Say you have the perfect location for your new office, scheduled a moving company, and notified your employees and customers. All that is left to do now is to organize your IT relocation. You need to plan every detail of your move precisely, and well in advance, since most carriers require long lead times for installation. Follow this checklist to manage your move securely, effectively, and smoothly.
Assess your equipment
Evaluate your IT equipment as early as possible. If your current infrastructure is dated or aging, the move is a great opportunity to update your equipment. Plan the equipment move such that your network would be up and running in your new location even before the actual moving day.
Inventory all current equipment to determine if each of them still meets the needs of your company, and will be suitable for the new location. List any equipment that needs to be upgraded or replaced, and order the necessary equipment immediately. If there are any leased phone and IT equipment that you no longer use or need, it is also time to return all of them. Properly dispose of the broken or old equipment, and evaluate your room requirements.
Evaluate communications requirements
The new office location might not have the infrastructure and installed cabling required for your business. To assess what you need, and if anything has to be added to your current space or if necessary, the requirements for a new VoIP phone system, you need to find out the number of phone lines you need. For the cabling, check how many Cat 5 cables and Cat 6 cables are needed. Count the power outlets at your current office space, and compare it with the number of outlets in the new location.
Prepare a checklist for your site visit
At least six months before the move, schedule a visit at the new site with your IT team, IT provider, and a certified cabling company to review the network cabling requirements for your new office. At least three months before the move, contact all ISPs (internet service providers), carriers, and technology vendors to inform them of your scheduled move date.
During the site visit, review the new location’s configuration plan with your IT team. Assign the ideal locations for network cabling points, power jacks, and workstations. Decide the best locations for routers, printers, scanners, photocopiers, and other similar office equipment. You also need to confirm whether the requirements for your new server room will be met, especially the cooling, security, and electrical requirements.
Protect your data
Prepare for the worst case scenario during your office relocation, like what will happen to your data if the moving truck gets involved in an accident that damages your equipment. Use cloud backup storage for all company data systems, including servers and firewalls, and make several backup copies for your own keeping, as well. Store your copies where they will be unaffected by the relocation. Make sure that full data recovery is possible, so you can maintain access to all the important data in case something does go wrong.
Technology is the backbone of your company; take care of both your hardware and software during the relocation. Once the company moves into the new space, encourage feedback from your staff, so everyone can kick back and make the most of your new office.
