How to Move Microsoft 365 Licensing From IONOS to Another CSP
Question details
The user wants to transition their Microsoft 365 licensing from IONOS to a new Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) while keeping the same tenant and avoiding service disruption.

- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Migrating Microsoft 365 licenses between providers (from IONOS to a new CSP).
- Observed behavior
- The user needs a safe procedure to remove IONOS's delegated administration, end the current licensing relationship, and assign new CSP licenses without losing data or configurations.
Before making any changes, ensure you have Global Administrator access to your Microsoft 365 tenant and a clear communication channel with your new CSP to coordinate license provisioning.
Safely Transition Licensing from IONOS to a New CSP
The standard procedure to migrate licensing relationships without data loss by coordinating with both IONOS and your new provider.
Transitioning your licensing involves removing IONOS's partner privileges and assigning licenses from your new CSP. It is crucial not to delete users or revoke licenses before the new ones are ready, as this can cause data loss or service interruptions.
Reach out to IONOS and formally request the removal of their delegated administration (or GDAP access) and to end the licensing relationship.
Confirm with IONOS that removing the partner relationship will not immediately delete your tenant data, domains, or user accounts.
Your new Cloud Solution Provider will send you an authorization link. Open this link, sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center with your Global Admin credentials, and accept the relationship request.
Once the new CSP relationship is established, purchase the necessary Microsoft 365 licenses through them. Immediately assign these new licenses to your users in the Admin Center under 'Billing' > 'Licenses'.
Double-check your domains, DNS settings, and user access to ensure everything transitioned smoothly and services remain active.

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Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my data when moving from IONOS to another CSP?
No, your data is tied directly to your Microsoft 365 tenant, not your Cloud Solution Provider. As long as you do not delete the tenant or individual user accounts during the transition, your emails, files, and configurations will remain completely intact.
Do I need to create a new Microsoft 365 tenant to change CSPs?
No, creating a new tenant is not required. You simply need to authorize your new partner (CSP) to provide licenses for your existing tenant and subsequently remove the old partner's administrative access.
Is there any downtime during the license migration?
There should be no downtime if the transition is coordinated correctly. By ensuring the new CSP licenses are purchased and assigned to your users before the old IONOS licenses are removed, users will experience continuous, uninterrupted service.
How do I accept a relationship request from a new CSP?
Your new CSP will provide an authorization link via email. You must click the link, log into your Microsoft 365 Admin Center using your Global Administrator credentials, and approve their request for delegated administration privileges.




