Data Centre Migration for a Major Airline
Background
A major airline engaged Technimove to support their strategic migration to a new data centre (DC). The airline, aiming to enhance operational resilience and efficiency, required a successful transition from its existing Newcastle data centre to a new facility in Manchester.
This complex project involved relocating crucial IT infrastructure, where any downtime could disrupt essential business operations, impacting everything from flight scheduling to customer service.
Technimove’s two-phased, full-scope solution aimed to ensure minimal disruption, leveraging its expertise to mitigate the migration’s risks.
Customer Challenges
The airline faced several critical challenges in its migration project:
Minimising Downtime: The airline’s daily operations rely heavily on uninterrupted data access. Minimising downtime was essential to avoid potential disruptions to core services.
Risk Management: Migrating data centre equipment entails significant risk, especially for an organisation with stringent uptime requirements.
The airline sought a partner capable of anticipating potential issues, maintaining operational continuity, and offering solutions to mitigate migration risks.
Detailed Project Requirements: Due to the complexity of their infrastructure, the migration required a carefully documented plan, detailing every device, port, and cable connection to ensure smooth decommissioning and recommissioning.
Why Technimove?
Technimove was selected due to its longstanding partnership with the airline, its extensive experience in managing data centre migrations, and its proven track record in delivering high-stakes migration projects.
The airline trusted Technimove’s established methodologies and its capability to handle each phase of the migration with precision and minimal risk.
Project Requirements
Technimove’s role was to provide comprehensive migration services for the client’s data centre relocation, including:
Physical Migration: Physically transferring equipment from Newcastle to Manchester within specific timeframes to avoid disruption.
Risk Minimisation: Employing strategic measures, such as pre-migration audits and cable tracing, to mitigate migration risks.
Downtime Reduction: Ensuring minimal operational downtime through structured project management, comprehensive documentation, and best practices.
Solution Overview
- Project Management and Coordination
Technimove’s Project Management Team collaborated closely with the airline’s in-house IT team to prepare and manage all migration logistics. This phase included:
Documentation and Verification: Creating a detailed inventory of equipment, including rack layouts and patching schedules, to reduce the risk of errors during migration.
Strategic Planning: Technimove developed a bespoke migration runbook and attended coordination meetings to address potential challenges proactively.
Clear Communication: By maintaining regular communication, Technimove ensured all stakeholders were aligned, minimising unexpected delays and ensuring a transparent migration process.
- Physical Audit and Cable Tracing
Technimove conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing data centre:
Inventory Recording: Documented each device’s exact rack and port position, serial numbers, and network connections, creating a live snapshot for future reference.
Cable Tracing and Labelling: Physically traced and documented network cables from servers to switches. This helped the client design their new environment accurately.
Roll-Back Planning: All cables were labelled in case a rollback to the original site was necessary, ensuring a rapid restoration to pre-migration configurations.
- Pre-Cabling the New Site
To further reduce downtime, Technimove pre-cabled the destination site four weeks ahead of the migration:
Rack Cabling: Engineers installed and labelled copper and fibre cables in accordance with the new rack layouts, using custom lengths and colours to improve airflow and energy efficiency.
Change Freeze Implementation: After pre-cabling, Technimove recommended a change freeze, helping to prevent configuration shifts that could disrupt the migration.
- Decommission to Recommission (Physical Migration)
On the scheduled migration day, Technimove’s team executed a precise decommissioning process:
Device Preparation and Packaging: Equipment was carefully powered down, labelled, and packed in secure, anti-static, foam-lined flight cases.
Transport and Tracking: Equipment was transported in GPS-tracked vehicles, ensuring real-time visibility for the airline’s team.
Recommissioning and Installation: Upon arrival, Technimove’s engineers unpacked and racked the devices according to the pre-established rack plans. Equipment was then reconnected per the documented patching schedules.
- Post-Migration Support and Rollback Provision
After each migration phase, Technimove provided on-site support to resolve any last-minute changes or snags:
Post-Commission Support: Engineers remained on-site for up to six hours, assisting the client’s team with powering up and testing equipment.
Standby & Roll-Back: For additional security, Technimove offered a rollback service, with a team on standby to move equipment back to the original site if connectivity issues arose.
Results and Key Benefits
Through this structured, meticulously planned approach, Technimove provided the airline with:
Operational Continuity: The migration’s two-phased approach ensured minimal disruption, allowing the airline to continue its daily operations smoothly.
Risk Mitigation: With a detailed audit, pre-cabling, and standby measures, the project minimised downtime and risks associated with data centre migrations.
Reduced Costs and Increased Efficiency: Custom pre-cabled solutions and organized cabling improved the cooling and power efficiency of the new data centre.
Peace of Mind: The airline could track every step of the migration, from equipment packing to on-site arrival, knowing that Technimove’s team would respond swiftly if any issues arose.
Conclusion
This successful migration underscores Technimove’s expertise in delivering high-stakes data centre migration projects. By focusing on pre-migration audits, precise documentation, and a robust rollback plan, Technimove provided a smooth transition for the airline, enabling them to continue operating efficiently in their new, optimised data centre environment.
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