navigate to the DNS management section for your domain.
     4. Replace GoDaddy nameservers with the Azure nameservers.
3. Website Migration
   • Create a Web App in Azure:
     1. In the Azure portal, navigate to App Services.
     2. Click + Add to create a new web app.
     3. Configure the necessary settings (App name, Subscription, Resource group, OS, and App Service plan).
     4. Deploy your website content to the new web app using FTP, Git, or any other deployment method.
   • Configure Custom Domain:
     1. In the Azure portal, go to your web app.
     2. In the left-hand menu, click on Custom domains.
     3. Add your custom domain (e.g., www.yourlongdomainname.com).
     4. Verify the domain by adding a TXT record in your DNS zone in Azure.
4. Email Migration
   • Using Office 365 (Microsoft 365):
     1. If you’re migrating email to Microsoft 365, first set up Microsoft 365 with your domain.
     2. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, navigate to Settings > Domains.
     3. Add your domain and follow the verification process.
     4. Update the MX, SPF, DKIM, and other necessary DNS records in your Azure DNS zone to point to Microsoft 365.
     5. Migrate your email data using tools provided by Microsoft, such as the Migration tool or third-party services.
5. Azure Active Directory (Optional)
   • Custom Domain in Azure AD:
     1. In the Azure portal, navigate to Azure Active Directory > Custom domain names.
     2. Add your custom domain (this step should be unaffected by the length restriction since it's mainly a NetBIOS name limitation).
     3. Verify the domain by adding a TXT record to your Azure DNS zone.

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully migrate your domain, website, and email from GoDaddy to Azure while navigating the limitations related to domain name length.