Six IT Infrastructure Considerations for a Successful Data Center Move

Complex moves require proper planning and an experienced IT relocation service provider.

If you have a data center or your move includes complex IT infrastructure, you’re going to need an experienced specialized mover, such as Interstate Technology Logistics. An experienced IT relocation service provider will help you plan for success, by ensuring the following details are considered during your relocation planning process:

Location, Location, Location

Location is one of the most important factors when selecting a home for your data center. It is arguably the key consideration when selecting a data center, alongside factors like reliability, security, scalability, and capacity. Moreover, the chosen location will influence service quality and must provide an optimized infrastructure and application environment for customer reach.

Why is proximity important? With distance comes greater cost for your company, including transport fees, latency, packet loss, limited redundant carrier options and peering points. You’ll also want to ensure the data center is easily accessible to support staff. Furthermore, opting for a closer and more accessible location can assist in minimizing downtime and unproductive travel time during maintenance.

Reliability

A cost-effective, readily accessible alternate source of power is essential to preserving data center reliability and uptime. When planning your move or relocation, consider the availability of backup power options for unexpected power outages, emergencies or scheduled load reductions on the commercial power grid. Medium to large data centers typically use a centralized uninterruptible power system (UPS) for emergency power. These battery strings, or rotary power UPS systems, automatically assume the critical power load when the primary power source is cut and will support the current load before the generators are activated. Back-up generators should be positioned on-site and available to pick up critical load within seconds when needed.

Security

A proper security system is critical to the continuity of operations of your data center. Your planning should consider the security measures you’ll need in your new location, including requirements for maintaining your current SSAE 18, HIPAA, and other standards and certifications. You will also want to consider cybersecurity insurance, along with the physical practices and virtual technologies you’ll need to protect your data center from external threats and attacks. Physical security practices should include proper locks, CCTV, mantrap security doors, biometrics, proximity card readers, security personnel and access logs.

Additionally, you should consider fire suppression capabilities at the new location. Verify that the facility has effective fire suppression systems like dry pipe dual-stage or gaseous suppression to minimize fire damage. Smoke detectors should be positioned above and under the floor in a raised floor environment. Preventing a fire before it even starts will save money and reduce downtime.

Scalability

In times of high demand, consider implementing scalable network solutions when planning your organization’s relocation. These, along with essential infrastructure like power and cooling, may be necessary to support future processing and storage growth.

Capacity

In planning a move, consider optimizing physical infrastructure and space, ensuring agility in meeting increased demand for your organization. Capacity planning should cover rack space, power, cooling, connectivity, patch panels, switches, and carrier capacity for future needs.

Colocation facilities can be an effective way to plan for and address increased capacity considerations in your data center. Colocation offers your organization space, power, and cooling in a shared local facility, rented as needed. The infrastructure of the data center – UPS, diesel generator, CRAC/CRAH units, POEs, Meet-Me Rooms (MMRs) and security systems – are maintained by the data center landlord. Although you will be dividing the space and paying by the rack, you’ll also get the benefit of 24/7 mechanical and engineering staff resources, along with increased security and peace of mind. When expansion needs arise, most colocation vendors will agree to RFOR (Right of First Refusal) on adjacent space or a location in close proximity to your footprint, including Interstate Technology Logistics.

Uptime and Redundancy

Planning for redundancy in your new location will help manage risk and ensure maximum uptime. Such as helping you to prepare for powerful storms, unexpected commercial power outages or routine maintenance on the data center’s infrastructure. A solutions architect can assist in configuring the optimal redundancy setup tailored to your organization’s IT environment, goals, and budget. High availability can mean five nines reliability from 2N redundancy, or less from an N+1 configuration. Either way, it’s important to recognize that system failures can have a detrimental impact on your organization’s business operations, customer experience, workforce productivity and bottom line.

In conclusion, relocation planning that includes these six considerations for your new data center or IT infrastructure site will help ensure maximum reliability, and uptime, while also minimizing operating expenses.

Visit our website at MoveInterstate.com/DataCenters to learn more.