Data Center Relocation Services

N.C.W.S. Data Center and Computer Equipment Project Methodology Overview

Implement a data center relocation Method

There are several options, and interpretations to a data center relocation method. There are probably almost

as many ways to conduct a data center relocation or consolidation as there are consultants and I.T. vendors

who offer these complex services.

The experience and skills of the people involved in planning and moving your data

center significantly matter. While most I.T. methods share some basic commonalities, there can be

significant differences based on the size of the project, the scope of the migration (local, across-country,

or international), and the capabilities of the team that will be responsible for the project’s success.

Project scale - Outside of the largest organizations, those with mature program and project

management offices, the requisite skills and experience to manage a project of this size and

complexity may be scarce or inadequately supported – particularly for a data center relocation.

Complexity - Unless your project manager team is data center relocation -experienced, the amount,

diversity, and depth of detailed information that must be uncovered, analyzed, and acted upon will be a real

challenge. Even to the most experienced IT personnel.

Focus - In many small systems and non-I.T. business or office relocations, the focus is more on

completion the project. How it is accomplished just isn’t as complicated as a data center move.

In a Data Center Relocation, the “how” becomes critically important.

However, don’t confuse an effective data center relocation planning method with a project management

method. They are complementary, but different enough in a number of subtle ways as to

contribute to significant problems later on if you aren’t aware of the differences in focus, detail, and

technique.

Data center relocation Methods

In the data center relocation setting, “when” is of course, important. But even more critical is “how” we plan

to get there.

“How” is quite difficult. The focus of your data center relocation must be on how your systems, applications,

and networks will migrate.

In a business environment, how you execute a mission critical project, such as a data center relocation or

consolidation, determines your true schedule and costs.

“When” is merely a derivative of that function. As you begin to plan your project, you will quickly notice that

no one has all the details — not you, not the data center operations and technical staff, nor your vendors

and consultants.

These details will be uncovered over time, but only with a lot of hard, gritty work by you and the entire

data center relocation team. Learn the process (to be expanded on later) at the start and it will help you

manage workloads and stakeholder expectations in the future. A good Method is based on many years of

real-world Data Center Relocation and consolidation experience. Use it because it is a well-proven and cost

effective approach.

Once the project is defined and the core team assembled, there are certain activities that are essential.

Here is a simple list of the ten most critical tasks that any data center relocation project manager must take

care of:

1. Inventories – hardware, applications, and every component that will be relocated or consolidated. The

inventories need to be detailed, accurate, and complete – with equipment model and serial numbers,

configurations, replacement value, vendor contacts, and a diagram of how each system is de-installed

(before) and re-installed (after). You won’t get the detail required without considerable effort.

So, if this comes easily, you haven’t done it right.

2. Security - the dominating characteristic of a large data center relocation is activity. Everything is in motion

at one point or another. A good security plan will help ensure that data doesn’t disappear, that unauthorized

people are kept away, and that the business remains un-compromised.

3. Planning – from the early “pre-planning” phase through detailed data center relocation planning, to

schedule development and the move days, you will spend far more time and effort on this area than

anywhere else.

4. Budget – A data center relocation is expensive, very expensive if what you are relocating or consolidating

is a major facility. The data center relocation budget must adequately cover new construction, renovation,

site closure, equipment, staff, tools, and outside expertise from vendors and data center relocation

specialists.

Managing the budget and keeping your executive management well informed are major challenges.

5. RFPs, SOWs & Contracts – Vague RFPs make for poor SOWs. Poor SOWs make for terrible

contracts. Take the time to work with data center relocation specialist’s right from the start to develop the

right RFPs and Statements of Work (SOWs) for your project.

6. Use the data center relocation Specialists – Selection of the right data center relocation specialist is

important. But, do you need one single company to do it all? That depends on you. If you’re internal data

center relocation teams lack specialist skills, whether in planning, schedule (Move Domain & Move Days)

development, or equipment de-installation, moving, and re-installation, then you will need to acquire that one

company that can provide all of the required services. Not many data center relocation companies actually

provide the services they offer,

N.C.W.S. does not subcontract any portion of the project, and is a specialty

self contained data center relocation and computer equipment specialist.

7. Plan the Move – Moving equipment is a critical part of the project. Systems must be

broken down, packed, transported, re-assembled, tested, and re-certified. Racks and

other equipment support systems must be ready, utilities and communication services need to be ready,

and people have to be migrated from where they are now to where they will be.

The Ten-Step DATA CENTER RELOCATION Method

8. Prepare the New Facility, Close the Old One - Inspections of any new or renovated data center must

focus on more than the technology being installed. You must ensure that fire suppression systems are

ready, tested and approved. Cooling systems must be adequate for projected growth. Utilities must be

in place and operational. And, the place must be clean – very clean. While you are necessarily

focused on the destination, you must also do what is necessary to de-commission equipment that won’t

move and close the old data center facility.

