Data Center Move

Data Centers are used to house computer systems and related components like telecommunications and storage systems, and should be constantly online. In the past not much maintenance was provided for them, and many cables were necessary to connect

all the devices involved. After the invention of microcomputers and the beginning of the dot-com bubble, data centers have exploded and have continued to grow in number.

Tier Classification of Data Center

Effective data centers require maintenance of temperature as well as plenty of space. Therefore they should be kept to a high standard in order to maintain the reliability and functionality of the computers they host. Data centers are classified into four levels, in which the tier 1 data center is the simplest, being the server room. Environmental conditions are really essential for data centers, so air conditioning is used to maintain the temperature and humidity of the room. Nowadays data centers use outside air to cool rather than using air conditioners so as to reduce the cost. It is essential maintain all components in data centers at the ideal temperature recommended by the manufacturer, so that they work properly. All specifications in maintaining data centers must be followed in order to maintain the ideal data center for your organization.

Data Center Safety Factors

Monitoring data centers is vital since the external factors or the environmental factors such as humidity, air pressure and temperature can affect the components. It can be monitored by having sensors for humidity and temperature, so that any system crashes can be avoided. A data center also acts as a power backup and consists of one or more UPS or generators in order to avoid single points of failure or a power cut. The problems which are likely to affect data centers are raised floors and cable trays. Physical security and fire protection equipment can avoid damage and provide protection for data centers. The typical projects within a data center makeover proposal include standardization, visualization, automation and security. Since data centers are increasing in size and complication, the data centers managers and IT personnel require remote administration solutions which will assist them in accessing the servers quickly.

The data centers operational costs are heavily impacted on by the rise in the cost of energy. Data centers are going green to reduce CO2 emissions. Constructing a data center is not easy, and moving it from place to place is not an easy task at all. Why and when is a data center move needed? It is needed to move or shift the data centers when your business grows. Several “servers and cables” are replaced by the data center technique. The data center move management scenario is shown in the picture below.

(Image courtesy: http://www.colltech.com/solutions_data_anatomy.htm)

Data Center re-locations are highly risky. To reduce the riskiness involved, an expert data center mover with the plans on how to relocate it is needed. Moving a data center will cost you heavily but it is done in a safe way so that no data is lost when you launch the new data center. Planning and executing the strategy is essential in the data center move technique to avoid costly mistakes. The data center relocation will take around 12 months or so. Factors affecting data center re-locations are miscalculations in locations, power and heating, and HVAC capacities which can affect any organization enormously. The project manager should form a team of IT operators, networking professionals and real estate specialists for the plan of relocating the data centers. You should create a detailed space layout and design before you begin to relocate.

Data Center Relocation Planning

The real estate personnel should find a place suitable for the organization when relocating the data center. As already mentioned, it needs lots of space, cooling equipment and so on. The engineers should work on the design of the infrastructure considering these factors and propose a plan which will be suitable when the organization grows. You should conduct a post-move audit and review the data center relocation plan. Avoid the following things when you relocate the data center: ignoring data; combining the move with other projects; failing to plan aptly, and not creating an inventory of equipment. Urgency in moving data centers can lead you to make mistakes. A trial run should be carried out before the data move, to expose any potential issues. The infrastructure should be built in such a way that the energy efficiency is maintained and to achieve a green data center. The basic plan of the data center move should include a business analysis, discovery, mapping and design, creation of the relocation plan, a trial relocation and relocation validation.

Data Center Migration Planning

Different stakeholders within the data centers organization need to have discussions to ensure that their requirements are factored into the migration planning. This is done in the “business analysis” stage. In the “discovery stage”, the hardware and software involved in the process of relocation are collected. In the “mapping and design” stage, you can map out the same design for the destination or redesign a better and new data center. The “creation of relocation plan” is the final step where you will plan the relocation date, relocation tools, and sources. Before executing the final step of relocation, you need to have a trial run so that nothing affects the process while relocating. New applications are available for data center moves, since all IT organizations have a routine operation for relocation or migration of data centers. The key benefits of data centers are in lowering the total cost of ownership, simplified management, energy efficiency and business agility. For good organization of large sector, it is quite good to relocate the data centers if their organization has improved their standards and it’s too good if it is done flawlessly.

You can also keep up to date with current trends and technology by visiting Data Center Talk where we keep you informed on important changes as they occur.