Data Center Relocation & Moving its Associated Hardware often leads a client to a specialty data center and server moving firm, for assistance managing and executing their dac cables relocation project.
“We are looking for data center movers and/or computer equipment movers”. Seems easy enough, just need to move some servers from A to B. Moving a data center seems like it’s just a matter of picking things up and putting them down. This isn’t the case at all and there are many considerations often left out of the thought process leading up to physical move.
The hope is that this short guide version will help to create a required level of awareness when you are physically moving your data center.
Not every company has the resources required to relocate a data center, or to physically move servers from place to place. The resources that are in place are often times working on the software, storage, DR, migration planning, checking over planning, and trying to work out the fail over bugs.
Often times the IT side of the house is presented with the task of moving the company’s data center, along with keeping the current IT infrastructure in place, all while they are running day to day operations. Typically we see a couple difference scenarios when hearing from a client. Once is that the planning and testing has been happening for a period of time and they now need to figure out how to physically relocate the data center and server equipment out of the current production environment. The other times we hear from our clients are when it’s dropped on their desk and the move has to be executed with no time to spare (or yesterday).
We do notice that the physical portion of relocating a data center often does get looked over, or there is a lack of focus on this area. Oversight is understandable because the focus of resources is often times on other areas planning to get all of the computer equipment moved. When it comes time to physically move network, servers, SANS, racks and such, the IT department often stops in their tracks and pauses for a moment (just staring at the equipment).
There are several logistical items to plan into your data center relocation. When you move servers don’t forget the physical logistics! It isn’t often that the average IT personal relocates or moves a data center.
Here is a common list of questions we think about when we are reviewing and planning for a data center move. These questions are for the physical move of the data center.
Cable management and server equipment labeling, along with hardware labeling.
Are all of the network, power, fiber cables pre-labeled accurately?
Are the servers, network, SANS, and computer equipment labeled?
Are the destination rack elevations prepared and ready to execute?
Is there a plan to label rail sets?
Labeling is one of the most important measures to keep time loss at a minimum. Label everything, and when labeling, be sure that the label is in a secure area that is easily identified when moving (and so it doesn’t fall off when being packaged). Often times with rails for example, the client will opt to not have us handle this aspect. We show up and there are 150 different rail sets or various makes and models thrown into a box. This will add considerable time and frustration to your staff at the destination.
Cage screws & nuts are also another item to consider. Sometimes the staff that origin