How to prepare IT equipment for relocation

ADA WCAG 2.0 Section 508

An office move is almost ineluctably followed by IT equipment relocation. Consequently, if you are having a commercial move, it would be wise to know how to go about this ordeal properly. While hiring office movers will save you all the hassle and worry about packing and transporting your valuable goods, it is also recommendable that you know how to prepare IT equipment for relocation on your own. You will be able to be on top of all the action and provide a knowledgable input, if necessary. The following checklist will prove to be an excellent guide through this process, and ensure a positive outcome.

1. Start planning well in advance

In order to form a fool-proof plan, along with the corresponding timeline schedule, you will need enough time. Form a team, if needed, and make sure that every point is reasonable, necessary and that you haven’t left anything out. One of the first things you ought to take care of are:

• Scheduling a visit with IT at your future office location. When there, you ought to review network cabling requirements and make sure that they are fitting to your needs and capacities.
• Find the best movers in Manhattan, and schedule your relocation date.
• Contact all carriers, internet service provides, as well as technology vendors, in order to inform them of your exact moving date. It would be best that you give them a call at least two months in advance.

2. Evaluate the necessity and the quality of your equipment

Since you want to know the proper way to prepare IT equipment for relocation, we believe it’s safe to presume that you are, in fact, relocating. Now, the reason for your office move might be of downsizing or upsizing nature. Whatever the case may be, you would want to use this opportunity and update your network infrastructure. It will help your business flourish and aid in your future advancements. If you plan accordingly, you can update your equipment and have it up and running even before the moving day arrives. When reviewing your equipment, try to follow these steps:

• Make an inventory of all IT equipment and decide whether it still meets your needs and aspirations.
• Separate the equipment that requires upgrading or replacing.
• Return andy leased phone and IT equipment that you no longer need.
• Get rid of the equipment that you no longer find necessary or useful.
• Evaluate server room requirements.

3. Properly protect your data

Although not counting on them, it is important that you are prepared for worst case scenarios. It is your business that’s at stake, and you really want to be on top of every instance. Say that an accident occurs and that all of your equipment gets damaged or lost. With this in mind, the following steps can be considered as the safest and most secure way of protecting your data during relocation:

• Make several backup copies of all company data systems. They ought to include firewalls and servers as well. Make sure to keep those copies in a place that won’t be affected in any way by the move. Internet is a good option, just make sure that your data is safe from hackers.
• It is of utmost importance that the full recovery of your data is possible. If something does happen to go awry, you would still want to have access to all of your company’s important data. Again, take the Internet with a grain of salt, and assess wisely before you upload whether it’s a safe idea.

4. Prepare IT equipment for relocation

Similar to moving your office plants, in order to prepare IT equipment for relocation, you need to realize the importance of adequate handling, expertise and transit protection. This is not easy to do on your own while being sure that there are no mistakes in any step. Having said that, we cannot recommend enough that you allow IT and your telecom solution provider to take care of the actual moving process instead of you. If you thought that the moving company which handles your office move, also handles the transportation of your electronic equipment, make sure that they know how to do that job with the necessary knowledge and technique. When preparing for the day of the move, yours will be to:

• Transport copies of your data backup to your new office. You ought to do this separately from the main system, as well as from each other.
• Make sure that all the wiring and data cables are labeled correctly. It needs to be clear to which piece of equipment they belong, and where they should go.
• Create a contact list of all the individuals and companies that partake in your office relocation.
• Before you leave your former office for good, and if needed, assist with the disconnection of equipment and instruct the staff on how to shut down all equipment properly.

Get comfortable in your new office

After the move is finalized, and you were successful to prepare your IT equipment for relocation, as well as transport it, ask your staff for feedback. You want to be aware of whether they feel the communication infrastructure can be improved at all. Since your technology equipment is the main driving force of your company, the tool that allows you to do the work, if you will, you want to know that it works smoothly, and without any hindrances. If your phones aren’t ringing, your internet braking and other systems not working, your business will soon collapse. However, if it’s all in perfect order, you are officially ready to continue prospering and advancing in your business endeavors.