IT Logistics for a Stress-Free Data Center Move

Time is money. An often-used phrase, but one that is especially true for an investment firm.

So, when the IT director of a 300-user firm was recently faced with a move, he called MicroAge’s Brad Kostner to help ensure a seamless data center move.

“Through our previous business, the client had seen the high level of customer service I provide,” says Brad, who was eager to jump into this big project he was being trusted with.

There could be no downtime. For every millisecond a fund’s trade floor is down, money is lost.

The company, which specializes in algorithmic trading, was moving from the Midwest to the West Coast, and there could be no downtime. For every millisecond a fund’s trade floor is down, money is lost.

Anyone would agree that the idea of moving a company’s main operation and its data center across the country is a big undertaking, but imagine how much more complex it becomes when the move is actually three moves.

That’s right. Three. Needless to say, planning was everything.

To begin with, the client needed to be out of their Midwest office before their new West Coast space was built out. The plan was to set up temporary operations on a lower floor in the new building while their floor was being built and furnished to their specifications.

Brad arranged for a logistics company to pick up the equipment from the Midwest office and transport it over a weekend to the new location on the West Coast.

The new building’s security presented unique logistical challenges. Brad worked with building management, the security team and the logistics company to manage the data center move so that they arrived at the allowable times. He even scheduled a couple of Tier 1 techs to go on site and assist the client with the initial move.

The client was also taking the relocation as an opportunity to replace their legacy systems. So Brad worked with the IT director to configure and place orders for high-end Dell workstations, Cisco networking, HP printers and peripherals, APC power supplies, power distribution units and more.

“We had all of the new technology delivered to our warehouse,” Brad explains. “As the equipment arrived, we asset tagged and re-palletized it to make it easier for shipment and delivery.”

Then, when the new space was ready, the third and final move was set into action.

The changeover had to be flawless. Brad arranged for the new equipment to be picked up from the MicroAge warehouse and transported to the new building, timing its arrival with the move of the temporary operations up to the new space.

Brad was onsite for the weekend data center move, assisting with anything that needed to be done—from moving equipment to checking on orders.

“They were extremely happy with the move,” he says. “We were ahead of schedule, and there was zero down time.”

Looking ahead, the client is planning to open offices in foreign markets. Brad is looking forward to assisting them. “Understanding a client’s infrastructure is important. Knowing their five to 10 year goals is priceless.”

Ready to tackle a move or another big IT project? Contact Brad at brad.kostner@microage.com or 480-366-2039 today.