Planning any sort of move can be severely stressful, but planning data relocation takes everything to a whole other level. There is huge anxiety associated with possible data distribution, data loss, and damage to critical business operations. One wrong or ill-advised move can ruin your business and its reputation. This is why it is important to plan carefully and take small steps throughout the process.

Moving is also very expensive. If you already have equipment it can be a little cheaper per foot to move. If your plan is to implement new equipment, then you could spend a little more per foot. The businesses factors that go into making such a decision vary upon company. Some of them include the need for a new facility, business performance improvements, and file consolidation from the result of a new acquisition or merger.

Once a business does decide which path it wants to take, it has to then put together a detailed plan of execution. All of your facilities have to be flawlessly integrated into your organizational network. Most of the difficulties that occur during the process pertain to the relationship between IS requirements and design specifications. Any miscalculation can result in damage to your IT operation and service availability.

The first step of relocation is to put together a team consisting of key advisers. Your team should consist of players from all phases of the operation including IT specialist, network operations, real estate specialist, and human resources. The leader of the team should be someone that is technical savvy to coordinate all events of the planning phase.

The next step is to create a business case that highlights the critical success factors. The business case should go over all your technical strengths and weaknesses. This is where key issues are prioritized and any obstacles that may lie ahead are made known. This is the step where your goal is clearly set.

The project team has to establish a requirements plan. The requirements plan must specify both short and long-term needs for data. The plan should include a record of facility size, location, site plans, risk management, and physical security. Initial estimates of equipment densities are critical the continuity of a business.

An exhaustive inventory has to be developed. A physical inventory of all your data has to be drawn up detailing which centers are being moved and which centers are being replaced. This analysis should include physical, logical, and holistic aspects. Relationships between existing centers and their assets along with the contracts and assets associated with the move have to be tracked and addressed. After this you have to create a layout plan and then a sequencing plan.

Lastly, a post-move audit must be conducted. After everything is completed, it is a good idea to review your entire process. When you review your project compare it to your original business case. Evaluate whether you were on schedule and whether you stayed within budget. This is a good time to get feedback from all team members and stakeholders.

Author Bio: The leader in information security for all of your Data Storage companies and Data storage needs.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: data management, data storage, data relocation, data destruction, technology, computers, databases