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When moving offices, one of the most important tasks a company must undertake is to ensure

that its IT assets (including computers and software, servers, peripheral devices, printers, copiers,

telecommunications equipment) transition smoothly to its new location. Doing so involves a wide

variety of considerations; from detailed planning of the move itself, to preparing the new premises,

and arranging the logistics and personnel necessary to make the move.

This guide provides a detailed account of the IT moving process from start to finish, with the goal

of making such a move as painless as possible for your organisation. It offers a thorough look at

all aspects of a move, from planning to inventory, logistics, safety, facilities, infrastructure, testing,

business continuity, security, communications and personnel. The information contained in this

guide is provided to help you conceptualise and implement your IT-related moving plans.

Planning and SchedulingA properly designed moving plan can save you time and money, and should be considered a

worthwhile investment, rather than just as a cost to be incurred. Your planning should cover the

moving process as a whole; from inventory management to moving equipment, providing security,

and not least of all, ensuring business continuity during the move. Scheduling should encompass the

comprehensive plan for the move, including pre-move preparation, expected pickup and delivery

times for the equipment, as well as the details of the move itself. Factors to consider during the

planning process include:

• The plan should encompass potential delays and other setbacks.

• The new building should be fully prepared prior to the move. This includes infrastructure as well

as things like server racks and cabinets.

• Coordinate with all suppliers well ahead of the move. Make sure all suppliers and service

providers have access to a written copy of the moving plan.

HOW TO MOVE OFFICES WITHOUT THE PAIN

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• Schedule enough time to perform a backup of all data before the move begins.

• Set up a freeze point after which no further changes to the IT infrastructure will be made until

the move is complete.

• Target minimum operating capacity for IT on the first day after the move and for a three-month

working period thereafter to help prioritising the re-engagement of systems once the move has

been completed.

Take InventoryTo avoid losing or misplacing equipment in the process of a move, conducting an inventory check

prior to the move is essential. The following are some considerations to keep in mind when dealing

with inventory.

• Look for any disparity between inventory tracking software such as a configuration management

database (CMDB) and the equipment actually on the premises.

• Determine whether the electrical connections at the old and new facilities are the same; if not,

verify whether special adapters are required to allow equipment to function at the new location.

• Plan for IP changes: a move to a new facility involves new IP addresses, which in some cases

must be accounted for in various Internet enabled equipment for the equipment to function

properly.

• Plan for inventory movement according to proper server sequencing. Chained servers may

require a linked server to be started up first; this should be accounted for in inventory planning.

• Accurately label all wiring in order to correctly replicate equipment connections at the new

premises.

• Ensure that the equipment supply chain can be replicated when moving a data centre. Such

centres are highly sensitive to their infrastructure architecture. For best results, make note of the

setup so that it can be reassembled exactly the same way at the new location.

Server Racks:

• Verify that the server racks to be used at the new facility can hold any servers being moved.

Servers should be placed in racks where there is some extra space to allow for the release of

heat.

• Determine whether equipment will be communicating with other systems at greater distances

after the move. If so, certain connectors may need to be replaced or extended to facilitate

operation at the new facility.

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LogisticsCoordinate all aspects of the move with service providers and others involved in the move to ensure

that effort is not being duplicated and moving equipment is not being double-booked. If people

will be working in the building while the move takes place look into making arrangements for them

to work away from the moving area for the day if possible.

• Equipment being moved should be tagged both for identification purposes and to indicate the

applicable workstations where it will be placed at the new location.

• Check the anticipated movement route of the equipment to prevent any potential damage to

the equipment. Conduct a walk-through of both the old and new buildings with the company

performing the move to define routes and determine the most fitting moving equipment to use.

• Server cabinets, especially when fully equipped, may not be able to be tilted when moved. In

these cases, arrangements must be made with the movers to move the cabinets in one go or the

servers will have to be unequipped to perform the move.

• Make sure the movers prepare for potentially inclement weather by having plastic covers

available to cover equipment.

• Make sure to communicate all information about the size and weight of the equipment gained

from the inventory process.

• The order to be followed during the move should be carefully considered for maximum

efficiency. When loading, first load the equipment and then furniture. When unloading,

follow the opposite process, first unloading and installing furniture and then unloading the IT

equipment.

