>> Moving
the office network? How hard could it be? Anybody who's
ever moved the office network knows the risks and
challenges associated with this colossal task. This
mighty endeavour is not merely a case of logging-off,
shutting down and pulling the plug.
The move requires careful, systematic planning,
forethought and a little luck. The following
considerations provide valuable guide ropes for hauling
serious office technology.
Think of the move as the evolutionary-growth to a better
network
An office move can provide the perfect opportunity to
re-evaluate your IT systems, introduce new technology
and upgrade your equipment.
Consider the future of your company and the flexibility
your network will need as your company expands. Assess
your needs and work out exactly what you will need to
add to provide for your future growth.
Hire a network specialist to fine tune your systems
Obtaining expert advice helps cut corners, taking the
guesswork out of what equipment you'll need, design and
implementation of the network and the difficulties
associated with troubleshooting.
“We take great pride in our work. As a reliable,
efficient and highly specialised IT company in London,
you'll be afforded the peace of mind that with us, your
computers and network are in the hands of professionals”
says Andrew Cruise, Managing Director of Hypercubic.
You also get an idea of what the costs will be,
including the benefits of on-going maintenance and
support. Planning the installation process with a
professional takes the load off your shoulders and many
thorns out of your side.
Save on downtime
Install the new system over the weekend, this way there
will be minimal disruption to the business. Think about
how many emails, phone calls and enquiries you will be
missing if you move during the week. If the installation
takes longer, inform clients or users in advance so they
know what to expect.
One businessman reported, “Before we moved offices, we
sent an email to all of our clients informing them about
the move and provided all our clients with contact
details. Our manager received valuable business related
calls via his mobile phone thanks to this pre-planning”.
Moving valuable, sensitive equipment requires care
Moving several floor-standing servers or a couple of 42u
racks may take more than a fat guy with a slipped disk.
Depending on the size of the server lifting the
equipment may require hoists, trolleys and ropes.
A removal truck is obviously an essential part of the
office move, though extra care needs to be taken
concerning packaging.
Prepare for impact
Your delicate robotics need to travel comfortably
between cushioned barriers, preventing devices from
jarring together. Wrapping the equipment in anti-static
bubble wrap shields the equipment against magnetic
fields, preventing the loss of valuable data.
Equipment should ideally be placed in computer crates.
Each crate should be dedicated to one complete system
that is labelled for easy identification.
Think seriously about Insurance
When it involves your bread and butter being stored in
digital format, ensure you have a back-up plan in case
something happens during the move. Most insurance
companies offer various policies for insuring computers
against theft and damage.
Find out if your new building has the facilities for
your network
Be sure to conduct a site survey and evaluate what your
network needs are. This helps to curb overspending on
equipment and identifies the best possible locations for
installing access points. It also ensures that cable
runs meet the local building codes.
Things just work better when cabling is installed before
the move
Before the move goes ahead, the new network's cabling
and network infrastructure should be in place,
conveniently ready for each labelled workstation crate
to be placed next to the correct plugs, power leads and
phone lines.
Power On: Booting-up the network
Expect a few glitches; problems are inevitable with a
new network. Hiring a professional at this point is an
invaluable asset. Installation support ensures that the
company can deal with any unforeseen teething problems
during the initial start-up period.
Lastly, don't even think about doing it yourself
Most companies, before seeking advice from professionals,
go down the DIY networking route. Unless you have a
qualified team, installing a network can turn ugly and
about as frustrating as unravelling 3000 feet of fishing
line with one hand.
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