A mid-sized telecommunications company based in Arizona, with over 300 employees, had been using Rackspace Hosted Exchange for email and communication management. The company relied heavily on email for communication with clients, partners, and internal teams. However, the company faced several challenges with Rackspace Hosted Exchange, particularly after the December 2022 ransomware attack. This incident, combined with the need for better security, collaboration, and scalability, prompted the company to migrate to Microsoft 365.
The December 2022 ransomware attack on Rackspace’s hosted Exchange services exposed vulnerabilities in the platform and disrupted communication for many organizations. The telecommunications company in Arizona was concerned about the security of its sensitive information, including customer contracts, financial data, and internal communications. The company needed a more secure email and collaboration platform with advanced security features to protect against cyberattacks and ensure compliance with industry regulations.
Rackspace Hosted Exchange provided basic email functionality but lacked modern collaboration tools. Employees found it difficult to collaborate efficiently, especially when working on projects that required file sharing, real-time communication, and co-authoring documents. The company needed more advanced tools like Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive to improve internal collaboration and communication between remote and in-office employees.
As the telecommunications company expanded, adding new employees and handling larger client projects, Rackspace Hosted Exchange became harder to scale. The company’s IT team struggled to manage user accounts, storage limits, and server maintenance, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies. The company needed a cloud-based platform that could scale easily without the need for complex infrastructure management or costly upgrades.
Rackspace Hosted Exchange did not provide the same level of integration with other productivity tools as Microsoft 365. The telecommunications company used Microsoft Office apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint extensively, but the lack of seamless integration with Rackspace’s email services created inefficiencies. Employees had to rely on third-party tools to bridge the gap between their email and collaboration workflows, leading to productivity bottlenecks.
As the company grew, the costs of maintaining Rackspace Hosted Exchange increased, particularly with the need for added storage and more advanced features. The company sought a more cost-effective solution that offered predictable pricing and included advanced collaboration and security features without the need for third-party add-ons.
Medha Cloud worked closely with the telecommunications company to execute a seamless migration from Rackspace Hosted Exchange to Microsoft 365, addressing their security, collaboration, scalability, and cost-efficiency needs.
The migration process began with a detailed assessment of the company’s Rackspace Hosted Exchange environment. We worked closely with the IT team to map out email accounts, contacts, calendars, and shared folders to ensure a smooth transition to Microsoft 365’s Outlook. The assessment also helped us design a backup plan to protect sensitive data and avoid disruption during the migration process.
Medha Cloud facilitated the migration of all email accounts, contacts, and calendars from Rackspace Hosted Exchange to Microsoft 365’s Outlook. This included transferring all historical email data, attachments, and meeting schedules to ensure that employees could continue their communications without any downtime. We used Microsoft’s native migration tools to ensure the migration was efficient and secure.
The migration to Microsoft 365 provided the telecommunications company with access to advanced collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Microsoft Teams became the central hub for communication and project management, allowing employees to collaborate in real time, hold virtual meetings, and share documents securely. SharePoint allowed the company to manage files more efficiently, while OneDrive provided personal cloud storage for employees to access important files from any device, improving overall productivity.
Given the risks posed by the ransomware attack on Rackspace Hosted Exchange, security was a top priority for the telecommunications company. Microsoft 365 offered the company robust security features, including Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), multi-factor authentication (MFA), data encryption, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies. These tools ensured that the company’s emails and sensitive client data were protected from cyberattacks and unauthorized access. Microsoft 365’s built-in compliance tools also helped the company meet industry standards and regulatory requirements for data protection.
Microsoft 365’s cloud-based infrastructure allowed the telecommunications company to scale its operations effortlessly. The IT team could now add new users, expand storage, and manage user permissions through a centralized admin console without the complexity of maintaining physical infrastructure. This scalability allowed the company to grow without the limitations imposed by Rackspace Hosted Exchange, reducing IT overhead and simplifying system management.
By moving to Microsoft 365, the company reduced its overall IT costs. Microsoft 365’s subscription-based pricing model provided predictable monthly costs that were more affordable than the increasing costs of Rackspace Hosted Exchange. The company also benefited from the comprehensive suite of productivity tools included in the Microsoft 365 subscription, which eliminated the need for third-party tools and add-ons, further reducing costs.
To ensure a smooth transition, Medha Cloud provided tailored training sessions for the company’s employees on how to use Microsoft 365’s tools, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. We also provided ongoing support to the IT team to resolve any technical challenges that arose during and after the migration, ensuring that employees could quickly adapt to the new platform.
With Microsoft 365’s advanced security features, the telecommunications company significantly enhanced its protection against ransomware and other cyber threats. ATP, MFA, and encryption ensured that sensitive client and internal data was secure, while DLP policies helped prevent data loss. The company was able to restore confidence in its email and communication system following the security vulnerabilities experienced with Rackspace Hosted Exchange.
Migrating to Microsoft 365 allowed the company to reduce its overall IT costs, eliminate the need for physical infrastructure, and avoid the rising costs of Rackspace Hosted Exchange. The predictable subscription model helped the company better manage its IT budget, while the comprehensive suite of productivity tools increased overall efficiency.
Microsoft 365’s collaboration tools transformed how employees communicated and worked together. Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive allowed for real-time collaboration, document sharing, and virtual meetings, improving productivity across the company. Employees were able to work more efficiently, whether they were in the office or working remotely, reducing project turnaround times and improving client communication.
With Microsoft 365’s cloud infrastructure, the telecommunications company gained the flexibility to scale its operations as needed. Adding new users, expanding storage, and incorporating new productivity tools became seamless. This scalability ensured that the company could continue growing without facing the limitations imposed by Rackspace Hosted Exchange.
Employees quickly adapted to the new tools in Microsoft 365, thanks to its intuitive interface and seamless integration with Microsoft Office apps. The training provided by Medha Cloud helped ensure high user adoption rates, and employees appreciated the enhanced collaboration features and secure access to files and communication channels.
Migrating from Rackspace Hosted Exchange to Microsoft 365 allowed the telecommunications company in Arizona to improve its security posture, enhance collaboration, and reduce IT costs. Medha Cloud’s tailored migration approach ensured a smooth transition, empowering the company to focus on providing telecommunications services while leveraging a secure, scalable IT environment.
If your organization is still using Rackspace Hosted Exchange or another outdated email system, contact Medha Cloud today to learn how we can help you migrate to Microsoft 365 seamlessly, improving security, collaboration, and scalability while reducing IT costs.
