So, you’ve hunted around for the perfect office space and found it, got on the schedule of a moving company, sent out updates to your employees and customers, and now you’re ready to tackle organizing your IT relocation.
If this last point has you feeling a bit overwhelmed and anxious, we encourage you to calm your mind. In this new blog, the computer relocation experts at Connectivity will outline what should be on your checklist to facilitate an effective and organized move.
8 Things to Do
No matter if your IT department is a one-person-show or you have a provider who manages your IT and will do the majority of the work for you, it is necessary to be precise about planning the details of your office move and ensuring proper steps are taken far enough in advance. Ultimately, don’t leave your IT relocation to the last minute or consider it an afterthought. That’s one way to create chaos at your business, incur unnecessary costs and downtime, and make your customers angry.
Therefore, in order to guarantee a smooth relocation, do the following:
1. Plan well in advance. In the months leading up to moving day, schedule a site visit with IT at your new location. Review network cabling requirements, contact all carriers, ISPs, and tech vendors to alert them about your move date. It’s recommended you do this at least two months prior to your move.
2. Assess your equipment. If you are considering an upgrade or you have some dated IT infrastructure, a move is the perfect time for an overhaul—and you may even be able to have your network up and running in the new space prior to moving day. It’s recommended that you inventory your equipment, identify what needs upgrading or replacing, return leased IT and phone equipment that you no longer need, dispose of old or damaged equipment, and evaluate server room requirements.
3. Evaluate communications requirements. For instance, see how many phone lines are present and how many you need, how many Cat 5 and Cat 6 cables are required, and how many power outlets are present. You don’t want to be caught unaware on moving day.
4. Create a site visit checklist. Once you know your requirements, make sure this is logged in advance of your site visit with your IT provider and certified cabling company vendor. At the visit, review the new office’s configuration plan, confirm the ideal locations for network cabling points, power jacks, etc., decide where printers, scanners, routers, and the like should be placed, and confirm whether server room requirements are met.
5. Evaluate telecommunications options. Consider your growth plans and decide what you need right now related to phone and Internet access, and what you might need in the future. Also, if you are changing your phone number, make sure you set up call forwarding so you don’t lose out on opportunities or anger customers.
6. Protect your data. Your data is one of your most precious assets—all the time. Therefore, you have to plan for a worst-case scenario during the move; for instance, what would happen if the moving truck gets into an accident and your equipment is damaged? So, make sure you have several backup copies of all company data systems and store these copies where they will not be impacted by the move. Also, ensure a full recovery is possible in case something does go wrong. You don’t want to be left scrambling because you lost important information.
7. Prepare for the move day and realize that moving IT equipment is not easy. Consult with experts who know how to complete an IT relocation and have experience organizing complex moves. A traditional moving company might not have the experience needed for the safe transport and relocation of your equipment, data, etc.
8. Test your new office’s network. Ask for your IT and telecom solution provider to come to your office on moving day to set up network connectivity, verify cabling, equipment, phones, etc. are in the right places, connections are tested, Internet is set up, phone system features work, and the like. You will also want to start all servers and test network capability and data migration, check phone numbers are associated with the right location, and incoming and outgoing emails are sending. This is the time to uncover issues and fix them if they are present.
Make Your Office Move Seamless
Here at Connectivity, we have extensive experience helping businesses of all sizes handle IT relocations and making sure the process is seamless, efficient, and beneficial to your business. Reach out to our team for help with your upcoming office move. We can assist and help you plan for a successful, low risk move that enables you to enjoy your new space faster. Contact us today!