What to Keep in Mind When Relocating a Server?

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When you’re moving offices, it’s important to pay special attention to your digital infrastructure. You want to uphold a smooth flow of business operations with minimal if any disruptions to service delivery during the move.

Moving servers is especially critical, because if something goes wrong when relocating servers, delays or damage could be costly to your business. That said, here are five things to keep in mind to ensure your servers and its related components are properly relocated.

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Plan Ahead

Having a strategic plan is paramount when it comes to moving servers. Keep in mind that a server encompasses so many moving pieces. If something fails to work as expected, you should have an idea of what to do in order to minimize downtime.

It’s important to know how much downtime your business can survive. If your business can shut down the servers for a weekend and get back online on Monday, that’s great. A whole weekend should be enough time to relocate everything that requires little time to set up. This allows you to re-use all major pieces of equipment, preventing the need to acquire duplicates.

If your business can’t survive a lengthy downtime, however, you’ll have to consider how much infrastructure you can duplicate to ensure a smooth transition. You should realize that it’s possible some systems can’t be moved without shutting your business down.

Backup Your Data

It’s essential to backup both your data and hardware when relocating servers. With data backup, you can recover any data quickly, and critical server programs are also safe. Hardware backups may include replacement servers and other IT equipment to ensure any damaged components can be replaced or repaired quickly.

Test the Server Infrastructure

You should install and test network cables, routers, switches, and UPS units before you relocate the servers. Testing the infrastructure beforehand allows you to detect and fix any existing issues. This reduces the time it would take to troubleshoot problems that may arise.

If you have the servers and client systems installed before the infrastructure, it can become an obstacle that undermines the effective installation of cable and other components. So, be sure to test the infrastructure first to ensure the server and client systems are installed and tested quickly, minimizing potential downtime as a result.

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How Will You Move the Servers?

Successful server relocation requires a substantial amount of time and labor as there are so many things involved, including:

  • Taking inventory of equipment
  • Breaking down servers
  • Setting up and installing equipment
  • Testing functionality

Handling all of these activities with only your in-house staff can be time-consuming and may result in extended downtime. Moreover, server equipment is delicate, and proper handling of the equipment during the move requires professional experience. Therefore, you should consider leveraging the expertise of an IT relocation London Company to avoid any costly mishaps.

In Conclusion

Moving servers to a new location is a complex affair, and it should be undertaken tactically and strategically to avoid costly damages and disruptions. Keeping the four tips above in mind and also considering the need to engage a professional IT relocation company are great first steps.