Managing Your IT Transition During an Office Fit Out

If you’re planning an office fit out or relocation, by now you’ve surely realised just how many small but significant details must be considered. One of the biggest challenges in commercial interior design is the transition of your IT infrastructure. Can your existing servers handle the additional load of extra workstations in your updated floorplan? Will your data cabling reach all the computers in your new, more spacious office location? Answers to these questions will require time and an intricate eye for detail but following a few simple steps can make the transition much more manageable. Read on to learn more.
Date
14 Dec
2021
Author
Studio DB
Category
Project management

1. Assess the demands of your new location or floor plan

Office fit outs and relocations, particularly for growing businesses, will present new challenges for your IT infrastructure. If you are relocating to a new office, be sure to conduct a site visit and take detailed measurements of the space to see how much cabling you will need. Understanding the physical demands of your new space and floor plan is the first step to a smooth transition.

2. Conduct an audit of your existing IT infrastructure

Once you understand what your new location or spatial planning will require of your IT infrastructure, you should conduct a thorough audit and review of your current setup, including the length and volume of your data cabling. Undertaking a comprehensive upgrade to your business’ IT system can often feel intimidating or impractical, but there’s no better time to consider one than when you’re packing up the whole apparatus anyway. Review where your IT system is and isn’t meeting the demands of your business and incorporate any necessary improvements into your transition plan.

3. Develop a detailed transition plan

Your business can’t afford to be without an operational IT setup for very long, so it’s important that your transition be done quickly and efficiently. Put together a comprehensive plan for the move. Include a checklist of all items, the order in which they must be disassembled and then assembled, which boxes they are placed in, and when they can be reinstalled. Make sure that every item is clearly labelled before it is removed so that no cables or servers get mixed up.

4. Invest in data backup and recovery

During your transition, your IT infrastructure will be particularly vulnerable to physical damage and data breaches. Therefore, be sure that you invest in effective and accessible data backup and recovery solutions before you begin physically handling your IT infrastructure. Your IT partner can probably help with this, and you may have some backup and recovery solutions already in place, but now is the time to review them and tie up any loose ends before the transition begins.

5. Schedule time with your IT partner for the first day in your new location

The day your daily business operations resume in your new (or newly renovated) office is an exciting one, but it can also be a bit frightening. After all, it’s the first day your freshly reassembled IT setup will be properly tested, and any issues that arise now must be repaired on the fly. Consider coordinating with your IT partner to have a professional on hand for the first day back, to help resolve any minor niggles in the setup as life in your office figures out its new normal.

A smooth transition for an innovative design

Don’t let your IT system get in the way of the new, vibrant office space your business deserves! With years of experience developing the top office fit outs Auckland wide, Studio DB understands the challenges that businesses face during these transitions and incorporates their insights into every new project. Contact Studio DB today to learn more!

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