Guest written by CEO Ochea Ikpa, part 3 of a 3-part guide to data centre migrations, released weekly.
My name is Ochea, and for over 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of leading one of the world’s foremost data centre migration companies. From starting on the shop floor to sitting in the boardroom, I’ve built up a deep and practical understanding of what it takes to deliver successful data centre migrations.
With so much ground to cover, I chose to break this down into three focused newsletters to make it easier to digest. The final instalment explores Data Centre Migration Execution, and will be followed by a series of newsletters in the coming weeks.
I hope you find this newsletter series both informative and useful and that it helps you feel more confident and prepared for your next data centre migration.
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3. Data Centre Migration Execution
A lot of people think that this is the most challenging and critical phase of a data centre migration project. In fact it is the least. The Data Centre Migration Strategy and the Data Centre Migration Planning phases are both more important than the actual migration phase, but this is the phase that gets all the headlines!
Errors at this stage often are normally a result of failures in the two preceding phases, which is why thorough planning early on is so crucial. When executed properly, the physical relocation of servers, storage, and networking equipment becomes a fairly straightforward task. However, there are still several important factors that must be carefully considered which i’ll outline below.
Appoint a specialist data centre relocation company.
A good one is worth their weight in gold. It is one less thing to worry about. A common mistake that companies make is that they will use a standard logistics company, who can do little more than move the data centre equipment, then rely on their own data centre engineering team / IT staff to unplug, de-rack, re-rack, cable and bring the systems back up online.
These same team members then end up working ridiculously long shifts and are ineffective for when it matters – bringing the hardware back up online in a timely manner. This approach can be very time consuming for organisations and can often have a negative effect on the success of a data centre migration project and subsequently effect business operations.
An experienced data centre migration company will have team members that can unplug, de-rack, pack, move, re-rack and cable your environment, thus reducing the length of time that your hardware is offline. An experienced data centre migration company will implement tried and tested processes, they will employ a migration strategy which is in keeping with data centre migration best practices. This will help with minimising the risk of data loss if your data is being replicated. This can help maintain SLA’s. This can help to get the business operational sooner
Access
Ensure access has been arranged for all staff during the project. Access will often need to be arranged some 24 hours in advance. Although this can sometimes be arranged at short notice, this is not guaranteed and can cause delays. Staff should have government ID’s to gain access to the data centres, otherwise they will not be able to gain entry.
Migration Plan
A runbook should have been produced and gone through with the specialist data centre migration company to ensure they understand the plan and are able to adhere to it.
Experienced Data Centre Project Manager
Key to the success of a data centre migration is the appointment of an experienced Data Centre Migration Project Manager. As most companies move their data centre infrastructure once every 7 years, it is unlikely that they will have the level of experience needed on staff. An option is to look for a Contract Project Manager, or alternatively, a specialist Data Centre Migration Company should have these on staff.
During the early stages of the planning process, it is often not necessary for the Project Manager to be 100% allocated to the project, however, as the project nears its conclusion, then more and more of their time will be needed. Depending on the size of the project, the final month, leading up to the Data Centre Migration move date, would see the Project Manager fully allocated to the migration. It is also a major benefit having the Project manager present during the physical move
Experience Engineers
Moving equipment that is increasingly valued in the 6-figure bracket, should dictate that experienced engineers are utilised.
Experienced Data Centre Migration Engineers working as a part of an organised team will reduce the downtime experienced during a data centre relocation. They will minimise the risk of physical damage to the data centre infrastructure as well as minimising the risk of data loss. The end product will be better by way of being a neater environment that has been accurately installed and cabled, in a timely manner.
Specialist packaging materials
Given the physical value and the operational value to an organisation undertaking a data centre migration, it is imperative that the equipment is packaged correctly.
Technimove have pioneered the safe, secure and successful practice of relocating data centres, in no small part, due to the packaging materials we utilise. 10 years ago, we patented a Server Relocation Rack Jacket. These jackets are placed around racks that need to be moved populated. They have a Teflon outer-skin, and an anti-static inner-skin, enclosing a dense foam layer. These are quick and effective to use, saving considerable time during the data centre migration.
All equipment should be wrapped in anti-static bubble wrap before being placed into a box to protect the equipment during transit. We happen to use server migration flight cases. These are foam lined on the inside and hard, rigid on the outside. As well as being on wheels, they are also lockable, ensuring the servers, storage and networking equipment that we relocate is kept secure whilst in our control. Other companies use boxes, skids, pallets, or a combination. What is key is that you ensure your data centre infrastructure is protected during the relocation to your new data centre.
Specialist moving vehicles
If a data centre migration project dictates that the server racks need to be moved populated, then it is essential that racks are relocated in air ride trucks to ensure a smooth journey. This is less important if equipment is being removed from the racks as these can be packed in anti-static bubble wrap and placed into a protective container, before being loaded onto a non-air ride van or truck.
A vehicle that is GPS tracked is also of benefit, allowing key stakeholders to be kept informed of the progress of the vehicle.
Resilience
It is key that you ensure that there is resilience across the data centre migration on the day of move. Resilience will come in the form of engineers, vehicles, packaging materials, additional time built into the program, cables, shelves and on occasion hardware.
Splitting of critical equipment
It is often prudent to split critical hardware, to reduce the level of risk of a data centre migration project. This is the benefit, however, when the equipment is split, this will increase the length of the migration, so both elements need to be discussed and reviewed before a decision is made.
Support vehicles
Support vehicles fall into the resilience category. This is a prudent investment, especially when your data centre migration is time critical. These vehicles will travel alongside the vehicle carrying the equipment and in the event of an issue with that vehicle, the server, storage and network equipment can be off loaded and loaded onto the support vehicle.
Standby and Rollback service
For a variety of reasons, the data centre that you are moving into might not be ready to receive your data centre infrastructure on arrival. For this reason, you should consider requesting that the data centre migration team are kept on standby in the event of the equipment needing to be rolled back to the original data centre.
An agreement should be in place for the Data Centre Migration company to then deploy the team to move the equipment back to the original datacentre to get the company back and operational, whilst the issues at the new data centre are resolved.
Post commissioning support
There is immense benefit in having engineers that are familiar with the new data centre onsite for a short period, post migration. This team of engineers can help with the transition and address issues such as rearranging equipment and re-patching of cables.
You now have all the tools you need to execute a perfect Data Centre Migration!
In Part 1 of our series, you explored how to build a solid Data Centre Migration Strategy.
Now in Part 3, you’ve understood what it takes to ensure a successful execution of a data centre migration.
At Technimove, we go beyond the guide and when your business continuity, reputation, and data are on the line, second-rate suppliers just won’t cut it. We bring the experience, structure, and precision needed to turn plans into successful outcomes.
From proven project managers to experienced migration specialists, we are trusted by industry leaders to deliver where it matters most, on time, with minimal risk, and without compromise.
Ready to move with confidence? Discover how we deliver world class Data Centre Migration services here.