9. Backup The Data – Your backup media will work (it always does, you should never have problems), but

just in case it doesn’t this time, you need to have a recovery plan. And that plan must be thoroughly

tested, with practice runs conducted at regular intervals during the detailed planning phase.

Virtualization tools can be utilized here to host systems remotely. But even there, a data center relocation -

based recovery plan is essential. And it’s not the master DR/COB plan that everyone has, but too few

organizations test enough to assure that it will function as expected when required.

10. Migrate – when it’s time to move, stop planning and move. This is the moment when careful planning

and capable project management result in a flawless move. When everything has been relocated

or consolidated, the old systems retired, and the vendors have re-certified their products, you can take

that well-earned vacation day. And then get ready for the next big project because management now

has a better understanding of the business value of great project management.

Risk of project failure is always present in any I.T. initiative, as it is in virtually every area of human

endeavor. Industry data has long suggested that as many as 80% of all I.T. projects fail to deliver the

benefits promised. For a data center relocation project failure can mean anything from minimal disruption

and rapid recovery to substantial business interruption, loss of revenue, damage to your firm’s reputation,

civil lawsuits, and even government investigations. All of these are nice things to avoid.

Risk Identification

Many (but, not all) project risks can be mitigated or even avoided, but only if they are identified and planned

for in advance. For a data center relocation project, there are a few key areas of risk that always demand

closer scrutiny:

 Project management and execution

 Budget

 Technology & vendors

 I.T. management, process, staff

 Capacity Planning

 Facilities & infrastructure, security

 Data center relocation planning & risk

There are always a few too many companies that fail to learn from the data center relocation mistakes (and

successes!) of others. To reduce the inevitable risks that come with moving systems from one place to

another, you should perform a risk assessment.

DATA CENTER RELOCATION Risk Awareness Planning

Risk Assessment

Using the broad categories listed above, a risk assessment document should be prepared by the Project

Manager and the technical (HW, Applications, Data, Network, Facilities) teams - focused in detail on these

checkpoints:

 Hardware - focus is on assessing risks due to hardware: age, condition, revision level,

configurations, “hot spare,” or “asset safeguards” device maintenance/warranty requirements,

capability planning for near-term needs at the target site, and other issues. Vendor “re-certification”

issues must also be resolved.

 Backup & Restore – focus is on the OS, application, data, and systems backup & restore

capabilities available, tape systems, and other related issues

 Network – focus is on the network: architecture, components, IP addresses, wireless access

points, and other network/infrastructure points of failure

 SAN/NAS/Data Storage – focus in on backup & recovery of critical data storage systems and

software, and on safeguarding data through the end-to-end migration process

 Applications – focus is on application migration issues, license requirements, warranty and

service maintenance impacts. Also: database and application risks due to changes in IP

addresses, hardware, network components and other issues

 Enterprise Software – focus is on the critical “enterprise” solutions (SAP, Oracle, etc) that run the

business. Key issues include license, warranty, service level agreements, and other risks due to a

change in location and/or hardware. Systems and application versions, support, technical

updates/upgrades must also be assessed for potential risks.

For each risk that is identified, the key business impacts must be assessed. A risk description, risk

scenarios (best case, most likely, worst case) must be developed; risk mitigation solutions must be created

for each scenario, and costs must be attached to each scenario and solution. Finally, senior management

should be made aware of the completed risk assessment and they should be prepared to provide guidance

on the appropriate business approach to each identified risk.

While a detailed coverage of data center relocation project management practices and methodologies is

outside the scope of this guide, this checklist will help focus your attention on the importance of relying on

accepted P.M. standards.

 Data center relocation Project Lifecycle

 Project Integration Management

 Time Management

 Cost Management

 Quality Management

 Human Resources Management

 Communication Management

 Risk Management

 Procurement Management

 Vendor Management

DRC Project Management Checklist

The size of your data center relocation project will determine the structure of the P.M. team. For a large

enterprise initiative or one that will have global activity, you should implement the P.M.I program office

model: an overall program manager will coordinate the activities of project managers. Project managers should be assigned to each key domain and/or location (in multi-site data center relocation’s). Domains might include:

 Mainframe/Host complexes

 Server farms

 DASD and Storage systems

 Specialized equipment

 Procurement and Logistics

 Facilities

 Voice/Data, etc.

The all-too-common practice of assigning one P.M. to run the entire project may work for small efforts. Keep

in mind a large data center relocation will need a dedicated P.M. team.

The role of the project manager in any data center relocation or consolidation is critical. It will determine the

projects success, or failure. Your project managers will be among the most experienced and capable in the

organization.

Your project management team (and for a larger project, you will need a team) should ideally be supported

with a enterprise-wide Program Management Office (P.M.O).

The P.M.O should have the authority and budget to commit and manage the resources (budget, people,

processes) needed to ensure the project’s success.

