Data center relocation: checklist of essential elements
Published on September 22, 2020 -
A data center relocation cannot be improvised. In this article, we provide a checklist of essential elements to anticipate, plan, and execute before, during, and after the relocation of your IT infrastructure, both at the source and target sites.
STUDY / PRE-PROJECT PHASE
- Validation of application mapping and inter-application flows: updating, if necessary, applications and inter-application flows for relocation batching.
- Identification of impacted personnel: data center manager, CIO, network manager, and especially business departments. Objective: define optimal downtime windows with the managers of each application.
- Fitting out and/or construction of the target site: in the case of an IT system migration to a hosting provider, this step is obviously not necessary!
- Inventories and updates: creation or update of an inventory file for existing equipment at the source site.
- Definition of target urbanization: a relocation is an opportunity to rethink and optimize the IT room urbanization (power supply, cooling, cable lengths, etc.) in order, notably, to avoid hot spots and optimize the use of cooling.
- Definition of the target patching matrix: based on the inventory of existing physical links between servers at the source site, design the patching at the target site.
- Definition and validation of the target network architecture: following the same principle as the previous point: location of switches, patch panels, cable lengths, copper (RJ45) or fiber optic plates, etc.
- Relocation batching: based on the application mapping, creation of relocation batches (according to application interdependencies).
- Relocation schedule: definition of possible downtime windows based on the impact on business teams.
OPERATIONAL PREPARATION FOR RELOCATION
- Source and target site visits: to ensure the source site's compliance with the target urbanization.
- Validation of the patching matrix defined during the study phase.
- Operations schedule: final validation of time slots, team availability, machine shutdown times, restart times, etc.
- Chronogram: precise schedule for the relocation day, minute by minute. Example: preparation = 15 min, de-racking = 1h, storage in flight cases = 30 min, etc.
- Clearances: verify the clearances and identity information of each participant (last name, first name, company, site access authorization for source and target, electrical clearance...), transport vehicle registration numbers...
- Physical validation of IT equipment inventories: at the source site, validate the inventory file against the equipment actually present.
- Physical identification of IT infrastructure: labeling of racks, IT equipment, and connectivity, indication of network port usage, power supply type, etc. Additionally, adding operational information will simplify operations on the day (e.g., different colors for different batches).
- Ad-Valorem transport insurance: based on the value of each piece of equipment to be transported.
- Verification of IT equipment maintenance contracts: this involves ensuring the possibility of handling equipment or the obligation to call upon the manufacturer to maintain the warranty. For a sensitive storage array, for example, the manufacturer must be involved to make their teams available on the day.
- Supply of network and power cables: based on the patching matrix, ordering copper (RJ45) and fiber cables, and other power cords, to ensure "clean" patching at the target site.
- Logical security of data/applications/systems: before relocation, this involves securing data storage, ensuring proper application shutdown, etc.
ACTIONS AT THE SOURCE SITE
- Data/application/system backup: prior to application shutdowns, ensure an operational and up-to-date backup, without risk of data loss.
- Application shutdown: based on their interdependencies, follow the service shutdown order. Example: shutting down storage servers after application servers.
- Equipment shutdown: in compliance with manufacturer recommendations (cooling time before any physical movement and a rest period before restarting).
- Disconnection of data and power cabling for IT equipment.
- De-racking of IT equipment.
- Packaging and packing: IT equipment in flight cases, as well as network and power cables to be reused at the target site.
- Loading and transport to target site: a central step in the relocation, it must be entrusted to a specialized carrier.
ACTIONS AT THE TARGET SITE
- Unloading of trucks.
- Unpacking and removal from packaging of IT equipment.
- Racking of equipment.
- Reconnection of data and power cabling for IT equipment, according to the patching matrix.
- Cable dressing according to best practices: ensuring the cleanliness of physical patching on site (e.g., bundling and securing cables).
- Acceptance testing: based on the previous elements and the teams' work, the relocation manager ensures the compliance of the elements with the defined target urbanization.
- Powering up IT equipment.
- Equipment startup: in compliance with manufacturer recommendations.
- IT infrastructure startup.
Discover our white papers
Through our analyses and feedback, APL Data Center shares its expertise to support your decisions and anticipate industry developments.
You might also be interested
Our services
APL Data Center offers a range of services covering the entire data center lifecycle, from strategy to operations. Each service is part of a comprehensive approach designed to ensure performance, resilience, compliance, and sustainability for critical infrastructures, whatever the technical and operational challenges.
Consulting - Data Center Strategy
In an environment where data is at the heart of business performance, every hosting decision has a long-term impact on your organization. APL supports companies and hosting providers in defining robust, scalable data center strategies aligned with their business challenges.
Design & Construction - Engineering
Designing a data center means orchestrating technical, energy, regulatory, and operational constraints, while guaranteeing a high level of availability.
Do you have a data center build, transformation, or optimization project?
Would you like to learn more about the benefits of digital twins?