You know the stress, time, and obstacles that headed your way when you just moved from your house to a new one. There were things to pack, things to toss, and an inventory of things moved so that nothing was lost. Imagine having to relocate a data center. This is an enormous task but if it is planned out thoroughly in advance, you have a better chance of having a flawless relocation.
You may be considering data center relocation because there is a need to upgrade the facilities. You may be paying too much for your rent at your current location and need to find a more reasonably priced facility. In many cases when companies are acquired by another company or merge with another company, there is a need for data center relocation. Keep in mind these steps when planning your move for the best results.
- Put together a team of everyone who will be involved in the data center relocation. It is important that everyone who will be affected by this move be represented. This team should include staff members from applications, IT operations, data network operations, human resources, and the realtor who is facilitating the move. This team should be led by a project manager and all phases of the move and post-move should be documented.
- Figure out the requirements in advance. You should know the size of the new facility, the site plans, the location, what is required as far as security levels, estimate of the densities of the equipment and what is needed to accommodate the power and cooling.
- You must create an inventory of everything that will be involved in this data center move. This must be a comprehensive listing of all equipment that is being moved and any systems that need to be replaced.
- Make sure that you know ahead of time where everything is going in the new location. Draw out a layout plan that will take everything into consideration: the size of the equipment, the power levels, network connectivity, and cooling systems.
- Make sure that you layout the way you are going to move each piece of equipment. Data must be backed up and each piece of equipment that is being move must be positioned properly and follow strict HVAC regulations regarding electrical capacity, cooling units, and back-up power supplies. You must also make sure that you are complying with the building codes and any ordinances that are in place where your new data center is located.
- After the move it is important to take note of things that did not go as planned, obstacles that had to be dealt with and an overview as to how closely everything went as planned. These notes and this experience will come in handy in case you are involved in another move.
Data center relocation will go as well as you plan it. Plan ahead of time and you will save much stress later.