Among the many responsibilities that the data center relocation project manager will have are to:

o Lead meetings to manage and coordinate data center relocation, consolidation, and migration

plans

o Lead meetings to manage and coordinate data center relocation, consolidation, and migration

requirements, specifications, and architecture

o Lead meetings to manage and coordinate data center relocation, consolidation, and migration

execution

o Create and maintain Microsoft Project, Excel, and Visio documentation, track and support overall

project direction and progress on a daily and weekly basis

o Interface with construction manager(s), crew leads, and data center build teams

o Manage outside data center vendors and services suppliers

o Direct and coordinate cross-functional organizational activities for the project to ensure that key

goals or objectives are accomplished

o Be effective working among highly technical IT professionals

o Manage and complete the project within an intense operational production data center

environment, while using sound technical, political, and procedural judgment throughout the

process.

o Ensure financial accountability and electronic logging for data center assets, particularly in a large

enterprise I.T. environment.

DRC Project Management Responsibilities

Once you have the core team in place, you can begin to develop a detailed scope:

 Is this relocation within the existing campus or to a new facility at a distance?

 What will move?

 What will remain?

 When is this supposed to happen?

 What is the financial plan?

 Will you do it with in-house staff?

 Will you use consultants?

 What migration strategy – forklift, swing, swap…?

 Who are the key stakeholders?

When your project’s scope has been defined, the next step to begin your Data Center Relocation

Project is to contact N.C.W.S. to begin pre-planning phase.

Contact National Computer Warehouse Services today at:

(800) 892-2354 (National Toll Free)

(617) 517-3707 (Boston, MA Office)

(805) 233-7596 (Simi Valley, CA Office)

(214) 453-0502 (Dallas, TX Office)

http://www.nationalcws.com/

E-Waste and Recycling— A Speedily Improving Business but Detrimental to the Environment

E-waste that are piled up in the junk shops and believed to be recyclables are now playing an important role in the famous E-waste and E-cycle Business. Today, e-waste recycling or e-cycling is a promising trade in most developed countries like America, Europe and UK. The industry is getting larger each year and turning into an integrated commerce—This is a result of the vast demands of the recyclers—the masses and the wide population of the developing countries in Asia that recycle e-waste to meet the demands of time. Why buy new (if you don’t have a need for new) when you can have it in just a half of its original price, right? Believe it or not, there are 90% of the world population who are preferred to buy and use second hand gadgets and gizmos. And this what makes the industry alive and getting bigger.

Nowadays, many try to find their way and grab the opportunity in the buy and sell e-waste business. But where does this e-waste really go? Was the equipment really e-cycled? According to studies, around 50%- 80% of the e-waste was exported to China, India, and Nigeria to be recycled but the rest were just found occupying the landfills. In the USA an estimated 2 million tons of hazardous e-waste every year were just dump in the junkyards. Is this really the right way to dispose them? Isn’t it detrimental to our health and the world’s environment? Are we really aware of what will happen to us leaving this mass of e-waste improperly recycled or disposed? In no time, these landfills become mountains of e-scrap. Mounting and growing like an active volcano waiting for the right time to fly into a rage. And then who will be held responsible? There is nobody else but us. Or shall we wait for the time to come were we see unforgivable disaster to happen. I hope before that we are already awake. Let us e-cycle e-waste properly.

NationalCws.com

Things to be considered in Data Center Relocation

What do you think is required in data center relocation? Unlike other goods, it’s needless to say that moving data center is a chancy job. Chances come so easily than transferring ordinary fragile merchandise. Since its risk is high, its probability to fail is also towering. What to plan and how to implement the plan only comes after a thorough deliberation. There are few things to be measured that would probably come in no surprise to the team who will carry out the move. They themselves have to know the consequences prior to it.

The Major Things that needs to be considered

·         Distance. Moving data center whether it is a hundred meter distance or miles away mull over the same peril that needs a careful plan before executing the task. Distance is the first thing to be considered because only by knowing it follows the things to be used and done.

·         Equipment densities. There are many kinds of tools needed to transport the entire data center lucratively and thus requires further consideration. The more delicate the data is the more sophisticated the equipment should be. Equipment densities also vary accordingly to the datacenter as a whole.

·         Transportation Availability. There’s always a proper way of transporting the data center. Remember not all things can be executed manually. All kinds of transportation might be needed in demolition, removing and even in the simple lifting tasks. Whatever it is, it certainly plays and important role.

·         Power Disruption. Most data centers rely on electrical power. Problem comes when the power availability is low in the area where the data center needs to be transferred. Anything could happen along the way and things might get worse if there’s a power interruption. Securing the power consistency is as important as the whole operation.

·         Team Personnel. Choosing the right people to rally round in moving your data center could be very crucial. Anything could go wrong in picking someone not suitable for the job. Make sure the members of the team are dependable, with initiative and consistent in their tasks. Remember the team should be solid and well motivated to execute the relocation successfully. 

These are just a few things that need a careful look. They might not be all but they are the major points in relocating the data center. Be sure you didn’t forget them in your plan.  For data relocation services visit www.NationalCWS.com.  National Computer Warehouse Services offers data center, and office moving of all scopes.