Whether you need more space for your expanding business or you are moving to a better premises, there is a lot to consider when moving office to ensure your IT and communications systems are relocated without interrupting your business.
Before thinking about your new location, it is important to record your present set-up and make sure that all your data is backed up before moving. If you have not already compiled networking documentation, now is the time to do it so that you are aware of all equipment, connections, internal and external networks and services, and settings. This will help you to install your systems and get them up and running fast in your new office. Backups will ensure any potential damage caused during the move will not lead to data loss and that you can recover all your data from physical drives or cloud storage.
Moving presents a good opportunity to assess and plan your short and long-term IT needs. Is your present IT system hampered by limited facilities in your office? Does the new office give you an opportunity to improve your systems, e.g. with better accommodation for servers? Is your team likely to grow so that you’ll need more workstations, a bigger network and greater capacity to handle increased data traffic and storage? Do you want to acquire more or different peripheral equipment, such as specialist printers, prototyping machines or video conferencing facilities? Consider all these while planning your new office layout so that you build in the space and infrastructure they require. Involve your team in planning so that you identify any user problems in your existing set-up, which you can eliminate in your new office, and identify any flaws in your plans before it’s too late to change.
Involve your IT support department or supplier as early as possible so that any new cabling, switches or other equipment is obtained to accommodate your desired office layout and sufficient electrical supply and sockets are available. You may even want them to manage moving your systems to ensure that all equipment is handled safely and reconnected without vital components being lost in the move.
In addition to physical equipment, you will have to transfer communications services, such as phones and internet. Again, your IT support supplier can help arrange a seamless transfer so that any interruption to services is kept to the bare minimum and you are up and running as soon as possible.
Expect the unexpected! Build time into your moving schedule in case things go wrong. Your new set-up might not work first time. New cabling or switches could create incompatibilities while a new internet service provider could require different settings. Time is needed for testing to make sure that everything is working well. It’s also wise to build in flexibility. Things can look perfect on a plan, but not work so well in reality. Revising your new office layout could require more cabling or a different network layout.
Planning the relocation of your IT systems is important to ensure your new office operates smoothly from the day you arrive and that you are not faced with unexpected costs just to make things work. If you’d like advice on any aspect of moving your IT and communications systems, speak to FX7 Solutions. We can help with everything from network documentation to handling utilities suppliers, so that you enjoy the benefits of your new office without unnecessary hassle.
