Go Daddy is an Internet domain registrar and web hosting company that also sells e-business related software and services. In early 2009 it had reached nearly 30 million domain names under management.

History

Go Daddy was founded in 1997 as Jomax Technologies by Bob Parsons, who previously founded the software development company Parsons Technology, Inc. The Go Daddy Group, Inc., which includes flagship registrar GoDaddy.com, Wild West Domains (its re-sale brand) as well as Blue Razor (its bulk domain brand) has offices in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa and Washington D.C. Go Daddy is currently the largest ICANN - accredited registrar in the world, and is three times the size of its closest competitor. It was first ranked largest ICANN-accredited registrar in April 2005, when it surpassed Network Solutions in market share of total domain names registered. Media speculation for the gain included lower prices and the expansion of the Go Daddy product line. The company also offers Web site design and hosting packages, among other services.

As Go Daddy has grown, it has taken part in activities concerning the Internet in general. For its first anniversary show, founder Bob Parsons interviewed Adam Lovell, founder of WriteAPrisoner.com. In 2007 and 2008, the company increased its presence in Washington D.C., lobbying in favor of legislation that would crack down on unscrupulous online pharmacies and child predators. In 2006, Go Daddy was sued by Web.com for patent infringement. In 2005, GoDaddy criticized the US Department of Commerce for disallowing private registrations of .us domains. In 2002, Go Daddy sued VeriSign for domain slamming and again in 2003 over its Site Finder service. This latter suit caused controversy over VeriSign's role as the sole maintainer of the .com and the .net top-level domains. VeriSign shut down Site Finder after receiving a letter from ICANN ordering it to comply with a request to disable the service. January 16 2009, Go Daddy was hit by a DDoS attack affecting thousands of its shared hosting customers for several hours. From 2003–2005, Go Daddy was recognized as one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Arizona.

Awards

In 2009, Go Daddy was listed as the #1 Software Company by Ranking Arizona: The Best of Arizona Business. Go Daddy moved up from the #9 spot in the 2008 Ranking Arizona. In addition, Go Daddy has been named the "Best of the Best" technology company by Ranking Arizona in the Manufacturing and Technology category. Go Daddy was voted "Best Registrar" in the 2009 Domain Name Wire annual survey for the 4th consecutive year. Go Daddy was recognized in the 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, earning an Honorable Mention. Go Daddy has been listed among the "Best Places to Work in the Valley" for five consecutive years (2003–2008). In 2007, Go Daddy was named "Most Innovative Company" by the 2007 Arizona Corporate Excellence (ACE) awards. Go Daddy also ranked number 2 on the ACE "25 Fastest Growing" companies list. Go Daddy was recognized by Linux Journal as the "Readers' Choice" for Favorite Linux-Friendly Web Hosting Company.