There is no doubt that moving office can be stressful and time-consuming. You not only want to make it an easy process for yourself, but for your IT team and your coworkers as well. Anything that could go wrong may potentially have a significant impact on your business. If you are thinking about IT relocation then you will need to consider data centre installation services to help with the move.
What is IT relocation?
An IT relocation is relocating your entire IT infrastructure which is a high-risk operation. Your business IT is the lifeblood of your company, and if not transferred with care your systems may not work once moved. This can also have consequences for the running of your business if not done in a timely manner, as you may find that it starts to affect the running of your company, operational and financial aspects can be affected.
Ensure you can move
You will want to make sure you can move before you go ahead with your IT relocation. Check your existing lease and certify whether you have any obligations, find out exactly how much notice you have to give.
You will also want to make sure wherever you are moving your IT infrastructure to, is safe and secure. The last thing you want to do is move all of your business networks somewhere where they may become compromised.
Budget
An office relocation is the kind of thing you can not have a tight budget for; you will want to ensure you have the best service to make sure your IT relocation is carried out to a high quality.
We recommend when it comes to looking for a company to assist in your IT relocation, to vet their services and the work they have previously completed. Also, take a range of quotes, so you know exactly how much it will cost you to carry out the relocation.
Time Table
Schedule everything, so you and others know when you will be undertaking your IT relocation. One of the best things you can do is to create a timetable; this will help both you and your service provider establish when you need to meet specific deadlines. It also means that when the person in charge is not available, then others are aware of the schedule and nothing is interrupted.
Organising IT
The most important part of your IT relocation is not to interrupt the services your employees provide to your clients. This is often an issue when moving location and can create problems with business continuity. Which is why it is so important for you to have the right company to assist with your move.
Back up
We will always agree that it’s extremely important for you and your team to ensure all copies of company data systems including firewalls and servers have been backed up. We recommend you have these backed up copies stored somewhere in an offsite data centre where it won’t be affected by the move.
Continuity plan
Unfortunately, you may find that when you are performing an IT relocation your business encounters unexpected problems. We suggest you develop a continuity business plan to ensure you know what to do in this situation.
It should include:
- Inventory of software and hardware severs and network equipment.
- How you plan to switch all phones, number, Internet connections and migration of data
- List your business priorities and any classified data
- In worst-case scenario, you will need the emergency contact of your telecom and IT providers
- Disaster Recovery – how will you react should your IT systems be hacked or compromised during the move
If you are unsure of how to carry out a continuity plan and need a little help, why not take a read of Ready.gov for more information.
Notifications
Where appropriate keep the relevant external people informed of your IT relocation. If they are trying to access specific networks, or are looking to work onsite then they may find the relocation affects this.
You may also find that a significant amount of your investors question the move, and will wonder why you are continuing with it. We highly recommend outlining the positives of your business’s IT relocation to any potential investors.
Removals
We suggest you do not remove any IT infrastructure yourself unless you are highly trained; you may want to hire a removals company who can help with installation of your new IT software and hardware.
Ensure all wiring and data cables are labelled specifically to each piece of equipment they are attached to. Make a contact list for anyone that will be helping with the move, the last thing you want is to have a couple of questions and not be able to contact the right person.
IT staff
Think about the ways your IT relocation can affect your business and staff. Are you going to have to complete tasks such as patching and reconfiguring internally? Create time for yourself and your workforce to repair any errors that may have occurred during the move.
How to plan
- Firstly you will want to assign an internal manager who will be overseeing the IT relocation. This will mean one person will be in control and can manage each step of the process.
- Source and meet with a provider that will be able to assist you with the move. While you may think you can do it on your own, it’s a hefty job. Additionally, you will be moving a significant amount of the business, and you want someone who is a professional in this area of expertise.
- Communicate and plan the move with your service provider, be specific with dates.
- Inform the professional of any additional works you would like done as this would be an excellent time to get it done.
- Communicate the move to your team and the rest of the business, so if their work is interrupted for any reason, they are aware.
- Contact your telecom provider and ensure they know when and where you are moving to.
- Make sure your service provider and contracted removal and installation team can collaborate well together ensuring the optimum location of hardware and cabling infrastructure are met.
If you need a checklist for your IT relocation, we recommend you give CWPS article a read.
All you need to know about an IT relocation
It is suggested that when you decide to do an office move or IT relocation, this is the best time for your business to think about any IT or telecom equipment that might need updating or restoring. This is also a good time to discuss better rates with your service providers. We highly recommend getting on top of your energy bills too, with an office IT relocation it may be the time to recuperate some of the money lost throughout the move. Get in touch with Ampower for business energy plans at an affordable and cost-effective price.
Try to relax throughout the relocation process; you want to feel in control so keep an eye on your checklist and update anyone during the process. Also, update those who need to be informed of the progression daily, and allow those involved to voice any concerns or ask any questions they have.
Access what you have and what you will need, we suggest building time into your moving plan to think about any changes that could be made to your IT infrastructure. This time will also allow you to look into any out of date hardware that may need upgrading or replacing. Coordinate your IT relocation with all aspects of the business; you don’t want to be undertaking the move when you have vast amounts of client work. It is all about timing when it comes to a relocation, timing it right will bring a range of benefits to your business and its customers.
Third-party IT firms hold a significant amount of knowledge in this area, and will most likely have worked on a variety of different size relocations either on their own or working with the IT staff already in a business. We suggest that you always look into this option and at least have a consultation before going ahead with anything.
You may also find that the move does wonders to your workforce, with more efficient technology your employees can become more productive and produce higher quality work. During the move your business will also have gained the knowledge on how your IT infrastructure works, so if you are looking to do it again in the future you know exactly how to do so.
You can always turn your IT relocation into a PR opportunity; you may find that you can write a press release on your move including the benefits it will have not only for yourself but also your clients. It may also be a way of telling your clients how much your business will be improving due to the move.
If you are looking for someone to help you with your IT relocation get in touch with us here at Puffin Solutions on contact@puffinsolutions.com or 0845 413 6000.