Data Center and Server Relocation Planning and Execution
By Shawn Simon
Until recently, most companies considered data center relocation to be a once in a lifetime
event. As infrastructure demands and technology advances continue to expand, current forecasts
predict 3-5 moves, with 53 percent percent of companies expecting to do so within the next few
years. What is your company blueprint for a successful data center and server relocation planning
and execution?
Data center movers and server movers have experience in the complexities required for
a successful relocation. Working hand in hand with your IT team ensures a minimum of down-time,
as well as maximizing performance before, during, and after the move. Selecting a partner with
the knowledge of the intricacies encountered during a move can make the difference between
a smooth transition and a potential nightmare.
Comprehensive Planning
Proper planning is crucial for companies that are planning to relocate their data centers
and servers. Team coordination, both within the company, as well as with the data center movers
and server movers who have been chosen to perform the move, is essential for a successful data
center relocation, as illustrated by mistakes that plagued the State of Oregon relocation.
Hoping to upgrade and move their data bases into a single facility, the state spent $20
million building a new site, and finished the move of 11 of the projected 12 agencies into
their new facility, at a cost of $43 million. Unfortunately, the 55-watt per square foot did
not meet the requirements of the Department of the Department of Consumer and Business Services,
forcing them to return to the original site. Data security concerns kept the Department of
Education from ever moving into the new facility. Other issues were also noted, including the
lack of a solid disaster-recovery plan.
Protecting your company from similar issues and meeting the strategic objectives that
precipitated the move will make the difference between a smooth successful transition, and
one that is not. Proper planning is essential, and is greatly impacted by the team you choose
for your data center relocation.
Wiring, space, and cooling capacity are just a few of the issues that must be addressed
when addressing hardware issues pertaining to a data center relocation. Although this may seem
to be the ideal time to implement upgrades, many experts recommend implementing them slowly,
especially when they pertain to software.
Strategic long-term planning should be the first step. Moore's Law, which he stated in
1965, predicted essentially that computer technology would double every two years. This rule
has basically held true, however it is currently projected to double approximately every 12-18
months. This translates into the need to forecast possible upgrades sooner than in the past.
Since your company is expecting to move, this is a great time to address the issue, and create
a long-range plan.
Data Center and Server Relocation planning and execution relies heavily on the skills
of professional server movers and data movers working alongside the IT team to perform a seamless
transition with a minimum of downtime.
The Key to Success
The key element to a successful data center relocation project is choosing the correct
team coordinator. Most companies do not have someone with this experience on staff, as it is
a specialized industry, with unique challenges. Selecting an internal coordinator to work with
the data center movers and server movers is also key to a successful relocation project.
The external coordinator you choose must be able to provide an adaptive plan, based on
your company's individual needs and resources. Their role will include creating a timeline
and milestones for the move, pre-planning, and identifying risks and impact of the move. Additionally,
they will create an execution plan that includes shut-down times, wiring requirements for the
new location, cooling requirements, as well as many other often-overlooked crucial items.
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