SafetyA variety of steps should be taken to ensure the safety of all personnel involved in a move as well as

those passing by, including:

• Arrange for an individual qualified to administer first aid to be present during the move in case

of an accident or emergency.

• Use a certified electrician to disconnect servers when necessary for safety and warranty

compliance purposes.

• When moving servers, verify that any floors the equipment passes over are capable of handling

heavy loads.

• Make sure any of your employees involved in moving heavy equipment wear appropriate safety

equipment including hard hats when appropriate.

• Check all doors to server or equipment rooms to ensure that they open quickly and easily in case

of emergency. Doors should open in the direction of any escape route so they don’t serve as an

impediment to escaping.

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FacilitiesMake sure all necessary equipment is available at the facilities involved in the move and make sure

details of the move are accessible to everyone involved.

• Both digital and printed copies of the moving plan should be made available to all parties

involved in the move.

• Encourage all mobile device users to check that their devices are fully charged and to carry

chargers with them in case their devices run out of power during the course of the move.

• Establish a project room at the new location where those involved in the moving process can go

if they need further information or to consult with someone regarding organisational aspects of

the move. The room should have an internet connection and a whiteboard with pens.

• Ensure that the moving team has access to all necessary equipment including screwdrivers, nuts

and bolts, as well as spare parts such as cables in case any existing parts need replacement in

the course of the move.

InfrastructurePlan for the location and the specific type of all IT infrastructure with your suppliers prior to any

move. Tips for handling infrastructure issues include:

• Take into account any difference in location distance from your service provider’s network

location after the move. If the difference is greater, it may affect network performance.

• Acquire a current wiring plan for both the old and new locations if possible: when cabling

workstations, try to provide excess cable space in terms of length to make it easier to add or

extend cables when necessary.

• Plan well in advance for the movement of connections such as VPNs, ADSL, WiFi and the like so

that they will be ready at your new location as soon as the move is complete. If your connection

is wired, make sure that the relevant telecommunications personnel have access to your new

offices before the move so that any necessary wiring can be done in advance. If you are using

wireless communication devices, make sure that any necessary routers or wireless access points

are ready to function upon arrival at your new offices.

• Verify that any wiring present at the new location is compatible with the equipment being

moved.

• When moving servers, make sure that they are mounted to the new racks with the proper

fasteners. Use of improper fasteners may necessitate a server being cut from a rack if it needs to

be moved.

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• Plan the power distribution of each server rack so that particular groups of servers are connected

to particular power sources in order to properly plot the distribution of power.

• When moving a network, ensure that proper VLANs are in place for any VOIP applications.

Failure to do so may make it impossible for VLANs to access the appropriate applications.

• Verify that adequate cooling and power capacity exists for all IT equipment at the new location.

TestingTesting is essential to determine if your equipment has been moved successfully without suffering

damage or impairment. The following measures can help you perform effective testing of your IT

equipment:

• Perform a benchmark level test before the move, preferably after you have frozen development

of your systems prior to the move. Then, once the equipment has been moved and re-

established, you can test it against the benchmark set by the pre-move test.

• Make sure to have wiring certified and coordinate all test protocols with your IT suppliers and

maintenance contractors.

• In addition to performance testing, use the pre-move testing period to look for faulty equipment

such as bad hard drives or other defective equipment.

• Check network configurations at the new location to ensure they are functional.

Business ContinuityA primary goal of any move is to restore business operations as quickly as possible. If something

occurs to interrupt this process, it is essential to have a backup plan to ensure business continuity.

The following measures can be used to help your company maintain continuous operations:

• The moving plan should delineate who has the responsibility to make decisions related to

business continuity during the course of the plan. This can include delaying or calling off

the move if necessary, as well as switching to a backup plan in the event of an accident or

emergency.

• If a move is interrupted or some sort of accident or emergency occurs, it may be necessary to

return to the old location for a time. Design your moving plan with a go/no go condition, so that

the move can be cancelled or postponed for a time if need be.

• Communicate all particulars of the layout and infrastructure design at the new location to

the new moving team to ensure they can properly connect your IT equipment once it has

been moved.

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• Transport insurance covering the equipment and furniture being moved should be purchased.

