Our Guide to Successful IT Relocation

When it comes to IT relocation, this can seem like a huge challenge to achieve seamlessly. There are lots of different moving parts to consider and plenty of challenges. If you’re not properly prepared for an IT Relocation, then there can be delays and disruptions that may be seriously costly. But with the right planning, it’s much easier to ensure that an IT Relocation goes well – here is our guide to completing it successfully.

Recommended Steps to IT Relocation

• Give yourself plenty of time to plan – We would advise you start planning eight weeks before the scheduled IT Relocation date. The idea is to avoid downtime and also minimise the potential for costly mistakes. Don’t forget to give plenty of notice to other parties that might be affected by your IT Relocation, from equipment suppliers to technology partners.
• Start – and end – with an IT audit – An early IT audit will give you a full perspective on your current IT infrastructure as well as the chance to integrate any changes, such as updating old systems. An IT audit after the move will provide the peace of mind of knowing that everything has been successfully completed and is in the right place.
• Document everything – Any relocation can be chaotic and, no matter how much your team thinks they know your IT infrastructure, there is still a lot of room for error. So, it makes sense to ensure that you document everything so you have lots of evidence to rely on. That will include network diagrams, rack and wiring diagrams, lists of power cables and connectors, as well as configuration information for network equipment.
• Put everything in place in advance for transporting equipment – This is one of the key stages in an IT Relocation and can have a knock-on impact on everything else. Any damage during transportation can result in delays to set-up or downtime while you wait for repairs or a new part. So, the quality of the transport you use – and the extent of organisation – will be key. Look for guarantees that your equipment will be transported in a safe, secure manner and also on time.
• Hope for the best, prepare for the worst – That means having a comprehensive backup disaster recovery plan in place. Even if you have planned everything down to the last minute there is still the potential for something unexpected to go wrong – and that’s when a disaster recovery plan is so vital. For example, what will you do if the servers don’t boot up after the relocation? Your plan should include advanced measures, such as testing backups before the relocation itself.
• Implement a strategy to minimise downtime – How are you going to maintain customer service and business performance during your IT Relocation? Just because this is happening doesn’t mean operations have to grind to a halt – get creative about how you could approach minimising the need for any downtime at all.

Our guide to IT Relocation will help to ensure that your move is successful and the potential for delays or disruption, minimised.

SADS IT Support Services

As a specialist IT support company, we have worked with a broad spectrum of SMEs with various needs. Our IT support is incredibly versatile and designed to work around the requirements of your organisation, whether you are looking for full spectrum services or support for an in-house IT manager or team.

If you’re going through IT relocation, we can help you in the process. Contact us via our ‘Get in Touch‘ page.