123NET Data Center Migration Checklist

123NET Data Center Migration Checklist

Housing IT equipment has a cost. Generally, building, managing, and maintaining an onsite rack space will cost you between $1,000 and $1,500 per month on average.Cloud services could prove even more costly if misconfigured.

A data center migration is the deploying and transferring of an existing data center environment to the operating environment of another data center. It is a thorough process of plans for migration of the existing data center to a different site or facility. The 123NET Data Center Migration Checklist takes you through crucial steps, which focuses on downtime and risk reduction, in the migration of your data center.

Developing a Project Plan

On average, data center migrations take 1 to 2 months. To build a data center, it takes 18-24 months. 

  • Engage & Pinpoint All Functions & Stakeholders Within the Affected Organization
  • Find a Migration Manager that Handles the Process, Communicates Developments & Ensures the Project’s Fruition
  • Facilitate a Strategy, Focused on Timelines, Budgets & Success Benchmarks
  • Receive Stakeholder Approvals
  • Craft a Communications’ Procedure to Keep all Parties Progress-Focused
  • Identify Roles & Duties Before, During &After the Undertaking
  • Consider SLA & Other Contracts for Terms/Conditions, Including Early Termination

Inventory Assets and Applications

Building a data center requires 5 to 10 pieces of different equipment.On average, there are up to 5 types of equipment that are required.

  • Explore if Asset Inventory Requires Discovery Software, Manual Completion, or Both
  • Utilize Equipment & Hardware Stock to Explore Ownership & What Must be Migrated
  • Finish Taking Stock of Network Connectivity
  • Finalize the Tabulation of All Hardware Applications Running
  • Establish Any Undocumented Hardware & Applications
  • Determine Categorized Cabling & Decommissioned Inventory
  • Achieve Identifying Labeling Structure to Determine Necessary Equipment & Transfer Timeline

Planning of New Infrastructure 

The average data center layout has a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) between 1.75 and 2.4.

  • Consider the Site Layout to Decide Where Equipment Placement is Implemented
  • Implement a Virtual Layout with Equipment Location & Connection Path to Outcomes
  • Confirm the Design of the Network with the Engineering Team
  • Determine Cable Lengths to All Power & Data Connections to Minimize Post-Migration Potential “Spaghetti Cabinet”
  • Establish IT Deployment Power Capacity Alignment for Each Row & Rack

1: Before Migration

  • Put Together a Migration Plan that Establishes Roles, Contact Information & Timelines
  • Direct Project to Mitigate Critical Application & Resource Impact (if possible)
  • Schedule Migration Services (If needed)
  • Familiarize Yourself with the Site Layout
  • Build Instructions for Device Installation
  • Ensure Site Access & Security Clearance for All Necessary Team Members
  • Build Plans & Detail New Configurations to Determine Functionality
  • Craft a Contingency & Disaster Recovery Plan
  • Plant Hardware Before the Move
  • Determine Initial IT asset Works
  • Do a Dry Migration Run

2: Day of Migration

  • Establish Accessible Movement Plan.
  • Make Sure All Equipment is Delivered.
  • Ensure the Assembly of All Personnel
  • Record Migration Progress
  • Plan Additional Migration Changes
  • Structure Data in One Location

3: Post Migration

  • Confirm Migration is Successful
  • Guarantee Network Operations Center (NOC) Observes Systems Working Again
  • Determine Equipment is Physically Installed & Connected
  • Dispose / Decommission Old Cabling & Equipment

123NET will help and assist you throughout your entire data center migration process. Discover your options today with premium data center space starting at $299 per month.