The good news is that your organization is growing. The bad news is that your current data solution isn’t solving anything—it’s bursting at the seams. When you need to adjust your technology infrastructure, make sure you’re not losing anything in the shuffle. These tips on how to migrate your data center the right way can save you a lot of headaches.
Appoint a Project Manager
The key to a successful transfer is naming someone to oversee all aspects of the move. They will supervise the migration team and plan for every factor and risk. With support and plenty of technical input, the manager can establish a realistic budget and timeline. They should identify any security threats, as well. And they must document every step in the process, with critical-path milestones to stay on schedule.
Plan for New Equipment
If you want to migrate your data center, create a list that identifies all the physical components involved in the migration: hardware, cabling, power supplies, and even fuses. One missing connector can delay the whole transition. Preproduction tests can ensure that the new equipment is compatible and suitable for the data center. Post-migration, you should confirm that the team successfully implemented hardware, network, data, and applications.
Pay for Parallel Services
Give your organization a grace period. It may cost extra to enable a “swing” environment, but you may need to access some of the applications during the process. There’s also a chance that information could be damaged or lost. It could take weeks for the system’s services to run smoothly, so it’s better to avoid unnecessary downtime and have a cushion before you disconnect services.
Recycle Old Equipment
Business hardware can retain sensitive data even after you think it’s been erased. Learning how to migrate your data center the right way also means remembering to dispose of the old one correctly. Don’t assume that taking a hammer to old equipment will delete medical records and financial information. Certified e-waste recyclers have procedures to destroy it once and for all. There are other motivations to recycle, too—tax breaks for you, not to mention the benefits for the environment.
