Reviews Server Room Air Conditioner

The stakes for a data center relocation are simply much, much higher than a normal equipment move. Server room equipment is fragile and sensitive, and the systems are complicated and prone to disruption.  For example, miscalculations in locations, equipment densities, power and heating and HVAC capacities can severely damage IT operations and service availability. And if anything goes wrong, the disruptions to your normal, mission-critical business activities can be utterly devastating.

Whether it's a simple move into an upgraded nearby data center, or into a new geographic zone far across the country where energy costs are significantly lower, the last thing you want to do is stay put in a poor situation out of fear of the disruptions a major move might cause.

Server Room Air Conditioner

Here are four keys to server center relocation success:

Careful planning

It might seem obvious, but careful, thorough planning is key. Plan a move as you would the day-to-day operations themselves, but with a thick layer of risk on top. This includes diligent steps like:

Developing detailed design plans and layout - before the truck arrives. Performing a thorough, detailed inventory of all equipment (not just that which is expected to be moved), and performing categorical sub-inventories and analysis of the most critical equipment, and still another of the relationships between all the equipment. Developing emergency/disaster response contingency plans ahead of time. Developing in advance personnel roles, expectations, and schedules.

Skilled personnel

The key is an expert staff, with extensive experience and training specifically in data center relocation techniques, who know the risks involved with disconnecting, packaging and moving equipment. Server relocation is simply not an area where companies should skimp and save, or try to do it themselves.
Instead, the relocation team should mirror the same team it takes to successfully run a mission-critical data center in the first place. This includes experts in data network operations, project management, IT organization, IT operations, and facilities management.

Comprehensive capabilities

Not everything can be done by a hand. A proper data center relocation company should provide services like:

Ground-based crane and helicopter lifting services Heavy transport equipment Removal and demolition services

Take advantage of hidden opportunities

Don't look at a data center relocation as something fraught with risk. Instead, look at it as an opportunity to impress your customers and clients, and to perfect your operations and project management capabilities.

For example, a relocation is a chance to communicate with your customers ahead of time and solidify your relationship with them. Let them know early and often that the move is planned and to expect minor disruptions. Make sure they know why you're moving, and how the upgraded data center or lowered costs will benefit them. Make yourself available to them throughout the process, and make your company known as one that's eager to respond to customer questions and concerns.

Furthermore, it's a chance to perfect certain procedures, including:

Disaster recovery IT and physical security Business continuity planning Systems documentation Asset management

The move can help you develop talented, trusted teams of personnel you can rely upon, and smooth out kinks in your day-to-day operations. In the end, it should make you a more efficient, more capable, more customer-oriented company.

Data Center Relocation Done Right