Planning Your IT and Telecom Relocation – Action Checklist

Your employees may be ready to move. That doesn’t mean the business is ready to operate.

Technology planning for an office relocation used to focus largely on moving computers, servers and phone systems. Today, many of the critical dependencies may not physically move at all.

Internet connectivity, Wi-Fi, cloud applications, security, audiovisual systems, access control and outside technology vendors may all need to be ready before the new office can function.

The question isn’t simply “How are we moving the equipment?”

It’s “What has to be working when people arrive?”

Start With What the Business Needs

Identify the systems and services that must be operational on Day One.

Which departments cannot tolerate an interruption? What connectivity, applications, communications, security and conference-room technology must work immediately?

Build the relocation plan around those requirements.

Identify the Dependencies

Technology may involve internal IT, carriers, managed service providers, security vendors, audiovisual contractors, software providers, the landlord and the construction team.

Identify who owns each responsibility and when their work must occur.

Pay particular attention to:

• Internet and carrier services
• Network cabling and Wi-Fi
• Electrical capacity and IT-room cooling
• Security and access control
• Conference-room and audiovisual systems
• Printers and other shared equipment
• Leased or vendor-maintained equipment

Track Carrier and Vendor Lead Times

Don’t assume connectivity will be available because service has been ordered.

Track ordering, building access, installation, activation and testing as project schedule activities.

If employees cannot work without connectivity, technology readiness is effectively an occupancy milestone.

Plan and Test the Cutover

Determine what will be shut down, moved, activated and tested—and who is responsible for each step.

Test the new environment before employees arrive.

Can they connect? Can they access critical applications? Do conference rooms, printers, security systems and communications work?

Installed is not the same as operational.

Have a Contingency

Decide what happens if a critical system isn’t ready.

Depending on the business, that might mean temporary connectivity, remote work, backup equipment or maintaining certain operations from the existing location.

The appropriate solution will vary. The important thing is that the decision is made before move day.

Don’t Forget the Equipment

Maintain an inventory of physical equipment being relocated and identify who is authorized to disconnect, transport, reinstall and test it.

This is particularly important for leased, warrantied or vendor-maintained equipment.

Leadership takeaway: Treat technology readiness as an operational milestone. Define what must work on Day One, assign responsibility for every dependency, and test it before the business moves in.