Guest written by CEO Ochea Ikpa, part 1 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’ve chosen to break this guide into three focused parts to make it easier to digest. This first instalment explores Data Centre Migration Strategy, and is followed by:
I hope you find this series both informative and useful—and that it helps you feel more confident and prepared for your next data centre migration.
__________________________________________________________________________
Migrating a data centre isn’t something to fear. That said, over the years, I’ve witnessed plenty of migrations that might challenge that optimism.
But in the next 1,000 words, I’ll do my best to ease your concerns.
Not only will you keep your job come Monday morning, but you might even find yourself celebrated as the hero of your organisation. This blog will give you the roadmap for a successful data centre migration.
I’ve broken this guide down into three clear stages:
- Data Centre Migration Strategy
- Data Centre Migration Planning
- Data Centre Migration Execution
We’ll begin with the Strategy phase, where we focus on high-level scoping. No deep technical details yet, just a broad overview of what to expect.
1.1 First, ask: Does the business really need to move?
This question is often overlooked and undervalued.
At Technimove, we understand that a data centre migration is a big decision. Before diving into the complexities of relocation, we help you explore other possibilities:
- Can we address the issues driving your need to move without actually relocating?
- Can we optimise your existing data centre space to create more room?
- Can we help consolidate your space or combine it with other clients’ resources to provide more power?
- Can we renegotiate your contract to reduce costs, without the need for a move?
Once it’s clear that a data centre relocation is necessary, we proceed to the foundation of the migration. This involves identifying your key deliverables and the non-negotiable elements.
1.2 Timing Your Data Centre Migration.
When is the best time to move your data centre? Technimove’s project management team take the time to understand your business cycle and identify the quietest period of the year that will have the least impact on your operations.
For businesses with a B2B focus, this might mean planning your migration around holiday periods when demand is lower. On the other hand, for consumer-facing businesses, such as online gambling, the busiest season may coincide with the holidays. In such cases, we will work with you to find a more suitable time that causes minimal disruption.
We frequently manage data centre migrations for industries with change freezes, such as banking and e-commerce, where critical periods like Thanksgiving and Christmas require extra caution. We ensure that all aspects of your organisation and its industry are considered, so we can find the best time for a migration that limits any impact on your operations.
1.3 What is an acceptable outage window?
For some of our clients, like a North American-headquartered company with a strict 4-hour SLA, we approach data centre migrations with a highly phased approach. These tight SLAs require us to carefully manage each step of the migration to ensure no disruption. As a result, we typically limit ourselves to moving no more than 50 devices at a time within the data centre.
A few years ago, we undertook a major migration for Citrix, moving their global HQ data centre. While this was also an internal move, we were given a 48-hour window to migrate approximately 90 racks of equipment. This timeframe was carefully planned to account for the full process: shutting down the equipment, physically moving it, and bringing it back online.
Setting a realistic migration window is crucial. It ensures that we have enough time to complete all tasks, from powering down and transporting your infrastructure, to rebooting systems and ensuring everything is fully operational.
Choosing the right data centre location is a critical decision that impacts performance, security, and future scalability. From power availability and latency to regulatory compliance and connectivity, every factor matters. At Technimove, we help you weigh each consideration and identify the best-fit solution for your business.
1.4 Where to move to?
Choosing the right data centre location involves far more than just finding available space. At Technimove, we work closely with clients to navigate the many strategic and technical considerations that must be factored into the decision-making process:
- Power Consumption
Does your infrastructure have high power demands? Some metropolitan data centres are limited to just 3–5 kW per rack, which may not suit more power-intensive environments. We work with providers capable of delivering up to 40 kW per rack, giving you much greater flexibility and scalability.
- Latency
What level of latency is acceptable for your business applications? For latency-sensitive operations, proximity to exchanges and core connectivity hubs can be critical.
- Security
Is your current data centre meeting your security requirements? Do your clients or industry regulations demand a higher level of protection? We’ll help you assess what’s needed to meet your SLA commitments and ensure your infrastructure is secured to the appropriate standard.
- Budget vs. Quality
Are you prioritising cost savings, or is a higher-quality, resilient facility more important? We’ll help you strike the right balance between commercial constraints and operational requirements.
- Tier Rating
What tier of data centre do you need? This will help determine the facility’s infrastructure resilience, fault tolerance, and overall uptime capability.
- Geographical Location
Do you need to remain in a particular city or close to a key office? Are you trying to diversify away from your existing primary site? We can help identify locations that align with both business operations and technical needs.
- Connectivity
Are you restricted to certain carriers? Would you benefit from being closer to an internet exchange or having access to a wider ecosystem of providers? These questions can influence your choice of facility.
- Space Requirements
How much space do you need now—and how much will you need in the future? Many of the clients we work with are optimising their footprint by retiring legacy infrastructure, consolidating hardware, or repatriating from the cloud due to rising costs. Whether you’re scaling down or planning for growth, we help define the optimal rack and floor space.
- Caging and Physical Security
Do you require a private caged area within the data centre for added control and security? We can advise on availability and suitability across different providers.
- Proximity to Partners
Would it be advantageous to co-locate near cloud service partners, vendors, or other key suppliers? In some industries, this proximity significantly enhances performance and efficiency.
- Regulatory Requirements
Are there jurisdictional rules that require your data to reside within a specific state or country? We ensure any location you consider is fully compliant with industry and legal obligations.
There are many types of data centres available, each designed to support different industries, requirements and budgets. This variety is a positive for organisations — it means you have choice.
That said, finding the right data centre can take a lot of time, and many businesses do not have the in-depth knowledge needed to assess which providers are truly suitable.
At Technimove, we support you through this process. We assess your needs, consider all the key factors, and provide a clear report with a shortlist of data centre providers and locations that match your business goals.
Ready to Take the Risk Out of Your Data Centre Migration Strategy?
Our data centre migration specialists work with IT leaders, CIOs, and infrastructure teams to deliver secure, low-risk migrations tailored to your business needs.
Get in Touch with our Data Centre Migrations Expert Today and start planning with confidence.