Moving Your Server Room? Don't Forget These Three Most Missed Items

by Stephanie Faris on Sunday, June 22 19:44

A server move can be a grueling, complex process, but it doesn't have to be. With careful planning and testing in advance, business users can enjoy a seamless experience with no downtime. When handled incorrectly, applications and data can be inaccessible for days, even weeks, leading to lost productivity and user frustration.

In the months leading up to your server room move, you should be carefully crafting a detailed list to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. Here are three essential areas that are often left out of many server relocation checklists.

Extra Time for Testing

Testing at each phase of the process is essential for any successful server move. If new equipment is being deployed, connections should be tested before moving the users from the old equipment. If current equipment is relocating, all supporting equipment such as air conditioners and Uninterrupted Power Supplies should be in place and fully functional prior to the move day.

If your move is on a standard weekend, you may find you don't have enough time. Ideally, your move should take place on a three-day weekend, allowing for thorough testing of all applications and file accessibility. Multiple people should be on hand to test connectivity throughout the building.

Racks and Cabinets

As you inventory your server room and plan your move, don't forget racks and cabinets, if they're moving with you. Make sure all of these items will fit through doorways in the new space and don't forget to inventory everything in the cabinets that will be making the move.

If possible, all racks and cabinets should be moved before the date of the equipment move. All cabling should be installed and in place to allow IT staff to start plugging everything in once the equipment has arrived on move day. Be sure to have diagrams on hand to help with placement of equipment once it arrives at the new location.

Communication Throughout the Process Everyone impacted by the move should be kept informed throughout the process, from the IT staff who will be helping out to the vendors to the end users who may experience outages for multiple days. If possible, a business should assign a project manager to facilitate this conversation and stay in touch with all involved parties.

Months in advance of a move, those overseeing the move should schedule regular meetings with the server moving company to discuss plans for the move. A thorough inventory will likely need to be conducted to determine all existing network connections and hardware before a vendor will give a price for helping with the move. This inventory will likely come in handy throughout the move to prevent last-minute surprises after the move is complete.

It's important to note that even with the most careful planning, problems are inevitable. Chances are, a business won't be at 100 percent after a move as bugs are worked out. But the more planning a business can do on the front end, the fewer bugs it will have to endure afterward. This planning should begin months before a move, not weeks, for best results.