When facility closure threatens business continuity, expert migration planning ensures seamless transitions with zero compromise.
Client Overview
One of the world’s leading IT infrastructure solutions companies faced a significant task: relocating 17 clients within the same campus in Ireland. This move was necessitated by the imminent closure of their facility which would result in further financial growth for the organisation. To manage this complex endeavour, the company turned to Technimove, their trusted migration partner with over a decade-long history of successful data centre migrations.
Why Technimove?
Technimove was the natural choice due to their unparalleled expertise spanning over 25 years. As the chosen migration partner for many leading IT infrastructure organisations, Technimove’s track record of over 700 contracts, especially in critical Data Centre migrations, demonstrated their capabilities. Their long-standing partnership with leading IT providers and their previous transitions into projects of this scale made them the obvious choice for this complex endeavour.
The Challenge
The client faced several operational and technical hurdles. Their infrastructure was running outdated versions of HPE Simplivity and VMware, which posed risks to performance and security. There was no prior documentation or assessment of the environment, making it difficult to plan upgrades confidently. Compatibility with existing hardware was a concern, and the work needed to be coordinated across multiple physical servers and clusters. Without a clear baseline, managing dependencies and risks required a proactive and experienced approach.
Project Planning and Discovery
Technimove’s partnership with the client began in 2021 with meticulous planning. In the discovery phase, Technimove conducted a thorough tracing audit of the environments, providing a solid foundation for the intricate migration process.
A key part of the planning process was data gathering. This would feed into the migration strategy and help both Technimove and the client gain a better understanding of what needed to be done and influence decision-making. A full inventory needed to be reviewed and assessed thoroughly to see how the project could be taken forward most effectively. There were hundreds of business-critical devices to be assessed and moved, including a total of 3145 cables.
Customer’s Challenge
The primary challenge from the customer’s perspective was time sensitivity and windows in which the work could be done. With the impending closure of the facility, there was a limited window for the migrations.
Technimove adeptly navigated complex scheduling issues, including negotiating migration windows with clients, ensuring minimal disruption. When issues occurred – including disruption caused by a damaged network cable due to ground works on a nearby street – Technimove were able to show flexibility and willingness to find solutions without holding up the project. This was managed in cooperation with the team at the IT provider and is further evidence of the open and honest relationship of the collaboration. Success, after all, is shared.
Project Significance for the Customer
For the clients, completing these migrations was not just a logistical necessity but a critical business imperative.
Through seamless migrations, the provider retained these clients, ensuring their business continuity and strengthening their relationships.
This project would also serve to enhance the provider’s finances and independence from their existing situation which increased the project’s significance.
Technimove’s Contribution
Technimove’s involvement transcended traditional migration services. Their meticulous planning, detailed execution, and unwavering commitment were evident in every phase of the project. From pre-cabling the destination site to post-commissioning support, Technimove’s comprehensive approach ensured minimal downtime and maximum efficiency.
For each project Technimove also provided project management, post commissioning support and cable supply. The expertise from the Technimove team resulted in less downtime for key clients and a smooth process overall with minimal disruption to operations.
Pre-Cabling Excellence
Technimove’s commitment to minimising downtime began with a proactive approach to pre-cabling. Weeks before the scheduled migrations, Technimove engineers meticulously pre-cabled the destination sites. Working from top-of-rack switches/patch panels, they installed copper and fibre cables.
Every cable was labelled and managed to the precise U position in alignment with the destination rack plans and patching schedules. This pre-emptive measure not only reduced the time needed for on-site installation but also enhanced the overall efficiency, ensuring a streamlined environment with reduced power and cooling requirements.
Physical Migrations: Decommission to Recommission
On migration days, Technimove’s engineers executed a flawless decommission to recommission process. Working closely with client teams, they backed up and shut down all equipment.
An initial challenge was upgrading the data centre environment from a low tier to upper tier set up. This involved further assessment and application of the Technimove team’s expertise covering key elements such as power usage, space, networking capability, as well as airflow and cooling efficiency improvements.
While this increased the levels of complexity, the upgrade in transformation through the migration was significant. Devices were expertly decommissioned, adhering to the destination rack plans. Each item was labelled, de-racked, and individually wrapped in anti-static bubble wrap before being securely placed in purpose-built, foam-lined server flight cases. The pre-cabling and rack elevations were carried out impeccably and meticulously, with a high-quality result.
Rail kits associated with the migrations were similarly treated, ensuring every component arrived at the destination site intact. These flight cases were then transported to the new facility in Technimove’s GPS-tracked vehicles. Upon arrival, devices and rail kits were unpacked and installed precisely according to the destination rack plans.
The engineers expertly recommissioned the devices in line with the provided patching schedules. This approach ensured a swift transition, minimising downtime, and allowing the client teams to commence testing promptly.
Comprehensive Post-Commissioning Report
Following the successful migrations, Technimove provided the clients with detailed post-commissioning reports. These reports included comprehensive documentation of the entire migration process, from decommissioning to recommissioning.
Patching schedules, equipment lists, and rack layouts were meticulously verified and documented. Any last-minute changes or cable replacements made during the process were noted, providing the clients with a clear overview of the entire operation.
Moreover, Technimove engineers remained on-site for over four hours post-migration showing dedication to the successful delivery of the project. This post-migration support ensured a smooth transition and allowed the clients to resolve any immediate issues or queries, further enhancing the clients’ confidence in the completed migration process.
Results and Benefits
Technimove’s collaboration with the IT provider resulted in a flawless transition for the clients. The seamless decommissioning, transportation, and recommissioning of critical devices ensured business continuity for all clients involved.
Post-commissioning support provided an additional layer of assurance, resolving last-minute challenges swiftly. The level of client downtime and lack of human error from the Technimove team reinforced their standing as experts in auditing and pre-migration assessments.
The upgrade in space, power, airflow and cooling solutions also resulted in a more sustainable data centre environment, reducing the footprint and improving efficiencies. The migrations proved a financial win and a milestone in the provider’s independence.
Client Testimonial
Client Director – Leading IT Infrastructure Provider
“I just wanted to drop a note to thank you all for the work over the last couple of months getting out of the existing building and into the new one. This is a project that would have been so much more problematic if Technimove wasn’t working with us on it.
Especially I would like to thank Anthony and Nii for working through the night with us and the early starts on all of the moves. Hope to work with you again soon.”
Financial Client – IT Infrastructure Provider
“Well done for the smooth transition of the DR environment, perfectly executed!”
Conclusion
Technimove’s collaboration with this leading IT infrastructure provider resulted in the successful relocation of key clients, solidifying their reputation as a trusted migration partner.
The result was a series of successful migrations that ensured business continuity for the clients, solidifying Technimove’s reputation as a migration partner of choice.
By overcoming challenges through expertise, precision, and collaborative effort, Technimove ensured a successful transition for the clients, leaving all stakeholders satisfied and maintaining a market-leading standard for large-scale data centre migrations.
Why IT Providers Choose Technimove
IT providers consistently select Technimove for large-scale migrations because of:
- Proven Expertise: Over 25 years of delivering complex data centre migrations with minimal downtime.
- Comprehensive Services: End-to-end solutions including project management, pre-cabling, transport, installation, and post-commissioning support.
- Risk Mitigation: Thorough pre-migration audits and meticulous planning to minimise errors and operational disruption.
- Flexibility and Problem Solving: Ability to adapt to unexpected issues, such as damaged infrastructure or tight migration windows.
- Trusted Partner: Longstanding relationships with major IT organisations, ensuring confidence and reliability at every stage.