In early 2005 Migration Solutions was engaged by one of the UK’s most successful water utility companies, initially to conduct an audit of its data centres.

Formed as part of the water privatisation in 1989, the company had already succeeded in developing from a traditional utility model, with reactive customer service and a focus on failure recovery and regulatory compliance, towards its vision of proactive service with zero failures affecting customers. As a modern, diversified utility, the company’s business is driven by performance levels which are regularly reviewed and published by the industry regulator, Ofwat. Customer satisfaction targets and service delivery efficiency are its day to day currency, and therefore data and the associated infrastructure is key to the company’s strategy for growth and development.

Following Migration Solutions’ data centre audit, the company was looking for the opportunity to consolidate its existing data centres and asked for a review of four candidate sites for the establishment of a new Primary Data Centre. “We were contracted to conduct a full business case for each of the locations which included an in depth review of the site, infrastructure implications and how well the location would fit with the company’s other operations” said Migration Solutions’ Business Development Director, Kevin Ayling.

Having established the best candidate site for the new Primary Data Centre, Migration Solutions’ brief was extended to include the provision of practical operational layouts in new and existing buildings, developing base designs and provide initial cost consultancy. With the new facility now under construction Migration Solutions was engaged to project manage the fit out of the Primary Data Centre which incorporates 750 m2 of technical space and a further 1250m2 of office and plant space.

Migration Solutions was the Principal Contractor for the project with overall responsibility for Health & Safety on site.