Infra Matters

These six basic steps can ensure a smooth migration process:

1. Due diligence where parameters such as asset functionality and possible bottlenecks are identified.

2. Identifying stakeholders who would typically be experts in their domains such as IT operations, network management and facilities management to name a few. A comprehensive stakeholder matrix with clearly define roles, responsibilities and scope of work is then prepared.

3. Application Bundling involves identifying applications and their interdependencies and then tracing it down every piece of hardware that is related to it. To ensure there is no lag in the performance of the applications, a performance testing is conducted before the movement.

4. The actual move should preferably be done in phases. An accurate back up and a robust disaster recovery plan are vital to a smooth migration. Business and IT support teams need to coordinate closely during the actual move.

5. Storage of the IT hardware equipment involves specialized containers that are well designed to protect the equipment from any static, shocks or jerks during the movement. Hardware vendors such as IBM have strict specifications for the transport and storage of their hardware products.

6. Auditing the new data center is the last step towards a complete migration: This ensures that the migration has been a success and meets all the business requirements as specified in the scope of the project. It is a mandatory step if a third party was used to make the move.

My next post will focus on the process of replicating a data center. While the basic process is largely the same, unlike a simple relocation, replicating an environment is an intensive process and needs to be executed with great care.