Businesses that choose to relocate face many challenges when planning a move. IT equipment (PC’s, servers, printers and peripherals) or IT infrastructures (LAN’s, WAN’s, Internet and E-mail systems) that have become mission critical tools for running a business, need to be carefully considered when planning to relocate to a new location. A business must even consider its IT Infrastructure when searching for new premises, taking into account cabling issues along with A/C power capabilities and air conditioning facilities.

For this reason SilverData has established a Business Relocation Service. Our service is aimed at assisting businesses move IT equipment and infrastructure. Our project planning and consulting can deliver ‘business as usual’ conditions within an acceptable time frame, with minimal impact to staff and customers.

SilverData’s experience across a range of network computing platforms put us in a position to recommend, plan and execute a total relocation solution. Our proven project management methodologies ensure successful on-time delivery of every project planned.

Before undertaking any relocation project, SilverData will meet with the prospective client to inspect its current site and the site the client has chosen to move to. We will discuss the scope of work required and we will discuss the services that we can offer. We will then get back to the customer after we have had a chance to prepare a quote. We will recommend a solution and prepare a conceptual project plan taking into account time lines and scheduling issues. Once the client accepts our quote, we will move into the project planning stage.

Project planning plays a major role in the relocation of any business or enterprise. SilverData offers complete project planning and monitoring of every project we are involved with. Typically this can include any of the following.

Relocation planning – This is the relocation project master plan. Everything that is involved with moving a company is included and accounted for in this plan including pre and post-move phases of the project. This plan incorporates the end-to-end implementation plan.

Business continuity planning – SilverData will prepare a continuity plan that will prepare the business for continuing normal operations during the move so as not to disrupt service delivery to their clients.

Disaster recovery planning (DRP) – SilverData will write a DRP that will prepare the business to deal with any disaster that may occur during the execution of the move e.g. loss of mission critical databases etc. Typically this will include full back up of all data etc.

Back out planning – SilverData can anticipate changes that may affect the go-ahead of the project plan or the need to execute the move on a later date and can prepare a back out plan in case this should happen.

After the various plans are written they are incorporated into the project master plan. The client will sign off on the plan when they see that it is what they need. The project then moves into implementation phase.

SilverData can perform many services in the pre-move phase of any relocation. These include:

• The backing up of any data that is identified as mission critical and not-recoverable
• The power down and disconnection of all workstations from the network – ensuring profiles are saved to server
• The power down and disconnection of all printers and peripherals from the network
• Switch over any ISDN or WAN connections to temporary co-location site until the new location is available
• The power down and disconnection of all servers from the network
• The power down and disconnection of any network communication equipment from the network including firewalls and internet gateways
• Dismantle (if feasible) network cabling infrastructure and preserve it for possible redeployment in new site
• Dismantle any server or communications cabinets for redeployment in new site
• Work with telecommunication provider to insure that voice/data service is available in new premises prior to moving
• If voice (PABX/phone) solution is required, divert to temporary phone service and dismantle voice communications equipment and cabling (if possible) for redeployment in new site
• Audit and tag equipment for asset register or for provisioning purposes
  

After completion of pre-move project plan, and the relocation company finishing delivery of crates, SilverData will move into the post-move phase on the project plan.

SilverData offers a comprehensive range of services in this phase including:

• Reconstruction of server or communications cabinets
• Reinstallation of patch panels for network cabling
• Reconnection and reconfiguration of network communication equipment e.g. routers, switches and hubs
• Reconnection and reconfiguration of ISDN, WAN, Internet gateway and firewall equipment
• Redeployment of voice communication system
• Redeployment and reconnection of network servers
• Perform data integrity tests on all servers and perform restoration of any data lost in move
• Reconnection of all workstations and perform configuration for e-mail and internet if necessary
• Test each workstation for network connectivity, printer connections, e-mail and broadband Internet access
• Reconnection and reconfiguration of all printers and peripherals
• Conduct network performance test to ensure that network is operating at benchmark performance levels
• Perform on-site support of any other It issues that my arise that will affect the business continuity
• On-site support can be arranged for any period of time or on an ad-hoc basis until the client is satisfied that their business is as normal.

Other Relocation and facilities management services we offer are:

• Cabling – If cabling is inadequate for existing network or cabling is non-existent, SilverData will provide the client with a quote for cabling the new site to meet the standards required by the existing network. SilverData can install both Data and Voice cabling networks
• Power – SilverData will inspect the new premises to ensure that the A/C power is capable of handling the mission critical IT equipment that will soon be installed
• Floor plans – SilverData will ensure that IT equipment can be physically located in space provided for it on the floor. Any changes to the floor plan that may be required to take into account power or cabling issues to accommodate IT equipment will be made before the client signs off on the project plan.

SilverData also offers a full range of IT support and consulting services that are not related to relocating. These services can compliment or improve your current IT system. SilverData can work with you to design a data network solution or standard operating environment (SOE) from the ground up. Companies relocating may be interested in evaluating these services, as relocating is a good time to make changes to IT systems and strategies.

A telecommunication reseller that had outgrown it's current premises decided to move to a new location. After assessing the risks in moving their IT equipment they called SilverData to help them. After an initial site inspection SilverData found the company had a Windows NTserver environment (three servers) and a Windows NT desktop environment (27 Desktops). Of course this company had all the usual peripheral equipment such as scanners, printers, and modems. The computers were operating on a switched 10/100Mbps LAN with HP Pro-curve switches for connectivity. The company had an ISDN internet connection that was used for web browsing and e-mail.

This company understood how valuable the information contained on their servers (customer databases and billing information) was. They also wanted to minimise the risk of moving to a new premises and not being able to get working right away.

Before setting up the current office our client had moved from somewhere else and in that move had lost over 1000 entries in their customer database because of a server that was accidentally knocked over during the move and was ruined. The data was not recoverable.

his company arranged a business relocation service to actually relocate the office and contracted SilverData to work on the issues that arose out of moving IT equipment.

SilverData planned and executed an IT relocation project for this customer and had their entire network running in the new location by 5.30pm on Sunday the day before they were to begin work at the in the new premises.

SilverData performed the following services to deliver this project successfully.

• We inspected new site and ascertained if adequate cabling was in place for planned new network infrastructure
• We performed server back-ups
• We powered down and dismantled all the equipment from the server racks
• We re-patched all the workstations in the new location
• We powered up the switches and servers
• We powered up and tested all the workstations individually
• We supplied two monitors on loan that were broken during the move 
• We attended the customer's site first thing on Monday morning to assist with any ad hoc issues that might have arisen

For more information about how we can help you relocate your business, please contact us on 1300 54 64 74, or email info@kingcomputer.com.au .