Migration Methodologies
Migration of a data centre or computer room is one of the most complex tasks any organisation will ever undertake. It is common for an organisation to approach a migration or relocation with a view that it is simply a 'lift and shift' - switch it off, move it and switch it back on again. Nothing could be farther from the truth! The physical migration of the equipment is the easy part, it is the planning and preparation that takes the effort. Migrating a data centre or computer room is 90% planning and 10% doing. If the planning is not executed properly, the migration will fail.
Migration Solutions takes the headache out of precisely this problem for the Data Centre Manager or IT Director, and has developed a set of proven methodologies that enable us to carry out a relocation to any facility with supreme confidence. The Migration Solutions ‘Passport Scheme' provides a complete inventory of the computer room or data centre IT infrastructure. The ‘Passport Scheme' identifies every element affected by a relocation, its destination in the new facility, its dependencies and power requirements. This ‘360˚ view' defines the requirements for the new computer room and is the basis of a smooth, professional and risk-free relocation. Some of the detail that is collected, and needed, is as follows:
- Equipment ID
- Physical dimensions
- Racking Requirements
- Missing Components
- Power
- Connectivity
- Dependencies on other devices & applications
- Physical and Logical Information for Source and Destination
- Equipment ID (Serial No, MAC, name, type)
- Row
- Rack
- U slot
- Power sockets
- Network ports
Every device that is to be moved must be documented, a new location planned, the new location prepared, and every aspect of how it will work, power, cool and connect must be planned before the migration takes place.
At the time of the relocation or migration, the move must be carefully orchestrated to ensure that each device is decommissioned, packed, transported, recommissioned and brought online in the correct sequence. Often there is a requirement for minimal downtime, and sometimes a requirement for none. The key to a successful migration is to use experienced up-to-date personnel who have done it before, understand the pitfalls and can ensure that every aspect of the migration detail is planned and executed smoothly. Migration Solutions, as the name might suggest, is a specialist in this very complex area of data centres.