• Confirm the details of any maintenance contract moving clauses relating to your equipment. In

some cases providers of the equipment require that disconnection and connection and even

moving, be performed by certified technicians.

• Transport backup equipment separately from primary equipment to ensure that an accident

doesn’t disable both sets of devices.

• Look into renting a replacement data centre in case of emergency. Such centres can be used

temporarily in case a move meets with setbacks or to provide necessary functionality for a day or

two during the course of a move.

• Include representatives from equipment suppliers in your moving plans so that they can be

available on the day of the move in case replacement parts are needed.

• Technicians and other equipment experts should be on scene the day after the move to make

sure all equipment is running properly and to deal with any unforeseen circumstances.

SecurityWhen moving valuable IT equipment, paying attention to security issues is necessary to ensure the

move goes smoothly and to prevent the loss of valuable equipment. The following tips can help

accomplish this:

• Consult with those responsible for security at both the old and new locations prior to the move.

If not properly monitored during a move, valuable IT equipment is subject to going missing.

• Register all those involved in the move with the appropriate security staff prior to the move. You

should also arrange for access to the rooms necessary to facilitate the move at the new location.

• Server equipment such as cabinets are typically locked, and may be connected to other

equipment or furniture via locked cables as well. Make sure the movers have the necessary keys

to unlock such equipment or that personnel are on hand to do so.

• Servers and network equipment monitoring devices should be disabled for the move, and then

re-engaged as soon as possible at the new location.

• Provide the moving team with passwords necessary to test that equipment has been restarted

properly, or have personnel available to perform such tests.

CommunicationTo ensure a move proceeds as smoothly as possible, efficient communication is essential. The

following steps can help with communication before and during the move:

• Compile a list of all personnel involved in the move that also details their responsibilities during

the move.

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• The above list can be combined with a communication map plan describing what needs to be

communicated to whom and when the communication should occur. Preparing such a plan in

advance helps to avoid miscommunication related to the stress that can occur while a move is in

progress.

• Appoint a communication contact from each department involved in the move to ensure that

messages are communicated accurately and to minimise confusion.

• Inform suppliers of equipment that sends automatic messages when disconnected about the

move so that they are aware of the reason for such messages in advance.

PersonnelSelecting the proper personnel to perform a move is an important step in ensuring the process goes

as smoothly as possible. Taking the following steps can help accomplish this:

• Determine who amongst your employees will have roles to perform during the move. Assign

their roles to other employees so they will be able to devote their full energy to their move-

related tasks.

• Professional movers should be hired to perform the bulk of the move. This will help the move

proceed smoothly, and reduce the potential liability generated by having your employees, who

are not trained to perform such activities, carrying out duties that they are not accustomed to.

• Check with your IT equipment suppliers to help find movers with the ability to move such

equipment. Not all moving companies are capable of moving equipment of this type.

• When building server racks, the process moves bottom to top, not top to bottom. Following this

procedure, helps prevent injuries to the personnel involved.

• Arrange for food and refreshments to be available to personnel during the course of the move. If

the move will extend beyond a single day, look into arranging lodging for employees who have

come from distant locations to help with the move.

• In the case of mission critical equipment and highly complex systems, having personnel from

the suppliers present when possible is recommended to help the move proceed as smoothly as

possible.

• A crisis team should be appointed to oversee the move as a whole and react to any issues. They

can operate from a centralized location and direct personnel to respond as and where needed to

any emergency or unforeseen event.

• When building server racks, the process moves bottom to top, not top to bottom. Following this

procedure, helps prevent injuries to the personnel involved.

• Arrange for food and refreshments to be available to personnel during the course of the move. If

the move will extend beyond a single day, look into arranging lodging for employees who have

come from distant locations to help with the move.

Contact your Bright representive today for more information:

333 Latimer Rd, London W10 6RA | 020 3031 9500 | sales@bright.co

• In the case of mission critical equipment and highly complex systems, having personnel from

the suppliers present when possible is recommended to help the move proceed as smoothly as

possible.

• A crisis team should be appointed to oversee the move as a whole and react to any issues. They

can operate from a centralized location and direct personnel to respond as and where needed to

any emergency or unforeseen event.