Businesses must adapt in order to thrive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. When it’s time to move to a new data center, the migration has to be seamless. Data center migration has the potential to unlock a multitude of benefits, ranging from cost reductions to improved performance. It can also improve security and the ability to adapt to new business demands.
How to migrate your infrastructure to another data center:
1. Choose a new data center provider
2. Plan for migration
3. Establish a clear line of communication
4. Design new network architecture
5. Prepare and perform the migration
6. Verify and Validate
TenHats offers economical colocation services with expert support, allowing businesses to focus on their core mission.
Steps for Data Center Migration
Data center migration is a complex process that involves moving IT infrastructure, applications, and data from one physical location to another. Knowing what steps to take to prepare as well as what to expect once you’re finished can make all the difference.
1. Choose a new data center provider
When choosing a new data center for your business, be sure to consider factors such as proximity, redundancy, and compliance. Other key factors to consider include:
- Security
- Connectivity
- Scalability
- Support
- Service level agreements
- Reputation
Reviewing these factors is crucial for the performance, security, and reliability of your IT infrastructure. You should also determine how much power and how many servers your business will require. A quality data center will be able to help you determine these numbers.
Are you looking for a new data center provider? Get a free quote from TenHats today!
2. Plan for migration
Document all your existing data, hardware, software, and applications by inventorying your current data center. This should include what’s staying on-prem, what’s going to the new data center, and what, if anything, is going to the cloud. If your organization uses third-party apps, determine if any information stored in the apps needs to be transferred to a more secure location.
Perform an assessment by identifying all potential challenges and requirements associated with the migration process. Data center migration is often an effective way to reduce IT costs in the long term, but you’ll want to account for some upfront expenditures. Allocate the necessary budget and manpower as well as any other resources you may need for the project.
3. Establish a clear line of communication
Assign a project manager to oversee the process from start to finish. They can make sure all necessary steps are completed internally as well as keep external communication open with clients if necessary. Depending on the size of your business, the entire project can take a few weeks to a couple of months.
4. Design new network architecture
Create a detailed network architecture plan for the new data center. This should include IP addresses, VLANs, and routing. For the new data center, design the physical layout of the:
- Servers
- Storage
- Networking equipment
- Power distribution units
Take time to ensure redundancy for critical components to minimize downtime.
5. Prepare and perform the migration
Perform a comprehensive backup of all data and create a disaster recovery plan. Set up a test environment to validate the migration process and identify any potential issues. Be sure to verify that all applications and services are compatible with the new environment.
Once that’s complete, it’s time to perform the migration. Transfer your organization’s data to the new data center using methods such as backup and restore or replication. Use data migration tools and application migration to ensure that all is properly configured in the new environment. The experts at TenHats can help you develop a plan to minimize disruption and downtime during the migration process.
Learn what a disaster recovery plan includes and why your business needs one.
6. Verify and Validate
Thoroughly test and verify your infrastructure, services, and applications in the new data center. This ensures that everything is functioning as expected. You should also verify that all your data has been successfully migrated and is accessible. Take some time and assess the performance of your systems and applications.
7. Transfer knowledge to staff and clients
Train your IT staff and necessary clients on the new data center environment. Make sure that all documentation is up to date. This will help prevent any confusion when using the new environment so that everything runs as smoothly as possible.
What To Expect After Colocation Migration
When partnering with a data center provider, it’s important to know what to expect once the migration process is complete. A quality data center will provide ongoing maintenance and support so you don’t have to keep checking on your servers and other infrastructure. This should include regular maintenance on their facility to ensure that it continues to run smoothly. Support and troubleshooting should also be available in case any issues arise.
Colocation from TenHats
TenHats’ colocation services offer a versatile solution for storing and processing data, tailored to suit any industry or business environment. When choosing us, you gain access to an economical data solution supported by top-tier expertise and assistance. With our off-site data center, your business can redirect its focus toward fulfilling its core mission.
Expertise and assistance
Our colocation services team boasts years of experience in supporting organizations like yours. We also provide continuous support and managed services to better serve your needs. Our team keeps abreast of the latest industry best practices, potential threats, and vulnerabilities.
Economical data solution
Constructing and overseeing your own data center can deplete your budget and other vital resources. With TenHats, you receive an outsourced data solution that minimizes costs compared to the substantial initial investment associated with on-premise alternatives.
Fulfilling your core mission
Entrusting TenHats with your data storage and processing requirements means transferring the day-to-day operational responsibilities to our team of experts. Our experts manage power consumption, cooling, and network connectivity for all your data. This allows you to focus on advancing your business through strategic initiatives and essential business operations.
Are you ready to migrate your IT infrastructure to our colocation data center? Contact us today to start a conversation.
There are certain steps your business must take to get the most out of its data center migration. This includes choosing a provider as well as reviewing the process once it’s completed. Data center migration encompasses the transfer of an organization’s computing infrastructure. TenHats provides cost-effective colocation services supported by expert assistance, enabling businesses to concentrate on their primary objectives.
Located in Knoxville, TN, our purpose-built colocation data center can serve any organization in East Tennessee and beyond. With our team’s IT experience, we provide a lot more than simply protected data. When you call us, you talk to a real IT expert, not an answering machine. Connect with our team about our data center today!
