Moving IT infrastructure may seem like a job well-suited for a cabling company, but an experienced relocation company like JK Moving offers multiple layers of expertise and project management that can take such projects from potentially disruptive and clumsy to highly efficient and cost-effective. This case study shows that specialized infrastructure relocation takes big-picture planning and a lot of patience.
Executive summary
Motorola, a leader in radio communication technology, partnered with JK to support a large Federal government agency in relocating a data center within their building. This complex project represented the first recapitalization of assets within this data center in 20 years and involved more than 450 devices and nearly 2500 cables that interconnected them. JK’s expertise and solution-driven approach were key to seamlessly executing the physical move and significantly reducing the expected downtime of critical radio systems during the transition. As with all their projects, JK prioritized transparent communication and out-of-the-box thinking to deliver unparalleled relocation solutions, which in this case, turned a first-time customer into a repeat client.
Data center moving challenges
- A 20-year-old data center with extensive patchwork of cabling and equipment.
- 2000 – 2500 cables needed to be traced, hand over hand.
- Plan needed to encompass shutdown of entire radio system for vital government entity.
- Procurement timeframe for missing parts had the potential to slow down the project timeline.
Our complex cabling move solution
To dismantle the decades-old data center, we assigned teams to segment the project by system and perform a comprehensive audit of all cabinets, devices and connections, to include hand tracing over 2500 cables from end to end. We consolidated all of the audit data into and Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) system, which allowed us to generate a series of cabling matrices necessary to complete the migration and bring the systems back online within the scheduled maintenance windows.
We built a move plan that allowed for project completion in 6 months. The client’s original plan for shutdown and restart would have taken the entire radio system offline for the better part of a week, potentially impacting government operations. Our Project Management team’s bigger-picture view helped us successfully restructure the approach to significantly reduce the required outage time.
We worked in conjunction with the client’s engineers to plot an orderly shutdown of subsystems as the relocation was carried out. As a bonus, when the migration was complete, we provided the government client with a complete set of up-to-date, as-built documentation, including room layout, rack elevations, and a complete and accurate end-to-end cabling matrix. This provided a critical bridge from the initial cabling infrastructure design to the final project outcome, capturing the plan exactly as it was executed in a comprehensive reference document.
As the client purchased their equipment directly, an issue arose when it was discovered that specialized cables were needed to complete the work. Rather than delay the project by the 2 – 3 weeks their procurement process would have required, we purchased the cables and had them delivered within one day. Our flexibility and access to resources saved the client time and money.
Results
Here are the measurable benefits our client received:
- We relocated a complex data center with more than 450 devices and 2500 connecting cables. This allowed for a long-overdue audit and cleanup of existing equipment to allow the new data center location to begin operations with a refreshed, orderly layout.
- All cabling was traced by hand and carefully documented so that implementation in the new location was seamless.
- Finally, the transition was made with no unplanned outages. The JK team’s expertise made such a positive impression that the client has already engaged us to assist with their next project.
JK’s IT relocation experts can help with your IT infrastructure relocation. Contact us at 703.574.6754 or via email at commercial@jkmoving.com.