Data centers are a huge part of many companies-- these centers hold all of the servers and computers that contain sensitive company information. There are situations where a company may need to move their data center, such as needing a bigger space or more power. Moving a data center can be a huge undertaking, so it is important to be prepared. If you are in charge of facilitating a data center move, use the following tips:

Plan in Advance

Moving a data center is not something that can be done on a whim. Completing the move requires extensive planning and coordination. Ideally, you should begin planning all of the details of the data center move several months in advance. Ensure that all employees know the exact dates of the data center move so new installations and app development can be paused without causing any problems.

Update Outdated Equipment

Technology is advancing every day, so a data center move is a good excuse to inspect and examine your current equipment. You may find that some of the equipment in your data center is outdated or no longer works as well as it used to. Make plans to replace the outdated equipment with new equipment that can be shipped to your new data center. This ensures that your data center remains up to date, and you won't have to waste time or money moving obsolete equipment.

Back Up Everything

While backing up data seems like common sense, many companies lose a lot of data because it is not backed up properly. Prior to your company's data center move, it is absolutely essential to have a plan that ensure that every piece of data stored in a data center is backed up. Double check the backup procedure before anything is moved.

Prepare for Downtime

One of the downsides of moving a data center is the fact that company information will not be available for a specific amount of time. It is important to time your move carefully to help ensure that the day-to-day operations of your company are not severely interrupted. Depending on the type of business that you have and how often data must be accessed, you may want to consider moving your data center in phases to help limit downtime.

Work with Experts

No matter how tech-savvy you are, data center moves can be extremely complicated. It is in your best interest to hire a company, such as Migra Systems, that specializes in data center moves to assist your company. When you work with experts, you will have the peace of mind of knowing that the move will be done right.