1. How do you price your data center migration/relocation services?
To provide you with budget certainty, AstoundCom offers project pricing based on a per- device cost. We’re very familiar with addressing challenges that can occur during migrations, so we don’t seek to “punish” you by charging an hourly rate that could spiral out of control. We work efficiently to get the job done, reducing your down time without draining your wallet.
2. Why shouldn’t I use internal resources to de-install and re-install my equipment and move it myself?
Well, you can do that…but it might have an adverse effect on your organization. Your employees may resent being taken away from their usual tasks to do “manual labor” and they could be injured while doing so. You may also run into problems down the line if you choose to distract employees from their core functions to address other aspects of your data center migration.
Insurance could also pose a problem, since most corporate insurance programs only cover physical assets when they’re on your premises, not when they’re in transit. You can purchase additional insurance for a hefty price, or taken advantage of using a third-party’s transit insurance, which is more cost-effective.
3. How about using a major shipping company for the migration?
While major shipping companies will certainly be able to handle the physical part of the project, and they have transit insurance, most don’t have the expertise required to move sensitive technology equipment. If you do choose to go this route, be sure the company you choose is aware of the special care required to prepare data center equipment for shipment. You may also have to find another vendor to provide re-installation or cabling services, as most shipping carriers don’t offer those services.
4. What about hiring freelance IT guys to help with the move?
The phrase “penny wise and pound foolish” may come into play here. Do you really want to introduce unknown variables into your project that can create or extend downtime, cause long-term financial repercussions, or negatively affect employee morale? You run all those risks when you allow untrained independent contractors to handle your sensitive equipment and have access to your IP…and they usually don’t carry the requisite insurance.
5. What are the typical data center migration steps?
We follow a four-step process for all our data center migration projects:
Determine Specific Requirements: Performing “due diligence” as an initial step is a critical component that often doesn’t take place.
Create the Plan: Advanced planning and considering every aspect of the process will ensure we face no unexpected surprises.
Execute: Once the plan, resources, and contingencies are in place, the migration occurs.
Authenticate: Before the project is considered complete, we verify that all tasks were completed, documentation of recovery or contingency procedures occurred, and communication took place with affected personnel.
6. How do we prepare for a data center move?
It’s important to follow the four-step process outlined in #5 to ensure the success of your data center migration. We suggest conducting a full environmental audit as part of step 1, to effectively document your current situation and address things that have not been “up to snuff.”
Logistical planning should only begin after your new environment has been designed. That will include finding appropriate space, vendor selection and parts procurement. The more work you do to prepare for the move, the smoother the execution will go.
7. Can you provide us with a data center migration checklist?
Yes. To ensure the success of your move, we develop a project plan that’s divided into three sections: Specifications, Move Plan/Resources, and Execution Detail. Each of those sections includes a comprehensive, customized checklist that helps us both keep on track and complete each phase successfully.
8. During the migration, will we experience a service outage, and if so, how long?
The best answer to this question is “maybe”; it depends on your environment’s architecture. If it’s been designed to be fully redundant, we can migrate services in a phased approach with minimal or no downtime. If you don’t have full redundancy, we’ll work with you to develop an effective migration plan that may include planned maintenance windows or using virtualization to logically shift critical services in a phased approach.
9. Can’t we just move our racks full, without de-installing the equipment?
You should never move racks full unless they’ve been designed for that purpose. You run the risk of collapsing racks, your equipment dropping out of racks, shock damage, and personal injury to the movers if you attempt to move full racks. In addition, fully loaded racks aren’t considered properly packaged by most insurance plans.
